Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon

Day 1 – Welcome to Sequoia National Park!

From our departure points this morning we’ll travel aboard a deluxe motorcoach into California’s fertile Central Valley. Following a morning rest stop and a stop for lunch on own, we’ll continue into the scenic Sierra Nevada. In the late afternoon we’ll enter Sequoia National Park and continue to the mountain retreat we’ll call home for the next two nights, Wuksachi Lodge. Sequoia’s signature hotel, this striking stone-and-cedar lodge is located at 7,200 feet in elevation and is surrounded by a giant sequoia forest and soaring Sierra peaks in the heart of Sequoia National Park. Your deluxe lodge room features natural décor highlighting native granite rock, oak, cedar and hickory woods. Enjoy dinner at leisure at the lodge. Note the lodge rooms are located in separate buildings 100-200 yards from the main lodge building/restaurant.

Day 2 – Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Following an included breakfast at the lodge, we’ll board the motorcoach for a full-day of sightseeing in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks with a local guide. The landscape here testifies to nature’s size, beauty, and diversity – huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, and the world’s largest trees! The Kings Canyon Visitor Center and its informative displays about the trinity of treasures will provide the perfect introduction to the Park. We’ll follow Kings Canyon Scenic Byway, the iconic road carved into granite that descends into Kings Canyon, traversing an extraordinary cross section of geographical terrain and provides progressively more stunning views of Kings Canyon. As we make our way to the glaciated canyon floor, you’ll find yourself suddenly feeling quite small and understand why John Muir once called this valley “a rival to Yosemite.” One of the deepest canyons in North America, Kings Canyon offers a massive panorama of scenery that is above and beyond. This afternoon we’ll take a leisurely stroll through the General Grant Grove along the paved General Grant Tree Trail. Protected by the federal government as part of General Grant National Park in 1890 – one of our nation’s first national parks – this grove later became part of Kings Canyon National Park. We’ll stand in awe as we walk amongst this mixed conifer and sequoia forest with giant sequoia trees that are 3,000 years old with trunks weighing 1,400 tons! The grove’s most famous and largest tree is The General Grant Tree. The third largest tree in the world at nearly 50,000 cubic feet, this goliath measures 107 feet in circumference – that’s the same width as three lanes of traffic! The tree is almost 300 feet tall and has the largest base diameter of any tree in the world at more than 40 feet! Named in 1867 for General and President Ulysses S. Grant, The General Grant Tree was honored as a living national shrine to Americans lost during wars by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. We return to the Wuksachi Lodge late this afternoon with the balance of the evening at leisure. (Breakfast)

Day 3 – Sugar Pine Railroad, Yosemite National Park

Following an included breakfast, we’ll travel north through the Sierra Nevada foothills, stopping in Fish Camp at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Following an included barbecue lunch, we’ll enjoy a memorable ride through the Sierra Nevada Forest’s majestic tall trees aboard this historic, three-foot narrow gauge steam train. The open cars allow for stunning views and a trip seemingly back in time as we are transported along the same route that logging trains used. This afternoon we’ll arrive in Yosemite National Park, home to a grand collection of picturesque waterfalls, peaceful meadows and historic structures amongst a pine forest and unique, glacier-shaped cliffs and rock faces. At Tunnel View we’ll get our first view of the spectacular Yosemite Valley including one of the West’s most photographed landmarks, Half Dome. Opposite Half Dome, towering 3,593 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor, El Capitan is the undisputed king of the granite monoliths – in fact it’s Earth’s largest single piece of granite! We continue to our destination: Yosemite Valley, the prized jewel of Yosemite National Park and what John Muir called the “Incomparable Valley.” This eight-mile long, geologic marvel is a 4,000-foot deep trough lined by towering cliffs and glacially sculpted, polished rock. We’ll enjoy a two-night stay in the heart of the Yosemite Valley at the Yosemite Valley Lodge, the legendary lodge that is within walking distance of both Yosemite Falls and Yosemite Village. The lodge features an outdoor swimming pool, multiple dining options and a lounge. The recently renovated rooms feature large windows, a television and wi-fi. Enjoy the balance of the afternoon at leisure with dinner on your own at the Yosemite Valley Lodge. The lodge’s iconic Mountain Room restaurant offers striking views of the 2,424-foot-high Yosemite Falls. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 4 – Yosemite Valley

Following an included breakfast, we’ll be joined by a Yosemite Conservancy guide as we explore the Yosemite Valley. We’ll see a number of picturesque and historic buildings, none more famous or spectacular than the Ahwahnee Hotel, an architectural gem combining grandness and intimacy. Take a leisurely walk to the base of Yosemite Falls, impressive not so much in water volume but the sheer height from which it falls. Split into three sections, the cascade plunges 2,425 feet and is the highest waterfall in North America and fifth highest on the planet! Enjoy the afternoon at leisure with the Yosemite Valley Shuttle providing hop-off-hop-on transportation throughout the Yosemite Valley including Yosemite Village where you’ll find the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center, The Ansel Adams Gallery of photographic art, the Village Store and a variety of historic buildings. (Breakfast)

Day 5 – Basque Meal, Journey Home

After an included breakfast, we’ll begin our journey home as we descend out of the Sierra Nevada to Fresno where we’ll enjoy an included, traditional Basque meal at a locals’ favorite. This family-style lunch includes fresh bread, homemade soup, a variety of sides, fried chicken, charbroiled lamb chops, ice cream and house wine and is a memorable finale to a spectacular journey. This afternoon we continue south returning to our drop-off points this evening with many fond memories of our time in California’s spectacular Sierra Nevada. (Breakfast, Lunch)

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your patience, understanding and flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary.