California National Park Discovery — Self-Launched Edition
7 days · California, USA
G Adventures charges £1,525
No-markup version: ~£660 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, independently organised version of G Adventures' 7-day Las Vegas → San Francisco national park run. Instead of a private 15-seat van and a CEO, you'll drive yourself (rental car, booked early) or hop Amtrak/regional buses where it makes sense, sleep in hostels, motels and park lodges, and buy the $80 America the Beautiful annual pass for entry to Death Valley, Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite. Heads up for non-US residents: from 2026 the National Park Service adds a separate non-resident fee (roughly $100–250, paid on arrival), which the group tour also charges on top of its price. All costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP; US prices are high, so this is a cheaper-but-not-dirt-cheap version of the tour — the big saving comes from cutting the guide, the group van and the 2–3 star hotel rooms.
Day-by-day
Las Vegas → Death Valley → Bakersfield
Las Vegas / Death Valley / Bakersfield
Collect your rental car at LAS airport early (book 3+ months ahead, ~£30-45/day including basic insurance — the single biggest cost driver, so share with a friend or use a small economy car). Stock up on water, snacks and a cooler at a supermarket on the way out. Drive ~2h to Death Valley via Death Valley Junction: stop at Zabriskie Point, drive down to Badwater Basin (the lowest point in the US at -86m), and see Furnace Creek and the Borax works at Harmony Borax Works. If you have time, catch the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at golden hour. Full the tank at Furnace Creek/Pahrump — fuel is eye-wateringly priced in the park. Then drive south ~4.5h to Bakersfield for the night. Eat dinner at a taqueria on the way in.
🚌Rental car from Las Vegas (~£30-45/day for an economy car including basic insurance). Drive ~2h to Death Valley, ~4.5h Death Valley to Bakersfield. Petrol budget ~£15 for the day.
🛏Hostel or budget motel in Bakersfield (e.g. a motel near Union Ave or a private room in a local hostel), ~£35-45
- →Zabriskie Point viewpoint
- →Badwater Basin salt flats
- →Harmony Borax Works
- →Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (sunset)
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon / Grant Grove
Drive ~2.5h northeast from Bakersfield up into the Sierra Nevada to Kings Canyon. Stop at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center at Grant Grove to pick up maps and ranger advice. Hike the Grant Tree Trail loop to the General Grant Tree (the world's second-largest tree) and the fallen monarch sequoias. Then take the 2-mile round-trip Buena Vista Peak trail for a 360° view over the High Sierra. If you still have legs, add the short North Grove Loop. Buy the America the Beautiful annual pass today if you haven't (~$80/£65) — it covers every park on this trip. Overnight in Grant Grove, Wilsonia or nearby Miramonte for an early start tomorrow.
🚌Rental car ~2.5h Bakersfield to Kings Canyon. Free park shuttle not needed; all trailheads reachable by car. Petrol ~£12.
🛏Budget cabin or motel near Grant Grove / Miramonte, ~£60-75 (park-area lodging is the priciest part of this route)
- →Kings Canyon Visitor Center
- →General Grant Tree Trail
- →Buena Vista Peak hike (2 miles round trip)
- →North Grove Loop
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park / Visalia
Drive into Sequoia via the Big Stump or Generals Highway entrance. Walk the half-mile paved path down to the General Sherman Tree — the biggest tree on earth by volume, 83m tall — then continue onto the Congress Trail loop through the Giant Forest for more colossal sequoias and the quiet House and Senate groups. Optional add: Moro Rock's granite stair climb for a big Sierra panorama, or the Tunnel Log drive-through. Make sure you're out of the park well before dark, then descend ~1.5h to Visalia for a cheap motel and a proper dinner downtown.
🚌Rental car: ~1h Grant Grove to Giant Forest, ~1.5h park exit to Visalia. Petrol ~£12.
🛏Budget motel or hostel private room in Visalia, ~£45-55
- →General Sherman Tree
- →Congress Trail loop
- →Giant Forest Museum (free)
- →Moro Rock climb (optional)
Visalia → Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Park
Drive north ~3.5h via Fresno and Oakhurst to the south entrance of Yosemite (Hwy 41). Check in to your valley-area lodging or campground, then head straight into the valley for the big icons: El Capitan from El Cap Meadow, Bridalveil Fall (short paved trail), and a walk to Sentinel Bridge for the classic Half Dome reflection. Grab dinner at the Yosemite Valley Lodge food court or cook at camp. Note: if you want to camp in the valley or stay in Curry Village, book on recreation.gov the moment reservations open (they sell out months ahead).
🚌Rental car ~3.5-4h Visalia to Yosemite. Once parked, use the free Yosemite Valley Shuttle to get around. Petrol ~£15.
🛏Curry Village tent cabin, valley campground, or budget motel in El Portal/Mariposa, ~£50-80
- →El Capitan viewpoint
- →Bridalveil Fall Trail
- →Sentinel Bridge / Half Dome viewpoint
- →Yosemite Valley Visitor Center
Yosemite — Mist Trail to Nevada Fall
Yosemite National Park
Park early at Curry Village or Happy Isles and take the free shuttle to the trailhead. Hike the classic Mist Trail past Vernal Fall (you will get soaked — bring a shell) up the granite steps to Nevada Fall and back, roughly 8-9km and 600m of climb, 4-6 hours. From the top you get Half Dome, Liberty Cap and Mount Broderick. Afternoon: gentler Lower Yosemite Fall Trail, or rent a bike at Curry Village (~$30-40/£25-32) and cruise the valley loop. Sunset beers and a picnic at Glacier Point if you've got the energy for the drive up.
🚌Free valley shuttle + walking. Car only if heading to Glacier Point (~45min drive). Petrol ~£8.
🛏Same as Day 4 (Curry Village / campground / El Portal motel), ~£50-80
- →Mist Trail to Vernal & Nevada Fall
- →Lower Yosemite Fall Trail
- →Valley bike rental (~£28)
- →Glacier Point sunset (optional)
Yosemite → San Francisco
San Francisco
Leave Yosemite early and drive west via Hwy 120 and the Central Valley, roughly 4h to San Francisco. Drop the rental car at the city or airport location to save parking costs. Take a Muni bus or the N-Judah to Haight-Ashbury for lunch and vintage shops, walk through Golden Gate Park, then head to Crissy Field or Fort Point for the Golden Gate Bridge view (or walk a stretch of it — free). Evening wander around Fisherman's Wharf and grab a cheap sourdough bowl or burrito in the Mission. Ride a cable car if you want the novelty (~$8/£6.50).
🚌Rental car 4h Yosemite to SF (return car same day, ~£30-45). Muni day pass ~£5, cable car ~£6.50. Petrol ~£15.
🛏Hostel dorm or private room in SF (e.g. HI San Francisco or a downtown hostel), ~£45-60
- →Haight-Ashbury
- →Golden Gate Park
- →Golden Gate Bridge viewpoint
- →Fisherman's Wharf
- →Cable car ride (optional)
San Francisco — free morning and departure
San Francisco
Free morning: brunch in North Beach or the Mission, a wander through Chinatown, or a walk along the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building farmers' market (weekends). If you've got a late flight, the Alcatraz ferry needs booking well ahead (~$45/£35) and a BART ride to SFO is ~$10/£8. Trip ends mid-morning, matching the original itinerary.
🚌BART to SFO ~£8, or Muni ~£2.50. Walking for the rest.
🛏None included (day of departure)
- →North Beach / Mission brunch
- →Chinatown wander
- →Ferry Building
- →Alcatraz (optional, pre-book)
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£660 | £1,525 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £865 per person (57%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£660
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does California National Park Discovery — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £660 per person for 7 days in California, USA. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,525 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £660 — a saving of roughly £865 (57%) per person.
How long is the California, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through California, USA.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, road-trip trip through California, USA, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.