Giant Sequoias, Waterfalls and Welcoming Trails
Credit: Lynn Y.
Credit: Matej Hudovernik
Trip Type: Small Group Adventure
Territory: North America
Region: Pacific Northwest
Trip Price: From $3,550
Single Supplement: $995
On-Trip Airfare: $0
Duration: 6 days/5 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Fresno, California / Fresno, California
Minimum Travelers: 2 travelers
Maximum Travelers: 16 travelers
Pricing detailed for this Small Group Adventure is based upon double occupancy. Additional charges for single travelers and any on-trip airfare required for the trip apply. A booking deposit is required to reserve your space. Small Group Adventure pricing includes all lodging, meals (unless otherwise noted), activities, baggage handling, transportation, and guide service. Not included are travel costs to/from gateway cities, guide gratuities, and personal incidentals including, but not limited to, trip cancellation/interruption insurance, alcoholic beverages, and laundry service. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.
No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities
Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration
High Five! – 5-12 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun
Outdoors for 6 to 8 hours daily at elevations between 4,000 and 7,500 feet. Activities include hiking between two and five miles, on well-maintained trails.
Most all of our Small Group Adventures can be made private to just your traveling troupe. Just give us a call at (800) 445-2995 and tell us that you would like to “make it private”!
Generally, there are two ways to make a small group adventure private. First, you could capture one of our published departure dates for just your group. In order to achieve this, we have to have sufficient space available to create a separate private trip. Second, we could take the details of this itinerary and fashion it for just your group on dates of your choosing. For this, too, we just need to review your interest, group size, and preferred timing in order to create the trip.
In all cases, the process begins with a phone call so give us a ring at (800) 445-2995 and after just a few minutes gathering information, we can set to the task of making your trip a reality!
Your guide picks you up at a designated hotel near the airport, ready to begin this great journey! On the 2-hour drive to the park, you’ll get to know your guide and fellow travelers and learn about the history of the region. Established in 1890, Yosemite is one of our nation’s most cherished landscapes. Towering cliffs, expansive vistas, abundant waterfalls and important wildlife habitat are all part of John Muir’s legacy. Upon arrival in the park, we’ll enjoy a short hike to stretch our legs and “get grounded” in this incredible landscape. Our accommodations for the next two nights are at the classic Big Trees Lodge (formerly the Wawona Hotel). Cradled between the majestic Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias and Yosemite Valley, the lodge is just four miles from the park’s south entrance. The Victorian hotel complex was built in the1870s and has been designated a National Historic Landmark for its architectural significance.
Walking among the giant sequoias of the Mariposa Grove—some of the largest and oldest living things on earth—is a soul-stirring experience. This is the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite, with some 500 trees. One of those trees, the famous Grizzly Giant, is 209 feet tall, has a diameter of 25.5 feet, and is probably around 2,000 years old. Your guide will explain the ecology of the trees as well as some history about their conservation. We head back to Big Trees Lodge for lunch. The rest of the afternoon will be spent exploring the southern portion of the park on guide’s choice hikes in the area. Dinner this evening is in the lovely Big Trees Lodge dining room, known for its culinary excellence and gracious ambiance.
This morning we go from the historic Big Trees Lodge into the heart of Yosemite Valley for a look at the classic features of El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Peak, and other iconic and breathtaking natural attractions. Our guide will choose the best hikes based on weather and trail conditions. Destinations might include Glacier Point, Bridalveil Fall, and Lower Yosemite Falls. As we explore the valley, the guide weaves in stories of renowned naturalist John Muir, a key figure in the creation of Yosemite National Park and in the wider American conservation movement. We may visit some of Muir’s favorite spots, mentioned in his journals. The day winds down at our next lodge, which is in walking distance of Yosemite Falls and offers a great vantage point to view the spectacular falls.
Season, weather, conditions, and our guide’s sense of serendipity dictate where we explore and hike today. One possibility is the Hetch Hetchy area, a glacial valley within the park that sees far fewer visitors than Yosemite Valley. A controversial dam was built there in 1925, raising the ultimately futile objections of John Muir and others from the budding conservation movement. We would probably hike to Wapama Falls along a quiet trail leading to the 1,000-foot two-part cascade. Another option would take us up the Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows, with its high-elevation meadows and great views of the Cathedral Range. The Tuolumne River winds through the picturesque 2-mile long meadow, the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada. We could enjoy any number of hikes in this gorgeous part of the park. We return to our lodge to enjoy dinner at the Mountain Room Restaurant, with its impressive menu and striking views of Yosemite Falls.
Most of this day is dedicated to hiking and valley exploration. "Guide's choice" trails might include the "mist trail" to Vernal Falls, Muir Trail, Mirror Lake, or Cook's Meadow. Later we can drop by the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center and you can also stop in at the Ansel Adams Gallery. Last thing this afternoon is a delightful private tour of the distinguished Majestic Yosemite Hotel (called the Ahwahnee until recently) followed by a festive farewell dinner at the hotel's famous dining room.
Catch breakfast at the hotel and shuttle to the airport for connections home.
Wawona Hotel is a Victorian-style lodge and a National Historic Landmark set in a bucolic location amid lush meadows and rushing streams. The hotel’s beginnings were in the late-1800s, when Clark’s Station was built by miner Galen Clark, who left the gold camps due to ill health. While passing through the area, Clark became entranced with its beauty and returned to build his hotel. In 1878 a fire destroyed buildings at Clark’s Station, with the only survivor a stable and one cottage, now known as Clark Cottage. Over the years, the hotel complex went from pioneer stage stop to primitive inn, to a self-sustaining mountain resort—one of the very first in California. In 1932, the hotel became a part of Yosemite National Park. (April & October Departures)
Yosemite Valley Lodge sits in the heart of Yosemite Village in the heart of Yosemite National Park – needless to say, a central location! The lodge features glass and woodwork and lovely surroundings. The lodge features 226 lodge rooms, each with private bath, a desk, television, telephone, WiFi, and hair dryers. Coffee vouchers are presented at check-in, good for coffee in the café. Cell reception is available at the lodge for Verizon and AT&T customers, though reception quality varies throughout the property. A public computer is available in the lobby.
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