Frequently Asked Questions

Beginning in February 2024 you will be required to have a day use permit to drive your vehicle into Yosemite on certain days. Please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/reservations.htm for more information. Please note: You do not need a day use reservation to go on any of our tours.

Our public and private tours pick up from the hotels and inns in the Bass Lake, Coarsegold, Oakhurst, and Fish Camp areas on Hwy 41. Private tour pickups can also be arranged from other locations for an additional fee.  List of hotel pickup locations.

No. Our Yosemite National Park bus tours originate from gateway communities to Yosemite. San Francisco is approximately 200 miles from our closest pickup.

If you cancel your Yosemite National Park bus tour within 48 hours of your tour date you will be charged full price. Cancellations prior to 48 hours of your tour date are $5 per person. View our full Cancellation Policy.

You’ll have excellent views of both El Capitan and Half Dome.

Yes, although how many depends on when you visit. Some waterfalls flow year round. Some of Yosemite’s waterfalls are seasonal. Even our famous Yosemite Falls dries up in the summer and starts running again after the first heavy rain or snowfall in the high country. From Yosemite Valley, you may see Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Fall, Ribbon Fall, Horsetail (and sometimes Ponytail) Fall, Silver Stand and the Cascades. Spring and early summer are the best times to see waterfalls.

No. In fact, you’ll be off the bus more than you are on it. There are many photo stops along the route, and you’ll have from 30 minutes to over an hour to explore some of the different areas your guide takes you.

The price includes the tour, water and park fees on all tours. Lunch or dinner is also included on Full Day, Sunset and Full Moon tours. Gratuities are not included.

There are so many beautiful places in Yosemite. Your guide will take you to one of those scenic, comfortable areas to enjoy your picnic lunch.

We do stop frequently and prefer that you wait until then. The roads are windy, so things tend to get spilled, and the food odors can be difficult for anyone prone to motion sickness. Water is always fine, of course.

There are very few opportunities for shopping. The Mariposa Grove Welcome Center and Yosemite Valley Hotel both have souvenir stores, but our time at these locations is limited and you may want to forego shopping in favor of enjoying these areas. Park regulations prevent us from dropping our guests off at Yosemite Village, where most of the park’s businesses are located. If you don’t mind missing some of the sites, your driver can direct you to Yosemite Village to shop using the park’s shuttle buses.

There are opportunities to do some walking on our Yosemite National Park bus tours, but it’s not required.There are opportunities to do some walking on our Yosemite National Park bus tours, but it’s not required.

The vehicle used will depend on how many people are in your party, how many people we have signed up for a tour, or other circumstances. Any of our vehicles could be used.

No, the buses do not have bathrooms, but many of the stops we make have facilities available.

Unfortunately we cannot allow pets on our public tour. The only animals allowed on the public tours are registered service animals (does not include emotional support animals). If you have a pet that you would really love to bring along, please consider reserving a private tour. There are many restrictions when taking pets into Yosemite including no access to Mariposa Grove. Your guide CANNOT pet sit your animal at any time during your tour. If you do decide to take your pet on your private tour, make sure you review the Yosemite Pet Regulations. If you need a pet sitter for the day contact Colette at All Kritter Sitters.

There’s an apocryphal quote attributed to Mark Twain, supposedly uttered after experiencing a summer snowstorm in Yosemite. “Yosemite has only two seasons, the end of one winter and the beginning of the next.” Chances of seeing snow in the summer are rare, but it’s a good idea to wear layers at any time of year, as the weather can change dramatically during the day.

Yosemite Valley weather is warm to hot in the summer, with occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Spring and Fall are highly variable, with days tending toward mild, but either season can bring snow or rain. Winter is cold with frequent snow. Be prepared for snow and ice even on sunny days, since there are areas of the valley that never see the sunlight in the winter months. For the weather forecast: www.weather.com/weather/local/95389

Wildlife is abundant in Yosemite. While getting a glimpse of a bear is not highly unusual, bears that gravitate towards human population are endangered because they do so. If you do happen upon one and there is a SAFE opportunity for a photo, that may be a possibility.

Sorry, the geysers are in Yellowstone National Park. So are the Buffalo. (Note: a FAQ is a question that has been asked of us several times. And yes, we do get this one often.)

Both our public and our private tours are very family friendly. Because of the number of stops we make for guests to get out and walk around, it is suitable for families of all ages. Please note that at no time can your guide babysit for you.

You can bring a car seat if a seat is paid for the child. If the child is under three years old and going for free as a “lap child” and we have extra seats you can also bring one, but we may not know if this is an option until your pick up.

You can bring a stroller that collapses and can fit under your seat and doesn’t take much room as space on the vehicles is limited.

The Grizzly Giant is a 2-mile round trip hike. If you are active enough, you should be able to get there and back by the time you have to leave the Grove. This will not be a guide led hike. You would do it while the guide is in the Lower Grove with the other guests. It is your responsibility to return in time to board the Mariposa Grove shuttle back to the bus.

We do not do tours of Sequoia or Kings Canyon. We leave that to the experts at SequoiaTours.com. They do in Sequoia/Kings what we do in Yosemite.

Heavens no! Our customers safety and comfort is too important to us. It is much too hot in summer months and much too cold in winter months to make open air enjoyable for all seasons and all guests.