Yosemite 5 Day Tour - Bug Lodge Stay

ABOUT

A single day is not enough to truly experience all that Yosemite has to offer. If you know you want to stay near Yosemite but still need to book your stay at the Bug Lodge, we’ve got you covered! Ride along with us and learn all about Yosemite along the way, including everything you need to know about the famous Giant Sequoias, El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls, and, of course, Yosemite Valley itself! Kick back and relax as we take care of getting you to your overnight Yosemite stay!

Travel and Hospitality Awards named this the best Yosemite tour from San Francisco for its jaw-dropping natural beauty. The tour has earned more 5-star guest reviews because our expert guides include the Giant Sequoias among the attractions in Yosemite Valley.

The tour begins with a convenient hotel pick up in San Francisco. Sit back and enjoy the scenery as your guide explains what happened in the American River that sparked the California gold rush; the geological forces that created Yosemite’s famous granite monuments; and how John Muir influenced the formation of America’s first protected wilderness. 

Be Blown Away by Awe-Inspiring Valley Views

After entering Yosemite National Park, we'll make our way to a scene made famous by photographer Ansel Adams. Take a moment at Tunnel View. Capture yourself with El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, Glacier Point, and Cathedral Peak as your background.

Once you’ve had your fill of photographs from this perch overlooking the valley, the tour will arrange a memorable stop where you can get eye to eye with wispy Bridalveil Fall.

Get Settled In for a Yosemite Park Adventure

You will arrive in Yosemite Valley with plenty of time left in the day to enjoy free time for hiking to Yosemite Falls, bike riding to Mirror Lake, checking out the Ansel Adams Gallery and more.

Your free and unguided time begins after taking YARTS to check into the Bug Lodge (bus fee not included). Hostel dormitories have new white steel beds, lockers, shower amenities and linens included. Very nice and very clean, these are usually two rooms sharing two baths, two showers and a sink bank. Backpackers still set the tone at the Bug Lodge and we have a guest kitchen for those who bring some food of their own. Decks outside with tables and chairs, too. In-room phones and TV are not available in this class of accommodation.

Every room comes with:

• Daily housekeeping service
• ADA/Handicap access
• Heater (check availability)

Between your departure and return days, you will be able to enjoy experiences not possible on a one-day trip to Yosemite. Your tour guide will describe how to hike the Mist, Vernal Fall or Nevada Fall Trails; take a tour to Glacier Point (summer months); raft or swim in the Merced River (summer only); see the night sky like never before; spot local wildlife in the early morning; bike to Curry Village; or visit the Giant Sequoias in Mariposa Grove.

Create Lasting Memories On Departure Day

On your return day, you will have time in the morning to plan another fun nature experience or just do some forest bathing near your hotel. In the early afternoon, meet your return vehicle at Stop 7 in Yosemite Valley. Then, your Yosemite experience stops at El Capitan Meadow to learn more about the world’s largest granite monolith. Our last Valley stop will be at Valley View with its panoramic landscape framing the Merced River, El Capitan and the imposing spires of Cathedral Rocks. 

After all this, the highlight of our tour will still be ahead of you as we reach the entry to the magical and secluded Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. There, you'll have the chance to get up close and personal with some of the largest and oldest trees on earth.

When the Tuolumne Grove trail is snow-covered or unsafe, we substitute this experience with other attractions.

By the end of your multi-day tour, you'll have experienced some of the world’s most incredible landscapes and collected memories to last a lifetime. Don't wait. Book this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore Yosemite National Park with us today.

DURATION

Approximately 7 hours on the first day Meet the bus at 2:00 PM on the last day to return to San Francisco

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Hike to Giant Sequoias (Conditions permitting)
• Stunning views
• Free time to explore Yosemite Valley
• Local expert
• Foreign language audios (8 languages)
• Daily departures
• Convenient pickup at many San Francisco hotels
• WiFi on board the bus
• Park entry fee included at checkout

NOT INCLUDED

• Meals or beverages
• Accommodations
• Guide gratuity

ITINERARY

Outbound Day

5:20 AM – 10:30 AM

• Convenient hotel pickup

• Breakfast stop. Pick up snacks and lunch for the park

• Your guide prepares you for a day in Yosemite Park

10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

• Enter Yosemite National Park

• Stop to ogle and photograph Tunnel View

• Marvel at the beauty of Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome

12:30 PM to Return day

• Catch a YARTS bus (fare not included) to head out to the Bug Lodge from where we drop you off by Yosemite Valley Lodge. Check into your dorm, and get ready for your own, personal adventure!

• Unguided, free time in Yosemite (activities not included)

RETURN DAY

2:00 PM to 2:45 PM

• Meet the tour at Stop #7 in Yosemite Valley

• Stop at El Capitan Meadow to spot some climbers

• Capture the Merced River among granite peaks at Valley View

2:45 PM to 4:30 PM

Make the scenic drive to the Tuolumne Grove of redwoods Hike the nature trail to the Giant Sequoias (conditions permitting)

4:30 PM to 9:00 PM

• Descend the Sierras as you return to San Francisco

• Break for dinner

• Enjoy the ride as we return to your pickup location