Yosemite National Park tours & holidays

Yosemite is located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California, USA.

Driving to Yosemite from San Francisco takes about four hours, and three hours from Sacramento.

Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) provides a public bus service with various pickup and drop off points.

You can also catch a train from San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Francisco, San Jose, and Sacramento to Merced/Riverbank which connects with the YARTS bus service directly to Yosemite Valley.  

The closest airport to Yosemite is the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport (FAT). Other airports within driving distance of the park are San Francisco International Airport (SFO), San Jose International Airport (SJC) and Oakland International Airport (OAK). 

As Yosemite is so big, the best way to get around the park and access the main trails is by car.

There is a free daily shuttle bus every 10-20 mins with 19 stops throughout the Yosemite Valley, but having a car gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace. 

Yosemite has a huge number of visitors during the summer months with the peak season from June and August.

The best time to visit is late spring, later summer and early fall when the park isn’t too crowded.

Winter is also a great time to visit with fewer visitors, great hiking opportunities and stunning views of the snow-capped mountains. 

The weather in Yosemite is seasonal but it can vary greatly from year to year.

Spring is generally quite cool with sunny skies and the occasional downpour of rain; summer is consistently sunny with warm to hot temperatures; autumn is still warm with cool nights; and winter is cold with frost, ice and snow.  

If you go during the summer, bring t-shirts, shorts/skirts, hiking socks and boots, hiking trousers, a waterproof/windproof jacket, a sunhat, sunglasses, a daypack, a water bottle, sunscreen and insect repellent.

For winter trips, bring light layers, warm clothes, a fleece, thermal underwear/leggings, a waterproof winter coat, waterproof hiking boots/shoes, gloves, a hat, a daypack, sunglasses, sunscreen and a water bottle.

There are several items that pretty much every visitor to Yosemite National Park should have. These include sturdy walking shoes, a raincoat, an extra warm layer, sunglasses, a sun hat and a reusable water bottle.

Depending on the time of year and what you're planning to do in Yosemite, you may need additional gear. If you go during the summer make sure to bring t-shirts, shorts/skirts, hiking socks and boots, hiking trousers, a waterproof/windproof jacket, sunhat, sunglasses, daypack, a water bottle, sunscreen and insect repellent.  

For winter trips bring light layers, warm clothes, a fleece, thermal underwear/leggings, a waterproof winter coat, waterproof hiking boots/shoes, gloves, a hat, a daypack, sunglasses, sunscreen and a water bottle. 

Mobile phones work near major tourist hubs such as Yosemite Valley, but the service can be weak and unreliable.

There is limited or no mobile phone service in more remote areas of the park such as hiking trails and high-altitude viewpoints. 

You can expect to see many different animal species in Yosemite including:

• American Black Bears
• Mule Deer
• Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep
• Coyotes
• Bobcats
• Sierra Fence Lizards
• Garter Snakes
• Northern Pygmy Owls and more.

Keep an eye out for animal tracks when you’re out hiking. 

We believe travel should be accessible to everyone. Although some destinations and itineraries may be more accessible than others, we'll do our best to accommodate your needs, make reasonable adjustments where possible or guide you toward the most suitable trips. Get in touch with our friendly adventure consultants to chat about your options.

Our Tailor-Made team can also help you plan a customised trip just for you.