Hiking in Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada

5 days
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Small Group Tour
See some of California’s most famous natural wonders and stunning scenery on a 5-day round-trip small group hiking adventure which packs plenty of magical moments into a short space of time. Uncover the natural wonders of San Francisco, before you travel to Yosemite National Park to marvel at waterfalls and giant sequoias, spend the night at Lake Tahoe, and s...
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$2,165
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Highlights

    • See a different side of San Francisco on the Lands End Trail which offers views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Pacific Ocean and rocky California coast.
    • Stroll through The Tunnel Tree, a giant sequoia in Yosemite National Park which is so large the trail had to be cut through the centre of it.
    • See Vernal Fall on The Mist Trail, one of Yosemite's signature hikes which has more spectacular views than you can point a camera at.
    • Hike along the shores of Upper and Lower Echo Lakes which are the gateway to the spectacular Desolation Wilderness area.
    • Breathe in the fresh scent of pine and aspen trees as you take in the views of Mount Morrison and Laurel Mountain on a scenic walk around Convict Lake.
    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, the Grand Canyon Conservancy. Donations help them protect Grand Canyon National Park and support trail restoration, conservation of native plants and wildlife, and educational programs. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

What's this trip about?

    See some of California’s most famous natural wonders and stunning scenery on a 5-day round-trip small group hiking adventure which packs plenty of magical moments into a short space of time. Uncover the natural wonders of San Francisco, before you travel to Yosemite National Park to marvel at waterfalls and giant sequoias, spend the night at Lake Tahoe, and see both Echo Lakes. With easy to moderate hikes, comfortable accommodation, and a knowledgeable leader, this hiking adventure is big on beauty.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityOperator does not provide
End CityOperator does not provide

Travel Themes

  • Hiking & Walking
  • Trekking & Expeditions

Destinations

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 12

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 San Francisco

Welcome to San Francisco! Your tour starts at 12 noon with a group meeting followed by your first walk of the trip, an easy hike along the Lands End Trail. Have your camera handy as you enjoy superb views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Pacific Ocean and the wild and ...

Day 2 Yosemite National Park

After departing San Francisco, you’ll head through California’s famous Gold Rush Country, high into the mountains of the Sierra Nevada. Experience the majestic views from Yosemite Valley with some of America’s tallest waterfalls and towering granite cliffs rising 4,00...

Day 3 Mammoth Lakes

Today you get to enjoy not one but two magnificent hikes in the Yosemite High Country. After breakfast, walk the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias trail where you can stroll right through the middle of The Tunnel Tree and admire dozens of mature sequoia trees which tow...

Day 4 Convict Lake & Mono Lake / Lake Tahoe

After breakfast, take a walk around Convict Lake on an easy 3 km trail which follows the lake edge. Breathe in the fresh scent of pine and aspen trees as you take in the views of Mount Morrison and Laurel Mountain on this easy scenic walk. This afternoon, head out on ...

Day 5 Lake Tahoe / San Francisco

For the final walk of the trip, you’ll hike along the shores of Upper and Lower Echo Lakes which are the gateway to the spectacular Desolation Wilderness area. The 8.5 km Echo Lakes trail offers superb views of these two crystal clear lakes and mountains which provide...

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Dates & Availability

Price From $1,604
Price per day$321
Last Updated: 10/11/2024

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Associations

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (4 nights)

Transportation & Flights

Private vehicle,

Transportation & flights

Private vehicle
Guides
Your group leader’s role involves organising the overall operation and smooth-running of the trip and managing trip logistics. Your leader is also fully qualified and experienced to lead all the treks/hikes included in this trip, therefore, your leader is also your trekking/hiking guide. In addition, they are responsible for driving the van and navigating across the country/state. The allowable driving times for drivers is strictly controlled in North America. This ensures our drivers are well rested and are not over-tired from too many hours on the road. Please note that guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24 hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time, etc. It is essential that leaders are well-rested in order to safely lead hikes. We ask our travellers to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ time off and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Stanford Court San Francisco
  • 905 California Street, Nob Hill,
  • San Francisco
  • CA 94108
  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
  • Phone: +1 4159893500

Alternate Finish point

  • For trips departing on the following dates, use this finish point.
  • 16 Sep 2024 (SIXS240916)
  • Comfort Inn by the Bay
  • 2775 Van Ness Ave
  • San Francisco
  • UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Trip ID
intrepid-SIXS

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