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Hike the Valleys and Peaks of Yosemite National Park

United States
3 nights
Moderate

Lace up your boots to hit secluded trails through iconic Yosemite

What's Included?

Small Like-minded Groups

Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 9 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people
From

…

excluding flights
From

…

excluding flights

What's it like?

Spend 2 full days hiking secluded trails along the Yosemite valley and camping under the stars

See some of Yosemite's big-hitters: El Capitan & Vernal Falls and get up close to giant 3000 year old sequoia trees

Explore the Yosemite valley floor before ascending to new heights to see the valley from iconic lookout points.

Key Information

Day 1

Hit the road to Yosemite and hike amongst giant sequoias

Hiking

2-3 hours · 7-8km · 150m up · 150m down

Your adventure begins at San Francisco airport where you'll be met by your host. Together with your fellow adventurers you’ll jump in the van and hit the road for a couple of hours over to Yosemite National Park. In the afternoon you'll enjoy a warm up hike in Mariposa Grove, the largest sequioa grove in Yosemite with over 500 mature giant sequioas where you can get up close to these iconic trees.

This evening you will set up camp and enjoy a camp dinner as you prepare for your big day in the valley tomorrow.

Day 2

Hike the Yosemite valley floor to the big hitters

Hiking

6-8hrs · 16km · 900m up · 900m down

After a big campsite breakfast you'll spend a full day exploring the Yosemite Valley floor. Your route packs in some of the park's most famous sites - El Capitan, Half Dome, and Yosemite Falls - towering above you as you hike around the winding trails. Throughout the day, your guide will share stories of the area and the park's history while keeping an eye out for unique flora and fauna.

Day 3

Hike up to see the park from above

Hiking

6-8hrs · 16km · 610m up · 610m down

Today you'll take on a more challenging trail to see the park from high above. Depending on conditions, your hike may be Yosemite Falls, the Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point, or a hike to Vernal Falls. Expect to take on some serious elevation as you ascend to new heights and see the valley from some iconic viewpoints. Tonight you'll enjoy a final dinner around the campfire, hearing Yosemite stories and maybe the odd bear-encounter tale from your guides!

Day 4

Farewell Yosemite

Hiking

2-3hrs · 7-8km · 150m up · 150m down

After a final campsite breakfast, you'll pack up and head out on one last hike nearby to soak up the last of Yosemite, for this trip at least. Jump back in the van for the drive back to San Francisco in time for any onward travel.

The Area

map

Logistics

Starts

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

10:30 on Day 1

Ends

San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

18:30 on Day 4

Transfers

Your host will meet you at San Francisco International Airport, California at 10:30 so please book a flight that arrives before 10:00. Alternatively, you can be collected at your accommodation in San Francisco at around 09:00 if you are already in town.

Your trip ends back at San Francisco International Airport where your host will drop you off at 18:30. Book any flight that leaves after 20:00 to ensure you have enough time to check-in. Alternatively you can be dropped at your accommodation in San Francisco if you are staying on.

Travel options

There are direct flights to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) from all over the US and major hubs in Europe.

Day 1

Campsite · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 2

Campsite · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 3

Cabin · Twin share

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 4

Departure day

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

What is the food like?

Evening meals around the campfire will be based around rice and pasta dishes with fresh vegetables. For breakfast there will be eggs, pancakes and fruit. Lunches will be meat-based sandwiches unless you request a vegan/vegetarian option. During the adventure you'll be kept full of delicious, local snacks. Water, tea and coffee are provided as well as wine and beer in the evenings.

Vegetarian, vegan and other dietary requirements can be accommodated - just request when booking.

What is the accommodation like?

Campsite

You will camp in one of Yosemite's historic campgrounds, located in Central California's rugged Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. You'll camp under the stars, amongst the Giant Sequoias, near waterfalls, sheer granite cliffs, deep valleys, grand meadows, and more. Campsites are equipped with flush toilets, vault toilets, and drinking water. Each campsite contains a picnic table, fire ring, and a food storage locker.

Yosemite Pines Cabins

You'll stay in cedar wood cabins set amongst pine trees at a site just outside the national park. The cabins are comfortable with air conditioning, water coolers and coffee makers. Your cabin has a veranda, picnic area and fire pits ready for classic American campfire evenings after your days spent hiking in Yosemite.

Upgrades

For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).

This trip is brand new

We’re still waiting to collect any reviews from other travellers on this trip. However, all our hosts go through an extensive vetting process to ensure that your adventure is awesome.

Guides

Expert, medically-trained naturalist guides with wilderness first responder training

Accommodation

2 nights camping and one night in a peaceful cedar cabin

Meals

Delicious fresh food included throughout

Transfers

To and from the airport (or your accommodation in San Francisco) and everything in-between

Equipment

All you need for on the trail camping

Permits

All national park entry fees and permits

Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear

In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.

What's included?

All your camping equipment including tent, sleeping mat and cooking items.

What's available to hire?

  • Sleeping bag (see Optional Extras for prices)

What do I need to bring?

Bags

  • Backpack (60-70 litres)
  • Waterproof cover or drybags

Clothes

  • Hiking boots, waterproof with sturdy soles
  • Wool hiking socks, multiple pairs
  • Long sleeve base layers (synthetic and moisture wicking)
  • Long pant base layer (synthetic and moisture wicking)
  • Light synthetic shirt or tank for warmer days
  • Hiking pants or shorts (at least one pair should be long pants)
  • Insulating mid layers (fleece jacket or vest, down jacket)
  • Waterproof, windproof shell
  • Light gloves
  • Warm hat
  • Casual clothes for camp

Sleeping

  • Sleeping bag (2-3 season). Also available to hire.
  • Cotton or silk sleeping bag liner (optional)

Other

  • Water bottles or Camelbak, 3L total minimum capacity
  • Headlamp
  • Small towel or facecloth
  • Toiletries and personal first aid
  • Sunscreen and insect repellant
  • Sunglasses
  • Personal mess kit
  • Trekking Poles (Optional)
  • Camera
  • Book
  • Ear plugs
*Requests for optional extras can be made after booking on your “My Bookings” page

Optional Private Tent & Cabin Upgrade

Payable Before Departure

Optional Private Tent & Cabin Upgrade

… Per Person

Optional Private Tent Upgrade

Payable Before Departure

Optional Private Tent Upgrade

… Per Person

Sleeping Bag - Down

Payable Before Departure

Sleeping Bag - Down

… Per Person

Sleeping Bag - Synthetic

Payable Before Departure

Sleeping Bag - Synthetic

… Per Person

We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.

What's the number?
It works out on average at 93kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.

The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.

But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:

  • Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
  • A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
  • 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.

What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.

Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.

Tips are not included in the trip cost. The amount to tip is entirely at your discretion but there is an expectation to tip in the USA; your guides will rely on tips for a considerable portion of their income.

We suggest to budget for 10%-20% of the trip cost as a guideline.

Of course, you are free to tip more or less, and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

There is drinking water available at your accomodation on nights 1 and 3.

The hiking route has several water re-supply points, so you just need to bring reusable water bottles to fill up throughout the hike and for the overnight in the backcountry.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.

Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.

Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.

We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

  • 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
  • 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
  • 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.

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