Yosemite National Park Tours & Holidays

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Learn more about Intrepid’s COVID-19 policy

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

It takes about four hours to drive to Yosemite from San Francisco 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. 

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. 

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; fall is still warm with cool nights; and winter is cold with frost, ice and snow.  

Read more about the weather in Yosemite

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. 

Read more about what to pack for Yosemite

Cell phones work near major tourist hubs such as Yosemite Valley, but the service can be weak and unreliable. There is limited or no cell phone service in more remote areas of the park such as hiking trails and high-altitude viewpoints.   

Yosemite is very accessible for people with disabilities with disabled parking and wheelchair accessible trails for most sites. They can also arrange American Sign Language interpretation for ranger talks during the summer months. Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries. 

Learn more about Accessible Travel with Intrepid