Discover Yosemite Tours

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Full Day Yosemite Tour
Yosemite Valley/Mariposa Grove*/Glacier Point*

Long-time Yosemite Naturalist Carl Sharsmith was once asked what he would do if he only had one day to spend in Yosemite. He replied, “I’d sit by the Merced River and cry,” That was long before Discover Yosemite existed, or perhaps he would have suggested our tour. 

It’s true that Yosemite is much too vast to see in one day. It is, after all, the size of Rhode Island. But Discover Yosemite is fortunate to employ the best in Yosemite tour guides and drivers, each with many years of experience. They know where to go and when to be there to maximize your day and make your Yosemite trip fun, relaxed and memorable. Instead of searching through guide books and maps, looking for parking at each stop and figuring out what to do for lunch, your day will be spent seeing the sights in a comfortable, 28-passenger touring vehicle.

Your tour includes frequent photo stops and a chance to walk to a waterfall or two. During the warm months, you’ll be able to walk among the Giant Sequoias and enjoy breathtaking views from Glacier Point. The bus trip itself provides ever-changing views and the chance to learn about the history, geology, flora, fauna and current events of this remarkable park. We’ll also provide coloring pages and a scavenger hunt to keep the kids involved.

Although Glacier Point and the Mariposa Grove are closed in the winter, our winter tour offers other rewards. Winter is the most peaceful time in Yosemite. Fewer crowds mean a better chance of seeing wildlife. As the winter snow pack builds in the high country, Yosemite Falls comes back to life, and the sound of ice crashing over the falls punctuates the stillness of the valley. You may be fortunate enough to see Yosemite Valley’s already astonishing beauty enhanced by a mantle of snow. And our skilled drivers take the worry out of negotiating mountain roads in the winter.

Water and soft drinks will be available throughout the day, and we even provide lunch prepared by one of the premier resorts in the area so you can make the most of your time in Yosemite.

Points of Interest on our Tour*

*Glacier Point and Mariposa Grove are seasonal, as are many of the waterfalls.
This itinerary is subject to change due to conditions beyond our control.

“I used to envy the father of our race, dwelling as he did in contact with the new-made fields and plants of Eden; but I do so no more, because I have discovered that I also live in ‘creation's dawn.’ The morning stars still sing together, and the world, not yet half made, becomes more beautiful every day.” John Muir

Fees & Schedules

The fare includes hotel pickup/drop off, park fees, lunch and beverages.Gratuity is not included.

Please be ready ten minutes prior to your scheduled pick up time. Return times are approximate.

Schedule and price changes are based on when Glacier Point is open. The exact date of Glacier Point opening/closing isn’t known until it happens, but it generally opens the weekend prior to Memorial weekend and closes after the first significant snow storm, usually about the middle of November. Our prices are based on those dates, but  if you’ve paid for a Summer tour and Glacier Point is closed, Discover Yosemite will refund the difference.

Your lunch choices are smoked turkey and Gouda cheese on whole wheat bread, ham and Swiss on rye, roast beef and Cheddar cheese on sourdough bread or avocado, roast pepper, tomato, cucumber and alfalfa sprouts on seven-grain bread and kid's banana, peanut butter and jelly on white. All lunches include fresh fruit and Potato Chips.

Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice are non-refundable. There is a $5 per person service fee for all other cancellations.

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“The sun shines not on us but in us. The rivers flow not past, but through us, thrilling, tingling, vibrating every fiber and cell of the substance of our bodies, making them glide and sing.” John Muir