4 Day Sierra Nevada Tour of Yosemite and Tahoe from San Francisco

Discover the beauty of Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada mountain range in this 4 Day Sierra Nevada Tour of Yosemite and Tahoe from San Francisco. Tour also includes includes the lakes of Tahoe and Mammoth.

This 4-day trip departing from San Francisco brings you into the rugged Ansel Adams Wilderness and introduces you to other sights such as Yosemite’s giant sequoias, Devil’s Postpile National Monument, and Bodie State Historic Park’s ghost town.

With the choice to kayak, stand-up paddleboard, or bike around Lake Tahoe, you’ll discover an outdoor playground packed with pristine lakes and sweeping vistas. This small-group minibus tour includes overnight hotel or camping accommodations.

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Highlights

4 days exploring the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range with a professional guide
See Yosemite Valley, Giant Sequoias, and High Country
Visit Mammoth Lakes, Ansel Adams Wilderness, and Bodie Ghost Town
Activities at Lake Tahoe (and optional casino time)
Accommodation plus round-trip transport by minibus included
Small-group tour ensures personalized attention
All taxes, fuel surcharges and service fees included
Choose from camping or hotel accommodations

Itinerary

Day 1: San Francisco To Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Valley. As we travel high into the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you’ll say goodbye to San Francisco and hello to California’s famous Gold Rush Nation. You’ll have 4 hours of free time after we arrive at Yosemite National Park and the drop-off place to explore this natural playground. Yosemite Valley offers breathtaking views of some of America’s tallest waterfalls and sheer granite cliffs that rise 4,000 feet above the valley floor.

You can walk or bike down paved roads, climb the trails, learn more about the park’s past at the visitor center, or go to the Ansel Adams Gallery. Only a few hours in the park will demonstrate why the park’s famous landscapes have inspired countless artists and photographers since John Muir’s early expeditions in the late 1800s.

We’ll head to the rustic mountain resort after a full day of traipsing around the park to relax, have some drinks, and share your day’s adventures.

Yosemite Falls. Take a hike or a stroll around the base of Yosemite Falls to take in its beauty during your free time to explore Yosemite Valley.

Gallery of Ansel Adams. You can visit the popular photographer’ gallery in Yosemite Village during your free time to see a selection of Ansel Adams’ original photos.

Day 2: Yosemite National Park to Mammoth Lakes

Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. Put on your hiking boots and embark on the 2.5 mile (4 km) round trip hike down to the Sequoia Grove. These giants measure up to 300 feet tall, 30 feet wide, and older than one thousand years.

Tioga Pass. Next up, you’ll ascend to almost 10,000 Feet (3000+ meters), traversing Yosemite’s Tioga Pass viewing iconic sites like the reflective Tenaya Lake and weaving your way through Tuolumne Meadows before descending the fiercely steep eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada.

Mammoth Lakes. Descending the Sierra Nevadas’ ferociously steep eastern slope. After descending the Sierra Nevadas’ eastern slope. You’ll travel to the stunning Mammoth Lakes. Before going to bed, you’ll have some free time to explore. The name is very apt… the height of the mountains, the number of lakes, and the expanse of the valleys… with a hint of its prehistoric history.

Try mountain biking or take a scenic Gondola trip up to 11,053 feet (3368 meters) for one of California’s most breathtaking 360-degree views. Discover why Mammoth is one of the world’s most studied regions by learning about its geologic, natural, and human past.

Day 3: Mammoth Lakes to Lake Tahoe via Ansel Adams Wilderness Area and Bodie Ghost Town

Devils Postpile National Monument. The day will begin with a hike in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. This region, named after the renowned nature photographer and conservationist, is a truly beautiful and preserved treasure. Here you’ll find both unique and spectacular natural sites, such as Devil’s Postpile National Monument’s rare dark basalt columns and the stunning Rainbow Falls, the highest waterfall on the San Joaquin River’s Middle Fork.

Bodie State Historic Park. We’ll set out for the world-famous glittering waters of Lake Tahoe after a short lunch. We’ll take a historic path that takes us through some of California’s Gold Rush history, stopping along the way to see the remote Bodie Ghost Town, which has been abandoned since the early 1900s.

Lake Tahoe Area. We’ll arrive in South Lake Tahoe in time to end your adventure-filled day with sunset on an optional boat cruise or you can try your luck at blackjack, or the roulette wheel at The Hard Rock, Harrah’s or one of other famous casinos in town.

Day 4: Lake Tahoe to San Francisco

Lake Tahoe Area. As you take in the crisp morning air, your guide will facilitate a personalized adventure schedule! Get up close and personal with Lake Tahoe, the highest alpine lake in the USA either by kayak, stand-up paddleboard. Rent a bike to trundle the paths along the lake’s gorgeous sandy shores.

If you would prefer more of a bird’s eye view with panoramic vistas of Lake Tahoe, Carson Valley and the Desolation Wilderness, take the 2.4 mile gondola ride up to Heavenly Mountain resort where you can hike, go tubing, or explore the zipline or ropes course.

Having trouble deciding? You always have the option to keep it simple and go on a short hike with the expert direction of your guide.

San Francisco. We’ll wave goodbye to this natural playground as leave Lake Tahoe behind. On our way back to the city by the bay, we’ll pass through the state’s capital city, Sacramento, following the historic Pony Express Trail through El Dorado National Forest. We’ll deliver you back to San Francisco in time for dinner.

This concludes our 4 Day Sierra Nevada Tour of Yosemite and Tahoe from San Francisco.

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