Yosemite Day Tour from San Francisco

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. As you settle in for the journey, we’ll pass by some exceptional San Francisco sights. Catch views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and the incomparable San Francisco Skyline as we head east on the Bay Bridge. The journey to Yosemite typically takes about 4 hours.

   Passes by

2. You’ll taste a piece of California’s rich agricultural hub as we pass through a slice of the Central Valley famous for specialty fruits and nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cherries, and strawberries. Here we will also make a stop at a grocery store for you to pick up lunch and any other supplies you'll need for the day.

   30 min

3. We’ll continue into the mountains as we connect with the rich history of California’s gold country, passing through some of the first settlements built during the Gold Rush. Take in the earthy forest smell as we make our way to the heart of the park. Your guide will pepper you with stories and historical facts about the different sights. The climb through Yosemite Valley offers breathtaking views as we wind our way up to 4,500 feet above sea level. Arrive at Yosemite National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, massive sequoia trees and biological diversity. Admire famous Half Dome, depicted in famous photographs by Ansel Adams, and watch rock climbers scale El Capitan's 3,000-foot (914-meter) sheer granite rock face. Enjoy incredible vistas from the Tunnel View overlook, and end your in-coach tour near the base of Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America.

   20 minAdmission included

4. The suspense is over! Once we reach the drop off location, you’ll have around 3 hours of free time to explore. Want to hike or bike around? Your guide will point out the best spots on your map. You’ll have options to meander or bike down paved paths, hike the trails, engage further with the park’s history at the visitor center, or visit the Ansel Adams Gallery. Although you could spend three weeks in Yosemite, the three hours you get on your own is enough time to understand why Yosemite is one of America’s most popular national parks.

   3 hAdmission included

5. During your free time in Yosemite Valley, you can talk a walk or bike around the base of Yosemite Falls to take in its beauty.

   1 hAdmission included

6. During your free time in Yosemite Valley, you can choose to visit the famous photographer' gallery to view a collection of Ansel Adams' original photographs.

   5 min

7. Once we’ve had our time to explore, we’ll come together in the late afternoon and set our course back to San Francisco, stopping for a short break before arriving back in the city. You will arrive back at your hotel by around 8:30 – 9:00 p.m. to sleep off the days’ adventures.

   Passes by

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 767 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 4Great way to see Yosemite

  Great day out to one of America’s beautiful National Parks. We were involved in a minor accident in a tunnel on the way but our guide/driver Jonathan kept calm & handled it well

  C4984IIchristinehSeptember 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Must see and do

  This is a must do if one is visiting SF for the first time. Viator has offered us the opportunity to experience it without the hassle of having to worry about driving there yourself. The drive is beautiful with ample time for a pit stop and shop for food. Our driver Aidan was very nice, professional, and knowledgeable.

  Romarico_LSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Yosemite Valley Tour Review - Incredible Adventures

  I had a great experience on the Yosemite trip with Incredible Adventures. The tour was very well organized, and everything went according to plan. Our tour guide was exceptional. She was knowledgeable, friendly, and explained everything in great detail. I decided to take the Mist Trail, and her guidance made the hike much easier to navigate. She showed me where to board the shuttle, explained where to go to get the best views of Vernal Falls, and made sure I understood how to get back to the van. Thanks to her clear instructions, I was able to complete the hike within the allotted time and return to the van comfortably. We left early at around 6:20 AM and got back quite late, around 10 PM, but it was absolutely worth it. Yosemite was beautiful, and the entire day was a memorable experience. The only downside was that the coach’s AC was not kept on after the initial part of the journey. We were asked to open the windows instead. Given the long travel time, I would have preferred the coach to be fully air-conditioned throughout the trip. Other than that, everything worked as planned. Overall, I would definitely recommend Incredible Adventures for a Yosemite trip, especially because of the excellent

  josvinj2026September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Yosemite great tour

  Johanna was an amazing guide, had great recommendations and beautiful personality. Answered everyone’s questions and was on time.

  brodieb267September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 5Excellent service

  I thought I signed up for just a tour guide but having Johanna was as if I was having a crash course of thel correlation between socioeconomic, political, natural resources deciding the historical events that happened since the 1840s. What a great day. Thank you.

  sileshia2025September 2026via Tripadvisor

• 1Yosemite Trip

  David is really nice. Found him to be comfortable and easy to talk with and just a warm person. Feedback: Please have water and snacks available. This was a long trip to have to rely on stops and not have water, treats, trail mix, fruit snacks. Advertise when waterfalls are active. Advertise when waterfall season is. It is important to share when the waterfalls are active, this is a primary reason for people to come out.

  Antres_FSeptember 2026via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in San Francisco

• Its from-price is 111% above the median of the 68 attraction tickets we list in San Francisco.
• It is longer than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 11 of 68.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About San Francisco

San Francisco crowds steep hills onto a peninsula between the Pacific and its bay, with cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge and colourful neighbourhoods.

The Golden Gate Bridge spans the strait at the mouth of the bay, often wrapped in fog, and walking or cycling across it is a classic. Boats cross to Alcatraz, the former island prison, while Fisherman's Wharf is known for seafood and the sea lions that bask on the docks of Pier 39. The Ferry Building is a food lover's market.

Top-ranked sights in San Francisco: Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, San Francisco Chinatown.

See all 999 experiences in San Francisco