Yosemite & Giant Sequoia Self-Launched Road Trip
3 days · California, USA
Europamundo charges £500
No-markup version: ~£340 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched, solo-friendly version of Europamundo's 3-day Los Angeles–Yosemite–Sequoia loop, done independently by car share or a mix of Amtrak/Greyhound and local shuttles. You'll hit Santa Monica Pier, the Danish village of Solvang, Yosemite Valley's El Capitan and Half Dome viewpoints, and the giant sequoias of Sequoia National Park — at roughly a third of the guided tour price. Best done with a rental car shared between two or three travellers; a fully car-free version is possible but slower (Amtrak San Joaquins to Fresno plus YARTS shuttles). All costs are approximate backpacker/budget estimates per person in GBP; America is not a cheap destination, so expect camping or hostel dorms and supermarket food to keep costs low.
Day-by-day
Los Angeles → Santa Monica → Solvang → Bakersfield
Los Angeles / Solvang / Bakersfield
Pick up a rental car at LAX or Downtown LA early (book via Rentalcars/Kayak; ~£30-45/day split between 2-3 people, plus a full tank of fuel ~£45-55 for the loop). Drive to Santa Monica Pier for a walk on the pier and a coffee, then take the 101 north through Ventura to Solvang (about 2h45 from Santa Monica) — the Danish-style village of windmills, bakeries and aebleskiver; a pastry lunch here is ~£8-10. Continue over the hills to Bakersfield (~2h), arriving early evening. No-car option: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner LA→Santa Barbara (~£20-28, 2h45), then a Thruway bus to Solvang/Buellton, and an evening Greyhound/Amtrak bus on to Bakersfield (~£12-18). Stay in a Bakersfield motel or hostel-style budget room; eat at a taqueria or supermarket deli (~£10-12). Sleep early for the national park day.
🚌Rental car from LA (~£30-45/day shared) or Amtrak Pacific Surfliner + Thruway bus + Greyhound
🛏Budget motel or hostel private room in Bakersfield (e.g. Vagabond Inn / Motel 6 / Padrunner-style hostel), ~£40-55 per room shared
- →Santa Monica Pier walk
- →Solvang village stroll and Danish bakeries
- →Drive the 101 through Ventura County
Bakersfield → Yosemite Valley → Fresno
Yosemite National Park / Fresno
Leave Bakersfield by 7am and drive north via CA-99 and CA-41 to the south entrance of Yosemite (~3h15) — buy the America the Beautiful annual pass (£60, covers Yosemite + Sequoia + all national parks for a year) or pay the £27 weekly park entry. Park at Yosemite Village or Curry Village and use the free Valley Shuttle. Walk the Valley Loop / Mirror Lake trail, see El Capitan from El Cap Meadow, and take the short paved trail to the base of Lower Yosemite Fall; the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall footbridge (~1h return) is a great add-on if you have legs left. Packed lunch from a Bakersfield supermarket (~£6-8). Leave the valley by 4pm for the ~1h45 drive to Fresno. In Fresno, stay near the Tower District for cheap eats (food trucks, taquerias, ~£12) and a budget motel. Car-free option: Amtrak San Joaquins Bakersfield→Fresno (~£14-20, 2h) plus the YARTS Hwy 41 bus into Yosemite (~£13-15 each way, seasonal May-Sept) — note this needs an overnight or very early start, so the car is strongly recommended.
🚌Rental car (3h15 Bakersfield→Yosemite south entrance, 1h45 valley→Fresno); alternative: Amtrak San Joaquins + YARTS bus
🛏Budget motel in Fresno (Motel 6 / Super 8 / hostel-style guesthouse), ~£40-55 per room shared
- →Yosemite Valley Loop / Mirror Lake walk
- →El Capitan viewpoint
- →Lower Yosemite Fall trail
- →Optional Mist Trail to Vernal Fall footbridge
- →Free Valley Shuttle loop
Fresno → Sequoia National Park → Los Angeles
Sequoia National Park / Los Angeles
Early start (7am) and drive east ~1h15 to the Ash Mountain entrance of Sequoia National Park (entry covered by your annual pass). Drive the Generals Highway up to Giant Forest and walk the 2-mile Congress Trail loop past the General Sherman Tree — the largest tree on earth by volume. Optionally drive the Moro Rock / Crescent Meadow Road for the 350-step granite dome climb (huge Sierra views) and tunnel-log photo stop. Lunch from Fresno groceries (~£6-8). Leave the park by 2pm for the ~3h45-4h drive back to Los Angeles (I-99 south then CA-99/I-5), dropping the car at LAX or Downtown by early evening. Car-free alternative: Sequoia Shuttle from Visalia (seasonal, ~£12 return) plus Amtrak San Joaquins Fresno→Bakersfield and a bus or shared ride on to LA — adds at least half a day. Finish with a cheap LA dinner (~£12). If you have a spare night, a dorm bed near Venice or Downtown LA runs ~£30-40.
🚌Rental car (1h15 Fresno→Sequoia, 4h back to LA); alternative: Sequoia Shuttle from Visalia + Amtrak San Joaquins + Greyhound
🛏None included — drop car and depart, or optional hostel dorm in LA ~£30-40
- →General Sherman Tree and Congress Trail loop
- →Moro Rock summit steps
- →Tunnel Log photo stop
- →Crescent Meadow stroll
Self-launched vs. Europamundo
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Europamundo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£340 | £500 |
| Duration | 3 days | 3 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £160 per person (32%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Europamundo-style trips? Check them out here.~£340
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Yosemite & Giant Sequoia Self-Launched Road Trip cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £340 per person for 3 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 Europamundo?+
Yes — Europamundo charges around £500 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £340 — a saving of roughly £160 (32%) per person.
How long is the California, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 3 days, covering 3 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?
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