Northern California with Yosemite National Park - 8 Days

Duration

8 Days

Difficulty
Balanced
Start

San Francisco

End

San Francisco

Rating

***

Operator

Trafalgar Tours

Get a taste of the Golden State on this tour of Northern California. Explore California icons: Yosemite National Park, the iconic Redwoods, and serene Lake Tahoe. Try Sonoma Valley wines and a farm-to-table meal in Monterey.

Itinerary

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Day 1: Hello San Francisco

From the iconic to the unexpected, the city of San Francisco never ceases to surprise. Kick-start your Northern California holiday in the cosmopolitan city by the Bay. Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner at your hotel.  Meet your Travel Director at 18:00.

Beacon Grand, San Francisco
Dinner

Day 2: Dive Into Eclectic San Francisco

Fuel up for a full day of indulging in San Francisco’s many sites. Admire the eclectic mix of Victorian and Modern architecture, vibrant culture and cuisines of one of the world's most liveable and iconic cities. Embark on a morning exploration tour that takes you from the lively hotspot of Fisherman's Wharf to Union Square. After lunch, enjoy a relaxing ferry cruise to the quaint seaside community of Sausalito with time for shopping. This evening is at your leisure. Perhaps choose to join an optional evening tour of the city, starting with a walking tour of Chinatown, followed by a dinner at Great Eastern and concluding with a city Illuminations tour.

Optional Experiences: (Optional Experiences are enhancements to your tour and can be booked through your Travel Director while on tour).       

Guided Chinatown Walking Tour, Dinner, and City Illuminations Tour - $98 pp

Explore the Chinese markets, herb shops, a fortune cookie factory and more (weather permitting) before dining with your fellow travellers. After dinner, board your motor coach for the City Illuminations Tour. Drive past the city's sparkling lights before crossing the Oakland Bay Bridge to Treasure Island where you'll catch a spectacular night panorama of sparkling San Francisco!

Beacon Grand, San Francisco
Breakfast

Day 3: Journey To Wine Country

Start off your day with a guided Golden Gate Bridge walk across the 1.7-mile span of the magnificent "bridge that couldn't be built." As you gaze across the water, learn how this iconic engineering marvel was constructed. Continue to Sonoma Valley. Today, you'll visit a local winery and enjoy a unique experience and exploration of wine with a tasting. Enjoy an included lunch this afternoon with your fellow travellers.

Flamingo Resort & Spa, Santa Rosa, Sonoma
Breakfast Lunch

Day 4: Entice Your Senses At Lake Tahoe

Enjoy a visit to California's State Capitol before travelling through the scenic, fertile Sacramento River Valley to find yourself in the alpine splendour of Lake Tahoe. Its clear blue waters surrounded by evergreen pines and rocky outcrops provides you with a picturesque scenery to behold. 

Harvey's Lake Tahoe, Lake Tahoe
Breakfast

Day 5: Embrace The Wilderness Of Yosemite National Park

Touch the sky and embark on a scenic road-trip into the Sierra Nevada mountain range, winding along the Tioga Pass to California’s UNESCO-listed Yosemite National Park. Marvel at the incredible natural beauty that inspired naturalist John Muir to dub Yosemite Valley the “Incomparable Valley”, passing the colossal granite faces of El Capitan and the misty splendour of Bridalveil Fall. Tonight, our Stays with Stories brings us into the park at Yosemite Valley Lodge.

Tioga Pass: weather conditions may cause Tioga Pass to be closed to traffic, typically from mid-October to the end of May. In this case, an alternate entry point to Yosemite will be used entering through the west side of the park. While this may not cause a change in overnight, sightseeing will be affected this day.

Yosemite Valley Lodge, Yosemite
Breakfast

Day 6: Taste The California Difference

After breakfast, head to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias (seasonal), home to over 500 mature trees and the largest sequoia grove in Yosemite National Park. Continue to Monterey where you’ll Connect With Locals and enjoy a farm-to-table Be My Guest experience including the freshest local ingredients. Meet Todd and Jordan Champagne who have been dedicated to providing simple, delicious and farm driven foods for the local community from their storefront Happy Girl Kitchen Co.

Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spay, Monterey
Breakfast Dinner

Day 7: Witness The Incredible California Coast

The pinch-me moments continue as we follow the sun-kissed California coast, cruising scenic 17-Mile Drive. Visit the Salinas Valley where you'll love this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with an agricultural education tour to learn about fruit, vegetables and advanced farming techniques. You'll visit one of the oldest family farms in Monterey County and taste a local delicacy. Return to Monterey, home to Cannery Row, immortalised in the John Steinbeck novel. Tonight, join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a festive dinner.

Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa, Monterey
Breakfast Dinner

Day 8: Take A Walk Through The Redwoods

California’s towering redwoods provide an imposing backdrop this morning. Continue to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park where you’ll have an opportunity to walk amongst these giants that have stood for over a thousand years. Return to the golden city of San Francisco where you might consider extending your stay. Complimentary airport drop off at San Francisco International Airport is scheduled for 13:00 arrival. Please be aware when booking your flights.  

Breakfast

Includes

  • 7 nights in handpicked 3 & 4 star hotels in great locations
  • Comfortable coaches with bathroom facilities (w/c)
  • 24/7 personal service – knowledgeable Travel Director & expert driver
  • Porterage, plus tips and gratuities at hotels and restaurants are included
  • Meals as stated in the itinerary 

Excludes

  • Flights - please call us on 0844 80 444 80 to obtain a quote and book flights
  • Pre & post nights - please call us on 0844 80 444 80 to obtain a quote and book additional nights
  • Driver & Tour Director gratuities - these can be pre-paid, please ask your reservations agent when booking your tour

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Prices shown above are per person based on 2 adults sharing. For single, triple, quad and child prices please call us for a quote.

Please call us on 0844 80 444 80 to check the latest up-to-date availability and to book your tour.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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How much is the deposit to secure a tour and when is the balance due?

A deposit of 10% is required when making your booking.

The balance of the holiday cost must be received by us no less than 10 weeks prior to your date of departure. Bookings made within 10 weeks of departure require full payment at the time of booking.

For some tours or if there is a special "Early Booking offer", the balance maybe due sooner than 10 weeks before departure, in this case you will be advised at time of booking when the balance due date would be.

The balance payment date will be shown on your confirmation invoice. 

Payments can be made by debit card, credit card or bank transfers.

YOUR PAYMENTS TO US ARE FULLY FINANCIALLY SECURE FOR YOUR PEACE OF MIND: Where your confirmed travel arrangements include a flight and you are resident in the UK (or EU) or the flight departs from, arrives in or transits the UK, this is financially protected through our Air Travel Organiser’s Licence (ATOL) number 6874 managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, Gatwick Airport South, West Sussex, RH6 0YR, UK, telephone 0333 103 6350, email claims@caa. co.uk.

CANCELLATIONS: Cancellations t&c's can differ from operator to operator, these will be confirmed to you with your booking confirmation. For our general Terms and conditions and general cancellation details please click here.

What does the tour cost include?

The per person price listed covers all hotel accommodations, taxes, all applicable sightseeing and admissions as per the itinerary, motor coach, cruise or rail transportation, services of a professional Travel Director, all meals as shown in the itinerary and luggage handling. All tips have been included for services on trip by dining-room staff, chambermaids and porters at hotels, airports, docks and train stations.

Can i book flights through you?

Yes, we can offer competitive airfares with all the major airlines.

When booking a package with us that includes flights and a tour, your package is then fully ATOL bonded by the CAA for your full financial peace of mind. 

Please call us on 0844 80 444 80 and our travel experts will be able to provide a quote for any flight requirements. 

You are, of course, welcome to book flights independently but we are therefore not responsible should your flights be delayed and you miss any part of your tour or other arrangements booked with us.  

Can i add additional hotel nights before or after my tour?

Many of our clients choose to add extra hotel nights to spend a little more time in their chosen destination. You can reserve additional hotel nights before or after your tour.

Please call us on 0844 80 444 80 and our travel experts will be able to provide a quote for your additional nights and assist with your requirements.   

Can i book twin beds or triple/quad rooms?

Yes, we have options for twin (2 beds) and triple/quad room configurations.

If you a travelling in a party of three or four adult guests, please call us on 0844 80 444 80 and our travel experts will be able to provide a quote for your requirements.

For double rooms (2 guests), 1 Double/Queen or King bed is the normal, Twin beds can be requested at time of booking.

For triple rooms (3 guests) these will normally have 1 Queen/King bed and a fold out bed, or 2 Queen/King beds and a fold out bed.

For Quad rooms (4 Guests) these will normally have 2 Queen/King beds.

How much is the solo/single supplement?

Escorted tours are the perfect option if you're travelling solo, combining the camaraderie of a smaller group with the independence of a solo trip. Many tours offer solo room share options, or a competitive solo supplement. 

Please call us on 0844 80 444 80 and our travel experts will be able to provide a quote for your requirements.

How many guests will be on this tour?

Trafalgar welcomes guests from all over the world to have an amazing, shared travel experience. While we can’t share details of who you’ll be travelling with and how many people are on your tour in advance of your tour, you can see our average group sizes below.  You’ll meet your group at your tour welcome when you start your trip.

Europe trips: An average of 40 to 45 guests and a maximum of 53

United States and Canada trips: A maximum of 52 guests

Australia and New Zealand trips: A maximum of 50 guests

Asia trips (except Sri Lanka): A maximum of 32 guests

Sri Lanka trips: A maximum of 48 guests

Africa trips: A maximum of 36 guests

Latin America trips: A maximum of 40 to 45 guests   

How much walking will be on this tour?

With your comfort in mind, Purely Escorted Tours assigns every tour an activity level. The activity level for your chosen tour is displayed in the tour introduction.

Leisurely: Tours will typically have 1-2 miles of walking per day on primarily flat surfaces and with some stairs. 

Balanced: Tours typically have up to 1-3 miles of walking per day, which may include some uneven surfaces such as cobblestones and stairs. 

Dynamic: These journeys can feature 4+ miles of walking on some days and may involve some steep hills.   

Do your coaches have on-board wifi and bathroom faclilites?

Regardless of where in the world your tour visits, we do our best to ensure your coach is as comfortable as it can be. However, there can be differences depending on where in the world you're visiting:

Europe, North & South America, Australia & New Zealand trips:-

We pride ourselves on having the best-in-class fleet of fuel-efficient coaches. The high vantage point from your coach’s window means you can take in all the glorious scenery, whether it’s a vast rural landscape or an urban city centre. Facilities you’ll enjoy are:

  • Reclining seats
  • An on-board restroom
  • Charging points (please note that these are power points, and not USBs)
  • WiFi
  • Air-conditioning

Africa & Asia trips:-

Africa and Asia tour vehicles do not have Wi-Fi. On Asia trips, there are no onboard rest rooms, but we always ensure there are regular rest stops.

Are gratuities included for the driver, tour director and at restaurants etc?

Gratuities are included at hotels and restaurants. And, you have the option to pre-pay your Travel Director and driver gratuities before you travel if you wish.  

Please call us on 0844 80 444 80 and our travel experts will be able to provide a quote for you to pre-pay driver and tour director gratuities.

Do you offer/include Travel Insurance?

Travel insurance is not included in your tour and we do not offer travel insurance.

Please procure Travel Insurance before travelling. This will protect you and will give you peace of mind before you travel and whilst on your tour.

We suggest that your insurance covers the following:

  • Cancellation or curtailment of your vacation due to medical or other reasons
  • Loss or damage to your property and baggage
  • Loss of cash, credit cards etc
  • Medical costs and personal accidents

Certain countries require visitors to have valid medical insurance on entry and in Europe, you may find that doctor's surgeries, dentists and hospitals often require payment in cash prior to providing services. Whilst rare, medical evacuation can be exceptionally expensive. 

Do remember to bring a copy of your policy, contact phone numbers and details of how to claim when you travel. 

Should you choose to travel on Purely Escorted Tour without the required travel insurance, you will have full responsibility for all expenses (trip interruption, trip delay, medical expenses, quarantine expenses and emergency evacuation/repatriation) that may arise while travelling with us.

What does a guaranteed departure mean?

A guaranteed departure means the tour will operate no matter how many people are booked to travel on that departure. 

In the slim case that a guaranteed departure you are booked on has to be withdrawn due to unforeseen circumstances, you are entitled to a full refund on the funds already paid, or if flexible with your time, we can move you onto another departure that suits you.

What do I need to know about border crossings, visas, entry requirements and passports?

Depending on your nationality, you may need visas to enter certain countries included on your trip. Please note that obtaining visas can take up to six weeks and so it is strongly advised that you consult your local Consulate or Embassy of the country you are visiting to determine which visas they require and how to obtain them.

Note: Purely Escorted Tours is not responsible for obtaining any necessary visas required on your tour.

Information about border crossings and visas, entry requirements varies by destination. Please check the destination you're visiting below for more information:

Europe trips:

Each guest must ensure that their passport is valid for at least six months beyond the conclusion of their trip and that they have acquired all necessary visas and permits. Multiple-entry visas may be required if you are entering a country more than once on your holiday.

Guests are advised that only the countries you plan to visit can provide up-to-date information about their specific visa requirements. Guests should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of the countries they plan to visit well in advance of travel. Please check your itinerary carefully. Remember that requirements vary based on a passport's place of issue and that the process can take time.

Check that multi-entry visas have the correct entry dates and destinations before you travel. Please be aware that with some itineraries, you may travel through a country without making an overnight stop. If this happens on your itinerary, you will still need a visa to enter/exit the country for example an ETA when transiting through UK & Ireland.

Please ensure that you carry proper identification with you at all times, as border crossings will need to see your entry documents and passports. Usually crossing borders is a very straightforward process that is managed by your Travel Director. However, be advised that you may be required to open your luggage and answer simple questions about the length of your stay, purpose of travel, etc. 

United Kingdom and Northern Ireland trips incl transiting travellers:

From January 8, 2025 UK law requires travelers both entering and transiting through the UK and Northern Ireland to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) which must be obtained in advance of travel. 

UK eTA applications can be made at the UK Governments official website.   

USA trips incl transiting travellers: 

US law requires travellers both entering and transiting through the United States are required to obtain an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) which must be obtained in advance of travel.

ESTA applications can be made at the U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection website. 

Canada trips:

Canadian law requires travellers both entering and transiting through Canada to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) which must be obtained in advance of travel.   

eTA applications can be made at the Government of Canada's website.

Rest of the World trips:

Each guest must ensure that their passport is valid for at least six months beyond the conclusion of their trip and that they have acquired all necessary visas and permits. You are responsible for obtaining all necessary visas before the departure of your guided holiday. Depending on your nationality, you may need visas to enter certain countries included on your trip. Please note that obtaining visas can take up to six weeks before your departure. It is strongly advised that you consult the local Consulate or Embassy of the country you are visiting well in advance to determine which visas they require and how to obtain them. 

What if I have mobility issues?

Please notify us of any disability requiring special assistance prior to travelling. We will try our best to accommodate you throughout the tour and will inform the hotels.

What if I have food allergies?

Please advise us of any dietary requirements. We will make arrangements with our suppliers where possible.

You will also need to talk to your Travel Director at the beginning of your tour and they will do their utmost to arrange an alternative menu at the hotels and restaurants.

How much luggage can I bring?

Travelling on a Purely Escorted Tour entitles each guest to travel with one suitcase not exceeding 23kg (50lbs) in weight, with dimensions not exceeding 77.5cm (30.5in) x 56cm (22in) x 32cm (12.5in). 

In addition guests may also bring one item of hand luggage that is small and light enough to be carried onto the coach and fit underneath the seat, or in the small overhead compartment above. (Luggage with adjustable handles and wheels will not fit).

Please test the weight of your baggage prior to travel. You should be able to lift and comfortably transport it for short distances.

Baggage allowances vary from airline to airline and you should check with your chosen carrier for details prior to travel.  

GBP £2,939.00 GBP £2,589.00 / Adult
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