Grand Canyon to Yosemite

What to know before you look closer

• San Francisco accommodation is chosen from six listed hotel options, including the Kimpton Alton, the Fairmont San Francisco, and the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, so the standard of your actual hotel depends on which option you book.
• Only 2 meals (1 breakfast, 1 dinner) are included across the 7 nights; other meals are on your own.
• The Yosemite visit on day 7 is a single long day trip out of San Francisco and back, covering El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Half Dome, and Yosemite Village before returning to San Francisco for dinner, rather than an overnight stay in the park.

The moments this trip is built around

• Day 2The Grand Canyon Railway carries travelers from Williams to the South Rim, followed by an included Freedom Rim tour of the canyon.
• Day 3From the South Rim, the view looks down onto the Colorado River, with Phantom Ranch and the North Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails visible below.
• Day 4The journey continues overnight aboard Amtrak's Southwest Chief and Coast Starlight trains from Williams to San Francisco, after a dinner at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel.
• Day 6A hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tour and bay cruise covers Chinatown, North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf, Golden Gate Park, and the Sutro Baths ruins at Lands End.
• Day 7A day tour from San Francisco to Yosemite takes in El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, Inspiration Point, Half Dome, and Yosemite Village.

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?

Yes. The package includes roundtrip Grand Canyon Railway service between Williams and the South Rim, and one-way Amtrak travel in Coach accommodations from Williams to San Francisco on the Southwest Chief and Coast Starlight (or San Joaquins).

Which trains are used?

The Grand Canyon Railway, and Amtrak's Southwest Chief and Coast Starlight, with San Joaquins as an alternate connecting service.

What hotels are used?

The Grand Canyon Railway Hotel in Williams and Yavapai Lodge at Grand Canyon National Park are named directly. In San Francisco, the package offers a choice of hotels, including the WOW InterContinental San Francisco, the Kimpton Alton, the Fairmont San Francisco, the Hilton San Francisco Union Square, the Infinity Hotel (Tapestry Collection by Hilton), and the InterContinental Mark Hopkins.

Is it guided or independent?

It's a mix. The Grand Canyon Freedom Rim tour, the San Francisco hop-on-hop-off tour with bay cruise, and the Yosemite day tour are included, while free time in Williams and parts of San Francisco, such as Top of the Mark and Mission Dolores Park, are on your own.

How much walking is involved?

Included touring covers a short walk from downtown Williams, a hop-on-hop-off bus tour with stops around San Francisco neighborhoods, and a day tour of Yosemite's landmarks; the evidence does not describe any hiking.

How much does this trip cost?

From $1,139 per person.