Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
Vegas to San Fran
Premier
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Spending three nights in Yosemite National Park means two full days of exploration. With so many options on what to do, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
- Discover another side to Yosemite’s towering granite cliffs, redwood forests and epic night skies by hiking one of its lesser-known trails – Hetch Hetchy – with your local leader.
- Soak up the scenery on a relaxing visit to a natural hot spring near the township of Bishop. It’s the perfect way to relax and get to know your travel pals.
- With a knowledgeable leader and driver getting you from place to place, all you’ve got to worry about is snapping the best photo and getting the most out of your Californian road trip.
- Where better to end your adventure than in San Francisco, the eclectic, multicultural 'City by the Bay'. With the option to extend your visit a couple of days, you won’t be wanting to go home just yet.
Short Description
City, coast, hot springs, national parks and a whole load of wide-open roads – take on Vegas to San Fran in just six days. Stop by Sierra Nevada to soak in local hot springs and pass by Mono and Tenaya lakes on your way to the extraordinary Yosemite National Park. With two full days spent here, marvel at Half Dome and hike the Hetch Hetchy Valley with your small group, plus reap the benefits of the freedom to explore at your own pace. Once you wind up along the culture-filled harbourside of San Francisco, you’ll have found your calling. The Western USA is a place for dreamers – let one be you.
Itinerary
Day 1 Las Vegas
Welcome to the USA! There are no planned activities until your welcome meeting in the hotel lobby at 6 pm. Las Vegas may be the gambling capital of the world, but there's plenty to do if gambling isn't your thing. Hit the shops, feel your stomach drop on a rooftop roller coaster or simply stroll along the Strip, soaking up the glitz and gaudiness. We recommend you arrive a few days early to make the most of this exciting city. After the welcome meeting, perhaps feast on an 'all you can eat' buffet, check out one of the many shows on offer – book in advance if you can, to get the best deals – or party the night away in a Vegas nightclub.
Day 2 Sierra Nevada / Keough Hot Springs
Leave the bright lights of Vegas behind and drive into the Eastern Sierra Nevada toward the quaint town of Bishop. On arrival, check out the town or perhaps treat yourself to the crispy cookies or ‘bear claws’ at Erick Schat’s German bakery. Later this afternoon, join the group for a soothing soak in a natural hot spring – perfect for those wanting to relax before an action-packed few days in Yosemite. Tonight, you’ll camp under the stars in Bishop.
Day 3 Yosemite National Park
Prepare for some spectacular mountain scenery as you depart from Bishop and head west to Yosemite National Park. This morning, stop at crystal clear lakes – including Mono and Tenaya – before continuing through the Tioga Pass (snow levels permitting) into the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Stop by Olmstead Point to marvel at Yosemite’s natural wonder, Half Dome, before arriving at one of the most famous parks in the USA. Yosemite's colossal granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls (depending on the season) and redwood forests attract visitors from all over the world. You'll spend three nights in the park, meaning you have two full days to explore. The total driving time today is approximately 5 hours.
Day 4 Yosemite National Park
Start today with an orientation tour of the village before heading out for a free day of exploration. There are plenty of hikes available, each varying in steepness and difficulty. Hike The Mist Trail to Nevada Falls (2–5 hours) or to the serene Mirror Lake (45 minutes). Keep an eye out for squirrels and perhaps even a bear along the way. You might prefer to hire a bike and explore Yosemite Valley, visiting the park's museum, photo gallery, shops and restaurants along the way. In the heat of summer, a relaxing float down the Merced River followed by a few drinks at the park's cafe is just the trick.
Day 5 Yosemite National Park
Today there’s a chance to explore a different side of the park as you join your leader on a guided hike to Hetch Hetchy Valley. Tucked away in the northwest corner of Yosemite, Hetch Hetchy is a wilderness of cascading waterfalls, towering cliff faces and beautiful wildflowers. Boasting one of the longest hiking seasons in the park, the ecologically diverse valley attracts a fraction of the visitors in comparison to other more well-known hiking spots in Yosemite – which means it’s an ideal area for those who have extra time to explore the park in depth.
Day 6 San Francisco
Leave Yosemite behind today and drive west to San Francisco (approximately 4 hours). The 'City by the Bay' has a beautiful setting and a vibrant, multicultural heart. You might like to check out the vintage stores along funky Haight Street, catch the tram down to the waterfront or take an Adventure Cat Bay Cruise. The trip finishes on arrival into San Francisco after a stop to check out the Golden Gate Bridge, and no accommodation is provided tonight. As there's a great deal to do in San Francisco, we recommend you stay a couple of extra days to make the most of the city. If you do wish to spend extra time in San Francisco, we'll be happy to help you book additional accommodation (subject to availability).
Availability
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4,327 Intrepid Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings
Vegas to San Fran
Wes, our guide, was amazing. He
It is hard to beat such a well planned trip, with such a great guide/leader, to such beautiful national parks!
excellent leader, great itinerary.
I gave this score based on the
Mainly because of the whole concept. It's
But the program AND the leader focuses mainly on showing us nature and that's exactly why i came to make that trip. What you also learn by the leader and on tour is something you cannot learn elsewhere.
I chose this trip because it went
I would have liked 1 more day
Details
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal ground transport Private vehicle
Group Size
Small Group - 24 max
Maximum Number of People in Group: 12
Accommodations
Camping with facilities (4 nights),Hotel (1 night)
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. NORTH AMERICAN LEADERS ON CAMPING TRIPS Our leaders in the US and Canada are also responsible for driving the van and navigating across the country. 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 roads. Our North American camping trips are built around the co-operation and participation of all the group members under the supervision of the leader. Your leader will show the group how to set up and use the camp equipment, and form work groups to take turns cooking, cleaning and shopping. Everyone is expected participate and carry their share of the workload, making camp chores easier. If the whole group participates it will be quicker, easier and more fun. It's strictly forbidden for non-qualified rangers to present any information about some National Parks in North America, therefore we adopt a system (as requested by the park rangers) where our leader will encourage travellers to visit the information centres in the National Parks for details about the site.
Age Notes :
Min. Age: 15
Additional Information
Finish point
- Stanford Court San Francisco
- 905 California Street, Nob Hill,
- San Francisco
- CA 94108
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
- Phone: +1 4159893500
Trip ID#:
intrepid-SSRH
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