Yosemite National Park is one of the most spectacular places in the USA, with sheer granite cliffs, thundering waterfalls and groves of ancient giant sequoias. In Yosemite Valley you'll stand beneath El Capitan and Half Dome, watch Yosemite Falls tumble from the clifftops, and take in the famous view from Tunnel View. Yosemite is in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, around four hours' drive from San Francisco, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
| Location | Sierra Nevada mountains, central California |
|---|---|
| Nearest airports | San Francisco (about 4 hours’ drive) or Fresno (about 1½ hours to the south entrance) |
| Best time to visit | May-June for waterfalls, September–October for quieter trails |
| Ideal stay | 2-3 nights, as part of a 10–14 night California holiday |
| Top sights | Yosemite Valley, El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Glacier Point, Mariposa Grove |
| Entry for UK visitors (2026) | $35 per vehicle plus $100 per person aged 16+, or a $250 America the Beautiful pass |
Every Charter Travel Yosemite holiday is tailor-made. Our USA specialists will help you choose the right time of year, find a place to stay inside the park or near the entrances, and build Yosemite into a wider California holiday with flights and car hire included. We've been arranging holidays for UK travellers since 1988, and you'll speak to the same specialist from your first enquiry until you're home.
Most of our clients visit Yosemite as part of a bigger trip, spending two or three nights in the park on a California road trip or between two cities.
Popular ways to include Yosemite are:
14-night fly drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco via Santa Barbara, Big Sur, Santa Cruz and 3 nights in Yosemite. Flights, car hire and hotels included. ABTA and ATOL protected.
This California and Nevada self-drive tour allows you to experience the USA cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Yosemite and Las Vegas.
This East and West Coast USA multi-centre self-drive holiday takes you from the two iconic cities of New York & Washington over to the exciting destinations of the West Coast.
This California, Nevada & Arizona Road Trip includes visits to San Francisco, Yosemite National Park, Death Valley, Las Vegas, The Grand Canyon National Park, Route 66, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach & Monterey. Plus where to stay & things to do along the way.
This 16 Day Delights of California Holiday is designed to take in all the highlights of California.
American West Road Trip featuring Salt Lake City, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Grand Teton National Park and more. Including flights, car hire, and accommodation!
Most visitors spend their time in Yosemite Valley, a glacier-carved valley around seven miles long. Stop at Tunnel View, a roadside viewpoint looking up the valley to El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall and Half Dome. Walk to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall on an easy paved loop, watch climbers on the face of El Capitan, and stroll to Mirror Lake for reflections of Half Dome in spring.
Glacier Point looks straight across Yosemite Valley to Half Dome and the high Sierra, around 3,200 feet above the valley floor. It's one of the best sunset spots in the park. The road to Glacier Point is usually open from late spring to autumn.
Near the park's south entrance, the Mariposa Grove is home to around 500 mature giant sequoias, some of the largest living things on earth. Walk the trail to the Grizzly Giant, one of the oldest trees in the grove, thought to be around 2,000 years old.
In summer, the high Tioga Road crosses the park through alpine meadows, granite domes and lakes, reaching over 9,900 feet at Tioga Pass. Stop at Olmsted Point and Tenaya Lake, and walk in Tuolumne Meadows. The road is closed by snow for much of the year, usually from November to late May or June.
There are walks for every level. Easy options include Lower Yosemite Fall and Cook's Meadow. The Mist Trail climbs beside Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, and gets you wet with spray in spring. Experienced hikers can tackle the full-day Half Dome hike, which ends with a climb up steel cables. The cables are only up in summer, usually from late May to October, and you need a permit, awarded by lottery.
Yosemite is open all year, but each season offers a very different visit:
How long to stay: allow at least two nights to see Yosemite Valley and Glacier Point
Where you stay makes a big difference in Yosemite, because the park is large and the drive into Yosemite Valley can take an hour or more. Rooms inside the park sell out many months ahead, so book early.
Yosemite has no airport of its own, so most UK visitors fly to San Francisco or Los Angeles and drive.
Once you're in Yosemite Valley, a free shuttle bus links the main viewpoints, trailheads and lodges, so you can leave the car parked. If you'd rather not drive, the YARTS bus runs into the park from nearby towns.
No. There's no day-use or peak-hours entry reservation in 2026, including in summer. Expect queues at the entrance gates at busy times, especially on US holiday weekends.
How much does it cost to enter? From 1 January 2026, the National Park Service introduced a new fee for non-US residents. For a UK visitor arriving by car, the options are:
If you're visiting more than one national park, such as Yosemite, Death Valley and the Grand Canyon, or travelling as a group of two or more adults, the annual pass is usually better value. Buy passes online in advance to save time at the gate. We'll tell you which is best for your trip when you book.
Fees and reservation rules change from year to year. Check the National Park Service's official Yosemite permits and reservations information for the latest details before travelling.
From 1 January 2026, non-US residents pay the $35 vehicle fee plus $100 per person aged 16 and over, valid for seven days. Alternatively, an America the Beautiful annual pass costs $250 per vehicle, with no per-person surcharge, and covers all US national parks for a year.
No entry reservation is needed in 2026. You still need to pay the entrance fee, and rooms inside the park should be booked many months ahead. Rules can change, so we'll confirm the latest requirements for your travel dates.
Yosemite Valley is about 190 miles from San Francisco, around four hours' drive. Because of the distance, we recommend staying at least two nights rather than visiting on a day trip.
Two nights is enough to see Yosemite Valley, Tunnel View and Glacier Point. Three nights lets you add the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias, a longer hike or, in summer, a drive along the Tioga Road.
May and June are best for waterfalls, and September and October for quieter trails and settled weather. Summer is the busiest season. In winter the valley is peaceful and snowy, but the high roads close.
Staying inside the park, at The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley Lodge or Curry Village, puts you closest to the main sights. Lodges near the entrances, in Fish Camp, El Portal or Groveland, are often easier to book and good value.
Yes. Yosemite Valley stays open all year, but Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road close for winter, usually from November to May. In winter you may be required to carry snow chains, and not all hire companies allow them, so we'll advise on the current rules when you book.
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