HALF DOME YOSEMITE TREKKING TOURS
Adventure Details
Going on a Discovery Treks Yosemite backpacking trip and tour is a once in a life time experience. For three days we’ll guide you on a hike to the famous and most popular location - Half Dome. Hiking there is so popular, even day hikers have to have a permit to hike the monolith, limiting the numbers of people hiking the great monolith. The difficulty of this hike increases significantly with your day hike up Half Dome. Our Half Dome guided hike and Yosemite backpacking trip takes you off the beaten path to enjoy some less visited areas of the park - this means no paved trail where you might run into someone on a Segway and real hikers versus all the lookey-loos. It also means more time to experience the serenity of the park and see the places not on Instagram. You will then notice the contrast by night two when we camp at Little Yosemite Valley with everybody else. *Route Variation - Our specific hiking route and campsites on each departure are dependent upon permit availability. Difficulty of the hike will also vary based on the route change. Additionally, the ascent up Half Dome is very challenging and is weather permitting.What's included?
- 5pm orientation the afternoon prior to your hike at Yosemite Valley at the backpacker's camp.
- Backpacking & Cable permits.
- Tent camping each night on the trail plus the night of orientation at the backpacker's camp.
- All food while on the trail prepared by your guide - from dinner at orientation through breakfast on the last day.
- Single or Double occupancy tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, backpack, trekking poles.
- A certified, medically trained guide that will lead you safely on your journey.
- An unforgettable experience!
Upcoming Tour Dates
Please see below for upcoming tour dates and availability:AUGUST
- August 30th - September 2nd: 1 spaces available (4 Day Itinerary)
SEPTEMBER
- September 3rd - 7th: 6 spaces available (5 Day Itinerary)
- September 10th - 14th: 6 spaces available (5 Day Itinerary)
Important Permit Info
We have acquired all of our Half Dome Backpacking Tour permits for the summer. There may be additional spaces on other permits as reservations change and cancel. Please call our office if you are looking for a hike on a date you do not see in the list. Please note that for the 5 day Half Dome Itinerary, you will need to have a personal or rental vehicle to get to the starting trailhead.Adventure Itinerary
4 Day Itinerary
Day 1
Start in Yosemite Valley with a 5 p.m. orientation, meet your Yosemite backpacking tour guide and fellow hikers, enjoy dinner, and settle in for your first night of camping!Day 2
On our first day of the hike we will head out from the Happy Isles Trailhead to take the John Muir Trail up to our campground in Little Yosemite Valley. At the campsite, you can choose how to spend your evening—go for a swim in the creek, see some additional sights on the nearby trails, or simply relax by the fire and take in your surroundings. You may even see a few fire-stomping rhinos!Day 3
We will wake up to the smell of coffee and breakfast for a leisurely morning in our Little Yosemite Valley Campground with options for minor hikes around the area, a swim in the creek or just generally taking in the Yosemite wilderness. We’ll eat a hearty lunch, lounge on the Merced River for a few hours, and prepare for our 6-mile (roundtrip with day packs only) afternoon/evening summit of Half Dome!Day 4
We get up for an early breakfast to pack up camp and head out back to our starting point. It is a beautiful 5 mile hike back down the John Muir trail to get outstanding views of Half Dome, Nevada Falls, and the surrounding area before you say goodbye to Yosemite.5 Day Itinerary
Day 1
Start in Yosemite Valley with a 5 p.m. orientation, meet your Yosemite backpacking tour guide and fellow hikers, enjoy dinner, and settle in for your first night of camping!Day 2
On day 2 of our tour, we will start the day early to pack up our camp and head out to our starting trailhead located off of the Glacier Point road. From our starting trailhead we will hike approximately 3.5-4 miles to our first campground located in the remote backcountry of Yosemite along Illilouette Creek. Here we will setup camp and hang out for the day enjoying the serenity of our remote campground, relaxing and playing in the creek.Day 3
We will wake up to the smell of coffee and breakfast, pack up camp and begin our 5.5 mile hike to our next campground in Little Yosemite, the main campground at the base of Half Dome. We’ll setup camp eat a hearty lunch, lounge on the Merced River for a few hours, and prepare for our 6-mile (roundtrip with day packs only) afternoon/evening summit of Half Dome!Day 4
We get up for an early breakfast to pack up camp and head out back to our first campground located along Illilouette Creek - approximately 5.5 miles. Making camp here for one more night allows for a more manageable hike back to our starting trailhead and give us one more night to take in the sights and sounds of the remote backcountry of Yosemite.Day 5
Our final morning will start again with coffee and good breakfast before we hike the final 3.5-4 miles back out to our original trailhead. We should expect to summit between 10-11am where we will say our good bye's after successfully completely our epic journey through Yosemite and up the iconic Half Dome!Pickup Locations
We do not provide transportation for Yosemite tours. For the 4 day itinerary there are public transportation options through a combination of Amtrak or Greyhound and YARTS as well as the intra-park shuttle service that can transport you around the valley. On the 5 day itinerary, you will need to have a rental car or personal vehicle to get to the park and the trailhead.
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Cost:
$1475 (4 Day) | $1575 (5 day)
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Type:
Backpacking
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Length:
4 – 5 days
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Difficulty:
Moderate to Advanced*
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Mileage:
17 miles
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Season:
June – September
Advanced Rating*: The backpacking portion of the hike is considered moderate backpacking. The day hike up Half Dome is a more advanced hike due to length, elevation gain and climb up the cables; all of which require the hiker to be in good (or better) physical condition to complete. This hike is not advised for those with a serious fear of heights.
Accepted Credit Cards
What to Bring
Our camping and hiking trips include all pro-quality gear and meals required for your adventure. This includes tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cooking supplies, trekking poles, and daypacks and/or backpacks. All meal preparations will be handled by your guide. We are happy to accommodate food allergies and most dietary restrictions. Please include your preferences in your Registration Form so that we can prepare accordingly.
Gear Included
Discovery Treks tours are all inclusive tours which include:
- All meals from dinner night 1 through breakfast day 4 ( or breakfast day 5 on 3 day itinerary
- An experienced Wilderness First Responder Certified Yosemite Backpacking Guide
- Necessary pro-quality backpacking gear including 65 - 75L Osprey backpack, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, trekking poles, double occupancy tent, bear canister (Single tent upgrade available for $50)
- All permits and fees
-
Cost:
$1475 (4 Day) | $1575 (5 day)
-
Type:
Backpacking
-
Length:
4 – 5 days
-
Difficulty:
Moderate to Advanced*
-
Mileage:
17 miles
-
Season:
June – September
Advanced Rating*: The backpacking portion of the hike is considered moderate backpacking. The day hike up Half Dome is a more advanced hike due to length, elevation gain and climb up the cables; all of which require the hiker to be in good (or better) physical condition to complete. This hike is not advised for those with a serious fear of heights.
Accepted Credit Cards
Questions? Inquire Below!
-
Cost:
$1475 (4 Day) | $1575 (5 day)
-
Type:
Backpacking
-
Length:
4 – 5 days
-
Difficulty:
Moderate to Advanced*
-
Mileage:
17 miles
-
Season:
June – September
Advanced Rating*: The backpacking portion of the hike is considered moderate backpacking. The day hike up Half Dome is a more advanced hike due to length, elevation gain and climb up the cables; all of which require the hiker to be in good (or better) physical condition to complete. This hike is not advised for those with a serious fear of heights.