Trees for Days
Help us spread love around the world — with trees! Together with Planeterra, we'll plant one tree in your name for every travel day.
Trees planted for this trip: 9
Marvel at the natural splendor of California as you delve deep into its incredible national parks. Gaze up at 100-foot-tall sand dunes and the towering trees of Sequoia National Park. Be surprised by the abundance of life that flourishes amid the depths of Death Valley, spot glacial erratics in Yosemite Valley, and watch for endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep roaming the Great Western Divide. Bookend the adventure amid the lights of Las Vegas and the cultural vibrancy of San Francisco.
Greater exploration, insider access, and the freedom to roam – all without sacrificing comfort.
Quality accommodations and more inclusions than on other G Adventures tours, like meals, private transport, and activities.
Some tours may include light hiking, biking, rafting, or kayaking in addition to walking.
Small group experience; Max 13, Avg 11.
All travellers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Before booking, use our handy entry requirements tool so you know which documents you need to enter and travel through the countries on your trip.
View our Entry Requirements toolIn a number of impactful ways, your adventure directly benefits the local people and places we visit.
Help us spread love around the world — with trees! Together with Planeterra, we'll plant one tree in your name for every travel day.
Trees planted for this trip: 9
Want to create ripples that change lives? The higher the Ripple Score percentage, the more money stays in the local communities you visit.
Ripple Score for this trip: 70
There are new Health & Safety Protocols for National Geographic Journeys tours. Please see here for full details and up-to-date requirements as they may change.
Arrive at any time.
Enjoy a scenic drive through the desert to Death Valley National Park—the lowest, hottest, and driest place in North America. Experience the extremes of this landscape as you pass through the multi-hued badlands of Twenty Mule Team Canyon and descend into Badwater Basin, cradled 282 feet below sea level. Cap off the day at Zabriskie Point as the sun sets over the distinctive Furnace Creek formation.
Begin the day searching for animal tracks amid the otherworldly landscape of Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, where shifting sands soar up to 100 feet high. Then discover Father Crowley Vista Point, where an easy hike offers an epic payoff: a sweeping view over Rainbow Canyon and Panamint Valley. Keep an eye out for fighter jets practicing between the cliffs. Continue around the Sierra Nevada mountains to California’s Sequoia National Park.
Enjoy a full day to explore the legendary trees of Sequoia National Park. Walk in the shadow of its formidable giants—including General Sherman, the planet’s largest known living single-stem tree—alongside a naturalist from Sequoia Parks Conservancy. On an afternoon hike along Big Tree Trail, hear how, in 1916, National Geographic deeded tracts of giant trees here to the National Parks Service for safekeeping. This evening, return to the park for an evening of stargazing with a local expert; or, if skies are cloudy, set out on a nighttime walk to witness nocturnal life.
Embark on a spectacular drive, watching as the scenery changes from towering sequoias to one of the deepest canyons in the United States. On a journey from Grant Grove to Cedar Grove, be awed by the glacially carved Kings Canyon, and keep an eye out for the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep and other majestic wildlife.
Head north through the Sierras to the south entrance of Yosemite National Park, a natural wonderland of picturesque valleys and ancient granite formations.
This morning, join a Yosemite Conservancy naturalist on a guided excursion around the park, gaining an insider’s perspective on the human, natural, and geological history of the region. Hike through the heart of Yosemite while hearing about its flora and fauna, and learn how this rugged backcountry became the U.S.’s first protected state park in 1864—and, with the help of John Muir, a national park in 1890. Enjoy the rest of the day on your own; choose your own adventure amid majestic waterfalls, crystal-clear lakes, lush meadows, and pristine groves. Keep an eye out for glacial erratics, rock climbers, and a diversity of wildlife. Opt to visit the Ansel Adams Studio or relax by the river with Half Dome as the backdrop.
Pass through the Central Valley of California, stopping at a local farm stand to sample some of the region's best produce. Drive over the Bay Bridge on the way into one of America's most vibrant cities, San Francisco, where your CEO-led guided driving tour of the city begins. Make a visit to Haight-Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, walk across a portion of the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge, Continue past the Palace of Fine Arts and Union Square en route to our hotel. This evening, consider joining an optional sunset sail in the San Francisco Bay, departing from Fisherman’s Wharf to glide past notorious Alcatraz Island and underneath the spectacular Golden Gate Bridge.
Depart at any time.
Hotels (8 nts).
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Allow USD475-620 for meals not included.
Air-conditioned private vehicle, hiking, walking.
CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Board a catamaran and set sail into the setting sun around San Francisco Bay. Take in views of the iconic skyline, breeze past infamous Alcatraz Island, and sail under the Golden Gate Bridge. If you haven't fallen in love with San Fran yet, this should do the trick.
Book this tour as a private departure, with your own CEO and all the benefits of a G Adventures group tour.