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Private Guided Hiking Tour in Yosemite
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From $250.00
Price varies by group size
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Private Guided Hiking Tour in Yosemite
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation
- 24 hours prior100% refund
- Within 24 hoursNo refund
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Learn more about cancellations
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Safety measures
Keeping you safe during COVID-19
Vaccine? Quarantine? Masking?
Vaccine? Quarantine? Masking? We know, there’s a lot to keep track of. Be sure to check local guidelines so you’re aware of all travel requirements before you go.
What you can expect during your visit
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Safety precautions are provided by the tour operator and are not checked by Viator for accuracy
More questions?
(888) 651-9785
More questions?
(888) 651-9785
4 to 6 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds
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Overview
Walk to soaring cliffs and alpine meadows on a private, guided hiking tour of Yosemite National Park. Tailor this 5- or 6-hour trip to your interests and ability, then find your perfect trail into the wilderness. Learn about the history and ecology of the High Sierra as you walk alongside your guide, and find uncrowded paths in the heart of the park. Enjoy a backcountry picnic and discover stunning views of the Yosemite Valley or High Country, or challenge yourself to take on a longer hike with more elevation gain.
- Private guided hiking tour in Yosemite National Park
- Take a hike that is suited to your family or group’s experience level and interests, led by an experienced guide
- Learn about the natural history and ecology of Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada
- Get away from the crowds and hike ‘secret trails’ with the insider knowledge of your local guide
- Stop for photographs and rest breaks at some of the most scenic spots in the park
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From $250.00
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What's Included
Private guided hiking tour
Informative local guide
Custom Tour Location (you must contact us upon confirmation to discuss)
Food and drinks
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Private transportation
Departure & Return
Yosemite National Park , Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park, California
This activity will end right where it started.Departure Point: Yosemite National Park (exact trail head confirmed with supplier after booking) Dates: Daily Return point: Returns to original departure point
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Please provide your hotel and contact information (phone number, email and accommodations) in the Special Requirements box at checkout. Hotel information is so we may provide you with driving directions to the meeting location; pickup/drop-off is not included.
- Please dress in athletic-wear
- Items recommended to bring: camera, gloves, extra layer of clothing, jacket, sunscreen, hat, snacks and water
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- We are limited in guide availability this year due to Covid-19. Please understand if your reservation is not accepted because of this restriction.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- OPERATED BY YExplore Yosemite Adventures
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Learn more about cancellations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Private Guided Hiking Tour in Yosemite?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Private Guided Hiking Tour in Yosemite?
A:The policy on social distancing is:
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
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Traveler Tips
- "Again, the staff is wonderful but maybe they should improve how to "customize" their tours." See review
Reviews by Viator travelers. We perform checks on reviews
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Reviews
4.5
60 Reviews
5 stars
53
4 stars
2
3 stars
1
2 stars
3
1 star
1
Reviews by Viator travelers
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Showing 1-10 of 60 reviews
Amazing Valley Day
Vinod_C
, Aug 2021
The day was an amazing view of the valley . Ended up hiking 9 miles but was truly pleasurable. Our guide Chris was very knowledgeable and extremely personable. The beginner hike is what you make it. Can be simple but can be modified to a little tougher if you say so. A wonderful experience.
Disappointed
KSK
, Jun 2021
We chose the intermediate upper Yosemite Falls hike… expecting that we would be hiking to the top of the falls. Make no mistake - this hike only takes you about halfway to the actual falls. The valley was beautiful, our guide was nice, but there were a lot of things we passed that she didn’t describe to us… example… Camp 4, The Boulder Problem, Cook Meadow (why is it even called that?). This should have been so much better for $200 a person.
Response from Host , Jun 2021
We appreciate all feedback, but this reviewer should be disappointed that they did not read our trip descriptions correctly. Only our Strenuous Hike leads to the top of Upper Yosemite Fall. Further, our guide recognized the perceived disappointment and offered to take the group to the top of Yosemite Falls anyway. For whatever reason, this reviewer declined the offer and would rather leave a negative review as a way of dealing with buyer's remorse for paying for a private tour. Below are the trip descriptions for the Intermediate and Strenuous versions of the Yosemite Falls hikes:
Intermediate Yosemite Falls and Western Yosemite Valley
Begin your morning hiking up steep switchbacks (1000 feet in 1 mile) to one of the most breathtaking views you can ever imagine. After standing face to face with the Upper Yosemite Fall, the hard part of your day will be complete, and you will spend the rest of the hike wandering around the western end of Yosemite Valley photographing along the Merced River.
Distance: 6 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 1000 feet
Time: 6 hours
Water Requirements: 60 ounces
Best time to visit: October-June
Strenuous Upper Yosemite Fall
Ascend Yosemite’s tallest waterfall and feel the rush of 2400 gallons of water per second as it leaps and crashes onto a ledge 1430 feet below and falls twice more before it finally feeds into the Merced River. From the Valley, we will first visit the base of the lower fall. Then we will hike along the famous switchbacks of the North Rim Wall and gain 3000 feet over the next 3.5 miles. Views of the Valley Floor are incomparable, and we will witness the face of Half Dome from several different perspectives. This trail has two very steep sections where we will gain 1000 feet in its first mile. After reaching the top of the Falls, we will have the option to complete the journey to Yosemite Point at 6,936 feet above sea level.
Distance: 8-10 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 3000 feet
Time: 7 hours
Water Requirements: 100 ounces
Best time to visit: October-June
Did not get what was advertised and what I paid for
Ivette_S
, May 2021
The tour was to include hiking to waterfalls and walking along Merced River. The tour guide only had time to take us to waterfalls since she had another appointment at 1. I paid top price for this tour and did not get what was advertised.
Response from Host , May 2021
Ivette Santaella, the owner of Santaella Legal Group in San Ramon, CA, hired YExplore for a private guided hiking tour in Yosemite National Park on April 24, 2021. Ivette called our business on April 22 with a very belligerent tone and demanded that we provide a free lunch for the tour. Santaella stated that their hotel offered a (non private) tour with a free lunch for "much less money". Ivette then accused YExplore of "false advertising" and attacked my character stating I was "taking advantage" of Yosemite visitors. When I asked for her to show proof of the "free lunch advertising" she saw, Santaella was silent and could produce nothing to support the claim. Ivette still had the option to cancel the tour after the conversation but chose to continue with the booking.
Ivette, her son, and one other friend booked an Intermediate Yosemite Falls tour that travels on the Upper Yosemite Fall Trail and around the Valley floor. It is a tour that typically lasts approximately 5 hours. Her tour was to begin at 8am and end around 1pm. Her guide's next assignment was to begin at 1:30 pm to accommodate another group affected by an incoming snowstorm so there was no conflict at all. This is just one of Ivette's untruthful statements in the review.
Ivette emailed YExplore on the morning of April 24 because she was going to be late to the tour. The group did arrive late for the tour, but the guide remained at the meeting location to accommodate them. Ivette's son immediately apologized to the guide.
While on the way to Columbia Rock up a very steep rocky trail, our guide witnessed Ivette Santaella, her son, and her son's friend eating an edible gummy controlled substance during a snack break. Despite the guide's warning, they each ate their gummy and admitted it was a recreational drug. Almost immediately after that, Ms. Santaella's condition to complete the hike declined rapidly. The guide described her as "staggering and walking like an infant". The group requested and were granted an extraordinary amount of rest breaks for under three miles of hiking. Ms Sanatella's physical condition was so bad that she had to be helped down the steep trail by her son as they were forced to take many more rest stops. After another extended break on the floor of Yosemite Valley, Ivette got up and informed the guide that she wished to end the tour. It was much earlier than the 1pm end time. Santaella's action to terminate the tour was voluntary so her statement in this review and her characterization of our guide's comments to her are patently false.
Since the tour ended, Ms. Santaella has been smearing our company on every review site she can find. After reading the first fabricated review, we contacted the guide to give her account of the day. We received the guide's shocking report and contacted Ms. Santaella immediately. We requested that Santaella withdraw the negative review, and that we wished for an amicable resolution to this issue. Santaella then offered "If you want to pro rate the fees I will consider updating my review." When we declined, Ivette only grew more combative. We asked why someone would want to cause so much damage to the reputation of a small family run business who has suffered inconceivable economic hardship in the past two years during park shutdowns and lack of ability to work while enduring a global pandemic. But Santaella was uncaring and even vindictive. It is unfortunate that small businesses are subject to the type of people who believe they can inflict harm on their ability to earn a living because the disgruntled guest felt like they overpaid for their trip. I will not let that happen to YExplore and will defend our reputation vigorously.
The incident on the trail was reported to the authorities of Yosemite National Park.
John P. DeGrazio
YExplore Owner
1 traveler found this review helpful
Very good experience
Dayananda
, Jan 2021
Very good experience for a first time hiker in Yosemite. The guide reached on time and showed us around. Since I could not climb steep elevation, he kept it easy as possible for me. We walked around the valley and he kept explaining about all the vantage points. It was a good experience overall.
Wonderful experience
darlene_r
, Aug 2020
Wow wow wow. Better than we hoped. Super fantastic guide. So knowledgeable and relaxed at the same time. Learned so much while enjoying out last day in Yosemite. Kids loved him too. John D was a star guide.
Perfect for First Time Visitors
Joyce_D
, Jun 2020
All of the booking was seamless and Catherine was so patient and helpful answering all of our pre-trip questions. Once we arrived to our tour, Ashley was such a fun and cheerful guide! She not only was cognisant of our capabilities in hiking the different terrain but she was so knowledgeable about everything! From the type of plants growing, to the history behind the names, down to the science of all the magic that is Yosemite. If this is your first time visiting, I highly recommend this tour to get your feet wet, and it will help you set up your future visits to be even better and more productive.
Walking with a friend
Doris_C
, Jun 2020
Ashley is pleasant to be with. It’s like walking with a good friend. She took us on an age appropriate walk and we found out relevant infos on Yosemite and made us appreciate this blessed place more. Thank you.
Tour recommended
Tim_R
, Sep 2019
Fully recommended tour. Our guide, Ashley, was very knowledgeable and friendly, and adapted the walk to our level. The route we took saw Glacier point, Taft point and Sentinal Dome.
yosemite
Rhonda_K
, Jul 2019
I booked especially because of the private guided tour that mentioned being personalized to what we want. The staff is really really sweet and wonderful to work with. However, we didn't get the 'Personalized" part applied to our tour. They offered two tours and were a little unclear what we were exactly doing. So we went along with the 10 mile 7 hour tour they suggested. Our main objective was to see as many parts of yosemite as we could in one day. 2.5 miles into our hike, we were spending 7 hrs to just hike around the half doom. 7 hours of looking at half doom. we realized that after this venture we would be too tired to do any additional sightseeing. So at 3 miles we requested that we turn around and use our time and energy to see other sights. Our guide was great about it and took us to a few other additional sights and it all worked out but because we stepped up and spoke up mid-tour. Again, the staff is wonderful but maybe they should improve how to "customize" their tours.
1 traveler found this review helpful
Amazing Experience
Trek393515
, Apr 2019
Since this trip to Yosemite was the first for my husband, our 10-yr old daughter, and myself, as an adult, we made the right decision to book a moderate private guided hiking tour. Our guide was Ashley and she was amazing! She provided us with a lot of information during our hike, and was also very engaging with our daughter and took time to educate her on some plants, little crawlers, and birds we encountered on the trail. We started at lower Yosemite falls and ended at Mirror Lake. We saw so many incredible, breathtaking and picturesque scenery, abundant waterfalls and flowing creeks! We can’t wait to book another hiking event with YExplore. They are extremely organized and provided good communication! Highly recommended.
Whilst we had fun we felt that our...
Ruth M
, Mar 2018
Great tour! Trevor, our guide, was...
Johnny Brent J
, Aug 2017
amazing tour, very well organized...
didier a
, Aug 2017
Our guide Jay was ready and waiting...
Peter M
, Aug 2017
Our guide Jay was ready and waiting for us as we arrived early for our first Yosemite hike. Our beginners hike was exactly that. Jay led the hike keeping my 6-year-old daughters interests and ability foremost, which is exactly what I wanted. Jay was knowledgeable and experienced, as well as very friendly. He was even prepared with antiseptic and Band-Aid to fix a small scrape when my daughter slipped. The map and driving directions prepared by Catherine were precise and absolutely perfect. We were first-time visitors to Yosemite but left with so much thanks to Jay, John and Catherine of Yexplore. I would recommend this hike to anyone!
Took my 6-year-old daughter on two...
Peter M
, Aug 2017
Took my 6-year-old daughter on two Yosemite hikes, both guides were absolutely great and tailored the experience to her interests and ability. The scenery was spectacular and the guides shared a lot of interesting information about things we would never have known without their help along the way. We saw sequoias and other interesting flora as well as encountering a few deer, squirrels, chipmunks and a frog and marmot along the way. We were completely satisfied with the experience and would recommend Jay and John of Yexplore as guides to anyone. Can't wait to book another hiking trip with Yexplore!!!
it was an amazing day with John our...
MariaElena_A
, Apr 2017
Our guide Tim was very friendly. The...
Claudio C
, Jul 2016
Tim was a terrific guide and the...
John S
, Jul 2016
This was an awesome tour and our...
Emma S
, Jul 2016
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