Self-Launched Sierra Nevada: Sequoia, Kings Canyon & Yosemite on a Budget
8 days · California, USA
G Adventures charges £1,710
No-markup version: ~£466 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent DIY version of G Adventures' 8-day Sierra Nevada camping and hiking trip, running Las Vegas to San Francisco through Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. Instead of a private van, group CEO and participation camping, you'll use Greyhound/FlixBus, local YARTS regional buses and your own cheap tent or hostel bed, with all the same trails — General Sherman, Congress Trail, Little Baldy, Buena Vista Peak, the Mist Trail to Nevada Fall and a big dome hike above the Valley — done self-launched at your own pace. Costs are rough backpacker estimates in GBP, excluding international flights; expect to pay the US Non-Resident National Park fee separately if you're not a US resident.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Fly into Las Vegas and check into a hostel or budget motel near the Strip or Fremont Street. Spend the evening stocking up on camping food (Walmart or a supermarket run), filling water bottles and buying any gear you still need — cheap tents, sleeping mats and stove fuel are easy to find here. Have an early night: tomorrow is a long travel day into the Sierra.
🚌Airport shuttle or rideshare from LAS to your hostel (~£8-12); walk or use the Deuce bus on the Strip (~£5 day pass)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel on the Strip/Fremont, ~£30-40
- →Grocery and gear run
- →Evening stroll along Fremont Street
- →Sort out national park pass and trip logistics
Las Vegas to Sequoia National Park
Three Rivers / Sequoia National Park
Long travel day. Take an early Greyhound or FlixBus from Las Vegas to Bakersfield (~5-6 hrs, ~£30-40), then connect onward toward Visalia or Three Rivers by local bus or a pre-arranged shuttle — or, if you can team up with other travellers, split a rental car and drive the ~6.5 hrs direct. Enter Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (a single entrance fee covers both, valid 7 days) and set up at a campground near Three Rivers or inside the park — book on Recreation.gov well in advance. Roast something over the fire and enjoy the altitude quiet.
🚌Greyhound/FlixBus Las Vegas–Bakersfield ~£30-40, local bus/shuttle to Three Rivers ~£8-12, park entrance fee ~£27 (7-day, split per person if sharing)
🛏Tent camping at a park or gateway-town campground, ~£12-18
- →Overland journey into the Sierra Nevada
- →Camp set-up and evening fire
- →Stargazing
Giant Forest: General Sherman & Congress Trail
Sequoia National Park
Ride the park's free Sequoia Shuttle (summer service from Three Rivers) or drive up to Giant Forest. Walk the half-mile paved trail down to General Sherman, the world's largest tree by volume at 275 ft, then continue on the Congress Trail loop (~2 miles) past the President, the Senate and the House Group. Picnic lunch among the sequoias, then head further in: the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River leads to Tokopah Canyon and, in early summer, the 1,200 ft Tokopah Falls (~3.5 miles round trip). Back to camp for dinner.
🚌Free park shuttle or shared car within the park; walk all trails
🛏Tent camping, ~£12-18
- →General Sherman Tree walk
- →Congress Trail loop hike
- →Tokopah Falls hike (seasonal)
- →Picnic lunch in Giant Forest
Little Baldy, Buena Vista Peak & Grant Grove
Kings Canyon National Park
Early start for two short but punchy summits. Hike Little Baldy (~3.5 miles round trip) for panoramic Sierra views, then drive or shuttle to the Buena Vista Peak trailhead for a 2-mile round-trip climb to a granite top with 360-degree vistas over the High Sierra and the valley below. After a picnic lunch, wander the network of trails through the giant sequoias of Grant Grove and see the General Grant Tree. Return to camp in the evening.
🚌Park road/shuttle between trailheads; ~1 hr drive Sequoia–Kings Canyon
🛏Tent camping, ~£12-18
- →Little Baldy summit hike
- →Buena Vista Peak hike
- →Grant Grove giant sequoia trails
- →General Grant Tree
Sequoia to Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Park
Travel day across the Sierra to Yosemite. The practical budget route is a bus/shuttle back to Fresno or Visalia, then YARTS (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System) into the park via the Highway 41 entrance — YARTS runs seasonally from Fresno and Mammoth Lakes and drops you right in Yosemite Valley; book seats online. Camp at one of the Valley campgrounds (book on Recreation.gov the moment reservations open — they sell out in minutes). On arrival, walk the Valley floor to see Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall, and do the easy Lower Yosemite Fall trail before sunset.
🚌Local bus to Fresno/Visalia ~£8-12, YARTS into Yosemite ~£15-25
🛏Tent camping in Yosemite Valley (or Camp 4 walk-in if lucky), ~£14-20
- →Lower Yosemite Fall Trail
- →Valley floor orientation walk
- →El Capitan meadow and climber-spotting
- →Bridalveil Fall viewpoint
Mist Trail to Vernal & Nevada Fall
Yosemite National Park
Take the free Valley shuttle to Happy Isles and hike the classic Mist Trail (~9 miles round trip, 600m+ gain). Climb alongside the Merced River, get soaked by the spray of Vernal Fall, then push up the granite steps to Nevada Fall with views of Half Dome, Liberty Cap and Mount Broderick. Lunch at the top, then descend via the John Muir Trail — a gentler, quieter route with big views that makes you understand why Muir fought for this park. Evening free for the Bridalveil Fall trail or a beer at the Valley store.
🚌Free Valley shuttle; walking
🛏Tent camping in Yosemite Valley, ~£14-20
- →Mist Trail to Vernal Fall
- →Nevada Fall climb
- →John Muir Trail descent
- →Optional bike rental (~£25-32)
Big dome views: North Dome or a Tioga Pass alternative
Yosemite National Park
Get off the beaten path for a harder hike. Catch the seasonal Tuolumne Meadows shuttle or YARTS along Tioga Road to the Porcupine Creek trailhead and hike to North Dome (~9 miles round trip) for one of the best straight-on views of Half Dome and the Valley below. Early or late in the season, snow and trail closures on Tioga Road mean this becomes a Valley hike instead — Clouds Rest approach, the Panorama Trail or a Snow Creek climb all deliver comparable effort and payoff. Check trail conditions with the visitor centre the day before.
🚌Free Valley shuttle + seasonal Tioga Road shuttle/YARTS (~£5-10)
🛏Tent camping in Yosemite Valley, ~£14-20
- →North Dome hike via Porcupine Creek
- →Seasonal alternatives: Panorama Trail, Snow Creek, Clouds Rest approach
- →Half Dome viewpoint
Yosemite to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
Break camp and ride YARTS from Yosemite Valley out to Merced (the route is timed around Amtrak's San Joaquins), then take the Amtrak train to Richmond/Emeryville and the connecting Thruway bus or BART into San Francisco. It's a full-day journey of about 6-8 hours but one of the great budget travel combos in California. Arrive in the Bay, drop your bag at a hostel and celebrate with a burrito in the Mission. Fly out the next day — don't book a flight before mid-evening if you're flying the same day.
🚌YARTS Merced ~£18, Amtrak San Joaquins + connection ~£35-45
🛏Hostel dorm in San Francisco (or fly home same evening)
- →Scenic YARTS and Amtrak ride across the Central Valley
- →Evening in the Mission District
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£466 | £1,710 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,244 per person (73%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£466
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Sierra Nevada: Sequoia, Kings Canyon & Yosemite on a Budget cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £466 per person for 8 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 £1,710 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £466 — a saving of roughly £1,244 (73%) per person.
How long is the California, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 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 hiking, adventure, budget 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?
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