Yosemite Highlights Tour: Half Dome, Waterfalls & Sequoias

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration9h

GroupUp to 27

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

A full day of Yosemite's most famous granite cliffs, waterfalls and ancient groves, with lunch and photo stops built in.

A full-day small group tour of Yosemite National Park with pickup from Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Oakhurst or Fish Camp, led by an expert driver-guide who knows the park's seasonal access and weather shifts. You'll see Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, and Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (when the road is open), with frequent stops for photos and a walk to one or two waterfalls. Lunch, snacks and water are included; the guide adjusts the order of stops to give you the best experience possible given the day's conditions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Yosemite National Park highlights

Travel through Yosemite by bus
Stop for photos and short walks
Visit Yosemite Valley viewpoints
See Half Dome and El Capitan
View Bridalveil and Yosemite Falls
Explore Royal Arches and Turtleback Dome
Stop at Three Brothers and Leaning Tower
Visit Ribbon Fall and Cathedral Spires
See Yosemite Chapel and Merced River
Enjoy included picnic lunch
Visit Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (if accessible)
View Glacier Point and surrounding falls (if accessible)

The Experience

What's the best way to see Yosemite's most famous viewpoints without driving yourself? A small group tour with pickup from the gateway towns—Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Oakhurst or Fish Camp—means you arrive at Tunnel View, Half Dome and El Capitan without navigating the park's winding roads or hunting for parking. The guide knows where the light hits each landmark and when the seasonal roads to Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove are passable, so the itinerary shifts based on what's actually open that day and what will give you the clearest views.

The bus itself becomes part of the experience: large picture windows frame the Merced River, Cathedral Spires and Turtleback Dome as you roll through the valley, and the guide talks through the geology, flora and history as the landscape changes. You'll stop for photos at multiple viewpoints and walk to one or two waterfalls—Bridalveil, Yosemite Falls, Vernal or Nevada Fall depending on the season and what the guide judges will be most rewarding that day. Mariposa Grove, where you stroll among the Giant Sequoias, is included when the road is open and shuttles are running.

Lunch—a choice of six sandwiches plus chips, fresh fruit and water—is eaten at a spot the guide chooses, so you don't lose time waiting in line at the valley's crowded cafes. The vehicles are air-conditioned, impeccably maintained and cleaned between tours. The full day runs nine hours from pickup to drop-off, and the guide adjusts stops and timing based on weather, road conditions and what's accessible that season.

What’s included

Pickup from Coarsegold, Bass Lake, Oakhurst or Fish Camp.
lunch with a choice of six sandwiches, chips, fresh fruit and water.
air-conditioned vehicle with comfortable seats and large picture windows.
expert English-speaking driver-guide.
all national park fees and taxes.
frequent photo stops and walks to waterfalls (seasonal).

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcome

Operated by Discover Yosemite

Is this one for you?The tour runs nine hours with frequent stops but mostly from the bus, so it suits travelers who want to see Yosemite's most famous landmarks without driving themselves or planning which roads are open—the guide handles the route and timing based on the day's conditions and season.