See the top of the world-famous Half Dome, a granite block rising majestically over the Yosemite Valley in California’s Sierra Nevada! Hiking along different routes up and down, this long weekend will give you the maximum exposure to the views, geology and landscape in the Yosemite Valley.
Small Group Adventure 4 days
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This 4 day half dome backpacking trip takes you deep into the back country and conquering the Yosemite’s iconic natural landmark; the Half Dome. You will start off, hiking along the Mist Trail following the Merced River along its U-shaped valley. You will pass some spectacular scenery, including the 180m high Nevada Falls and the 97m high Vernal Falls. At the latter, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a complete circular rainbow – an extremely rare sight elsewhere in the world. However, the ultimate highlight of the trip is reaching the summit of the Half Dome, which you will accomplish on your third day. From there, you will enjoy breath-taking panoramic views stretching across Yosemite. On your descent, you will follow the scenic John Muir trail back down to Curry Village.
Please note, this is a back packing trip, which means that you will be carrying your own equipment, including camping gear.
Day 1: Check in at Curry Village anytime after 5pm. At 7pm, you will meet the guide to go through the plan of the trip and last minute details.
Day 2: After breakfast on your own, you meet the group at 7.30am to set off on the hike. You will follow the Mist Trail, which makes its way eastwards through the valley of the Merced River and passing the famous waterfalls of Vernal and Nevada. The trip is 5.3 miles long, and ends at Little Yosemite Valley at 6,140 feet, where you make your camp for the night.
Day 3: After breakfast, you climb the Half Dome, the most famous top in the Yosemite Valley. At 8,847 feet above sea level, it offers a stunning view of the mountains and surrounding landscape. As you descend to complete the 8,8 miles round trip, the evening is free for relaxation, swimming and stargazing in the stable summer weather.
Day 4: After a nourishing breakfast, you head back down to the Yosemite Valley, this time following the famous John Muir Trail that stretches about 6,6 miles along a scenic route. Arrival back at Curry Village is in the early afternoon.
Fly to San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles or Fresno International Airport. Hire a car and drive from there.
Before you think about signing up for a trip like this, make sure you are fit enough to complete the day hikes - some of them close to 9 miles and with a rapid elevation gain. That said, the trip is graded as “intermediate”, so there is nothing to stop you from getting in shape, and preparing at home before you go – but make sure you are comfortable with carrying a backpack for long periods of time. With a group size of maximum 13, it will be a close and cosy atmosphere, well suited for both couples and solo travellers.
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I would like to say a massive thank you for organising our Vietnam trip. The itinerary and execution were superb, as was the attention to detail. I would also like to thank the agent who was on the end of my whats app chat (I have no idea who they were!) – always available, always quick to respond, and kept me updated regarding times etc. Also, the guides Dan (north) and Tien (mid) were just excellent, and we really enjoyed their company. The lady (whose name I have forgotten) who was our additional guide for the DMZ day was exceedingly good and made that day very special.
fiona g reviewing Complete Vietnam For Families on 15 April 2024
Trip was great and all the arrangements were excellent so thank you for all the help!
Drivers and transfers were all good - on time and very good service on each trip.
Accommodation was lovely - Douar Samra was amazing (weather could have been better but lovely regardless). Riad in Marrakesh was also great!
All in all a great trip and we loved the variety of the mountains, Marrakesh and the coast.
Thanks you once again!
Hardeep S reviewing Boutique Marrakech & Atlas Mountains on 15 April 2024
I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.
Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.
El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.
Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.
So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last
Juhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024
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