4-Nights California Yosemite Valley Hiking Lodge Based from $3,399

MT Sobek: California Yosemite Valley Hiking

Day 1 Journey to Yosemite & Explore Meadow Trails in the Valley
2.5-hour private van transfer
3 miles/2 hours hiking with 300' elevation gain and loss
Meet your guides in Fresno, California, this morning and transfer to Yosemite National Park, where you'll enjoy a picnic lunch at the iconic Tunnel View entrance while your guides provide insight and interpretation. Your first hike from El Capitan Meadow along the old Big Oak Flat Road is an ideal introduction to a park where grandeur is the norm. In the afternoon, settle into your private lodgings in Yosemite West and gather for a home-cooked dinner and orientation of the days ahead.
Accommodation: Yosemite West Private Lodging
(L, D)

Day 2 Hike to Mirror Lake & Enjoy Epic Half Dome Views
1.5-hour private van transfer
7 miles/4-5 hours hiking with 300' elevation gain and loss
This morning, you'll circumnavigate the valley floor beneath the soaring granite walls of Tenaya Canyon. Beginning at the Ahwahnee Hotel, hike to Mirror Lake on a trail sheltered by the cover of quiet woods. Mirror Lake offers a jaw-dropping view of Half Dome soaring 5,000 feet directly above you. Exploring in the spring months, you'll see that Mirror Lake has plenty of water, all the better for reflecting the surrounding cliffs. Trips in the autumn provide beautiful colors that create captivating reflections along Tenaya Creek. Your hike takes you to the very end of Tenaya Canyon, below Clouds Rest, where you can gaze up at the steep granite walls. Return to your cozy cabin, have dinner, and perhaps sit out on the deck, stargazing.
Accommodation: Yosemite West Private Lodging
(B, L, D)

Day 3 Follow the Mist Trail to Vernal & Nevada Falls
1.5-hour private van transfer
7 miles/4-5 hours hiking with 2,000' elevation gain and loss
Transfer to Happy Isles to tackle what is arguably Yosemite's signature hike: the Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall Loop. Follow your guides up the park's "giant staircase," where you're rewarded with close-up views of these two falls and numerous geological features. Negotiating hundreds of granite stairs that take you through the misty rainbow created by the 317-foot Vernal Fall, you'll continue on to the top of 594-foot Nevada Fall. The vistas of two famous rock monuments, Liberty Cap and the back side of Half Dome, combined with the sweeping scenery of Yosemite Valley, are spectacular. Hiking back to the valley floor, you'll follow a short stretch of the fabled John Muir Trail and relish a final glimpse of Yosemite's impressive granite formations. Return to your lodging for dinner.

(B, L, D)

Day 4 Climb to the Top of Yosemite Falls
1-hour private van transfer
7.6 miles/4-5 hours hiking with 2,700' elevation gain and loss
Your goal today is the top of Yosemite Falls, a one-of-a-kind hike with panoramic views of the Valley and the lower and upper falls. Hike one of the park's oldest trails, built between 1873 and 1877, to the top of North America's tallest waterfall. The falls cascade 2,425 feet to the valley floor and, if the sunlight and water droplets cooperate, you may see a single or even a rare double rainbow. En route to the top, pause at Columbia Rock for a snack and take in the rewarding views of the valley, Half Dome, and Sentinel Rock. The trail is rocky and steep with numerous switchbacks, so take your time. Reaching the top, pause to appreciate the surrounding views while listening to the sounds of the massive waterfall. Returning to the Valley floor, transfer back to your accommodation for another delicious dinner prepared by your guides.

(B, L, D)

Day 5 Hike the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias & Return to Fresno
2.5-hour private van transfer
5 miles/2-3 hours hiking with 1,200' elevation gain and loss
Load your luggage into the support vehicle, then drive to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia, the largest and most impressive grove of giant sequoias in the park. Hike among these towering giants, some thousands of years old. Giant sequoias grow naturally only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada. After your hike through the grove, say farewell to Yosemite National Park and return to Fresno with your group, carrying with you the awe and wonder inspired by Yosemite National Park.

(B, L)