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Autumn in Yosemite
At-A-Glance
Trip Dates:
October 20, 2013 through October 25, 2013
NPCA Member Price From
$2,795-$3,195* per person double occupancy; $960 single supplement.
Deposit
$500 per person
* Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed. Please note all Off the Beaten Path departures feature tiered pricing with a range of $400 for each trip. This benefits the traveler who is able to plan ahead, allowing them to save money, and also allows us to lock-in guaranteed departures as soon as possible.
Contact ParkScapes at 800.628.7275 or travel@npca.org
October 20-25, 2013
Yosemite has captured the hearts of millions, but only a privileged few experience this legendary landscape ablaze with fall colors.
Start your journey at the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias. A walk among these gargantuan trees is a moving experience you’ll never forget. At Pioneer Yosemite History Center, you’ll learn about people who played important roles in this park’s protection. Head deeper into the park as you descend into Yosemite Valley and retrace favorite haunts of renowned naturalist John Muir. Staying in the park, but moving decidedly off the beaten path, you’ll venture to Hetch Hetchy Valley or Tuolumne Meadows to get a unqiue perspective on another (less visited) side of Yosemite. Along the way, we make note of the changing autumn colors—the yellowing aspens and alders, orange oak, and reds of the sugar maple.
For details about this trip, download the brochure (pdf)
Trip Details:
Tour Highlights
John Muir's Yosemite
John Muir, an American naturalist of Scottish birth, is a legend in US conservation. Muir was nearly 30 years old when he first experienced the Yosemite Valley. He would much of the rest of his life working to protect this national treasure, including petitioning congress to establish Yosemite National Park and convincing President Theodore Roosevelt that Yosemite Valley needed to be included in the park as federally protected land.
Pioneer History Center
Enjoy an afternoon with a Yosemite historian who will talk with the group about the park's rich history including your accomdations for the first two nights the Wawona Hotel.
Autumn's Special Season
Autumn’s Special Season—Discover the splendor of Yosemite in the fall. As crowds disperse, visitors experience more of the sense of solitude found in nature that John Muir described so eloquently in year’s past.
TopTour Details
Arrive/Depart
Fresno, California
Length of Tour
6 days/5 nights
Pace
Easy to moderately active, offering a choice of activities each day to suit different activity levels and interests. Be prepared for a variety of hikes and walks on uneven trails.
Price Includes
All accommodations, meals as noted (B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner), ground transportation, entrance fees, professional guide services, park and other entrance fees, and miscellaneous program expenses.
Price Does Not Include
Roundtrip airfare to and from destination, gratuities for naturalist guides, alcoholic beverages, or personal expenses.
Payments/Cancellations
Space is confirmed by calling the NPCA at 800.628.7275. A $500 per person deposit is due at registration. Final payment will be invoiced separately and is due 90 days prior to departure. Cancellation notice must be submitted in writing and is effective upon date of receipt. Cancellations up to 90 days prior receive a refund, less the $250 per person handling fee. Cancellations 90-61 days prior to departure, 25% of the tour cost is forfeited; 60-31 days prior to departure, 50% of the tour cost is forfeited; 30 days or fewer prior to departure result in the loss of 100% of your total cost.
Travel Insurance
To protect yourself from the loss of deposit and cancellation fees, you are encouraged to purchase travel insurance. If you need assistance, NPCA recommends contacting Travel Insurance Services.
TopDaily Itinerary
Special Note: Several daily activities will include easy to moderate hikes within the park. Hiking options may include elevation gain and/or loss; the degree of difficulty will be determined based on participant abilities and interests. Participants should be prepared to walk on uneven ground during the the course of daily activities.
October 20: Arrival in Fresno, California
Meet your tour guides and fellow NPCA participants at the Fresno airport this afternoon. Depart the airport and travel to the south entrance of Yosemite National Park, considered by many to hold the most magnificent scenery in the American West. Towering cliffs, expansive vistas, and important wildlife habitat are all components of John Muir’s legacy. Gather this evening for a welcome dinner and opening remarks.
Your stay this evening is at the Wawona Hotel, which is located four miles from the park’s south entrance and is cradled between the majestic Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias and Yosemite Valley. The Wawona Hotel dates back to the 1870s and as the largest existing Victorian hotel complex within the a national park, is designated as a National Historic Landmark for its architectural significance. Wawona Hotel (L,D)
October 21: Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park
Today you’ll have the opportunity to explore the impressive Mariposa Sequoia Grove. This amazing stand of 500 giants is the largest of Yosemite’s three sequoia groves. Late in the afternoon, a historian from the Pioneer Yosemite History Center will join us for a talk about the rich history of the park, and point out key features of the Wawona Hotel, built in 1879. Afterward, enjoy a group dinner then relax with time for stargazing. Wawona Hotel (B,L,D)
October 22: Wawona to Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
We make our way from historic Wawona into the heart of Yosemite Valley for a look at the classic features of El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, and other breathtaking natural attractions. Enjoy some amazing hikes today, and as you explore the valley, learn more about the legacy of renowned naturalist John Muir; retrace his steps at some of his favorite park locations. Yosemite Lodge (B,L,D)
October 23: Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park
Take a morning nature walk to catch a glimpse of the wildlife in Yosemite. (Possible hikes on this day could include Mirror Lake, Happy Isles, or Vernal Falls.) Meet with a Park Service ranger in the afternoon to learn about and discover the challenges of preserving the majestic character of Yosemite while working to reduce congestion, construction, and further development within the park. Visit the Valley Visitor Center, Yosemite
Museum, and Ansel Adams Gallery. Enjoy a private afternoon tour of the Ahwahnee Lodge. Return to Yosemite Lodge for a group dinner this evening. Yosemite Lodge (B,L,D)
October 24: Hetch Hetchy or Tuloumne Meadows
Weather conditions and our guide’s sense of serendipity dictate where today’s excursion will take us. One possibility is to journey to the Hetch Hetchy area, a glacial valley within the park that sees far fewer visitors than Yosemite Valley and is the site of a controversial dam. An alternative is the Tioga Road to Tuolumne Meadows, with high-elevation meadows and great views of the Cathedral Range. The Tuolumne River winds through the picturesque meadow, the largest subalpine meadow in the Sierra Nevada. We could enjoy any number of hikes in this gorgeous part of the park. We return to our lodge in time to freshen up and get ready for our festive farewell dinner at the Ahwahnee. Yosemite Lodge (B,L,D)
Octoebr 25: Departures home from Fresno, California
Transfer to the Fresno airport for flights home. (B)
TopPricing Details
NPCA Member Price From
$2,795-$3,195* per person double occupancy; $960 single supplement.
Deposit
$500 per person
* Prices may change. Once you book your trip, your price is guaranteed. Please note all Off the Beaten Path departures feature tiered pricing with a range of $400 for each trip. This benefits the traveler who is able to plan ahead, allowing them to save money, and also allows us to lock-in guaranteed departures as soon as possible.
TopMap
Unable to join us for this Autumn in Yosemite tour? NPCA’s travel partner, Off the Beaten Path, is offering additional naturalist led journeys to Yosemite National Park . Schedule of alternate departures:
- April 28-May 3, 2013
- June 9-14, 2013
- September 22-27, 2013
- October 6-11, 2013
Off the Beaten Path shares NPCA’s love of national parks and our philosophy of engaged, small group travel. For more information on alternate departures, contact us at 800-628-7275 or email us at travel@npca.org
Travel Partner
TopLodging Info
TopBooking Info
To contact NPCA's ParkScapes program for questions or reservations please call 800-628-7275 or email travel@npca.org. You may also book directly online.
