Hiking in Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada

Welcome to San Francisco! Your tour starts at 12 noon with a group meeting followed by your first walk of the trip, an easy hike along the Lands End Trail. Have your camera handy as you enjoy superb views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Pacific Ocean and the wild and rocky California coast which stretches almost 50 kilometres into the distance. After the hike, return to your San Francisco hotel. The evening is free for your own discoveries – perhaps head to Chinatown and get your hands on some dim sum!

After departing San Francisco, you’ll head through California’s famous Gold Rush Country, high into the mountains of the Sierra Nevada. Experience the majestic views from Yosemite Valley with some of America’s tallest waterfalls and towering granite cliffs rising 4,000 feet from the valley floor. It won't be long before you arrive at World Heritage-listed Yosemite National Park, one of California’s most incredible natural wonderlands. Millions of visitors come here each year to see Yosemite’s granite cliffs, pine-studded valleys and thundering waterfalls such as Vernal Fall which you’ll be visiting today. The Mist Trail is Yosemite's signature hike and offers the chance to revel in the beauty of these spectacular falls as they bathe your face in a cooling mist. If you would prefer to skip the last few hundred metres of the trail which are quite steep, you can still enjoy great views of Vernal Fall from the bridge downstream. (B)

Today you get to enjoy not one but two magnificent hikes in the Yosemite High Country. After breakfast, walk the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias trail where you can stroll right through the middle of The Tunnel Tree and admire dozens of mature sequoia trees which tower more than 100 metres above the trail. This afternoon, the Pothole Dome and Tuolumne River trail awaits. This 4 km hike is easy on the legs and even easier on the eye with superb views of Tenaya Lake, the Tuolumne Meadows, Pothole Dome and the tumbling cascades of the Tuolumne River. You'll also have time to explore Mammoth Lakes before you bed down for a good night's rest. (B)

After breakfast, take a walk around Convict Lake on an easy 3 km trail which follows the lake edge. Breathe in the fresh scent of pine and aspen trees as you take in the views of Mount Morrison and Laurel Mountain on this easy scenic walk. This afternoon, head out on the South Tufa Nature Trail. It's a short hike to a viewpoint of the iconic and strange yet beautiful Tufa formations of Mono Lake. Then sit back and enjoy the scenery. The drive to Lake Tahoe on Highway 395 is breathtaking, with fantastic views of the Sierra Nevada the whole way. Upon arrival check into your hotel at Lake Tahoe. Make sure you set aside some time to watch the spectacular sunset over the lake, or perhaps head out for some nightlife. (B)

For the final walk of the trip, you’ll hike along the shores of Upper and Lower Echo Lakes which are the gateway to the spectacular Desolation Wilderness area. The 8. 5 km Echo Lakes trail offers superb views of these two crystal clear lakes and mountains which provide the perfect backdrop for a classic holiday photo of your Sierra Nevada hiking adventure. On the way back to San Francisco, you will pass through the state’s capital city, Sacramento, following the historic Pony Express Trail through El Dorado National Forest. Your tour ends in San Francisco at approximately 5pm with a hotel drop off. (B)