Self-Launched Death Valley, Yosemite & San Francisco (Las Vegas to San Francisco)
4 days · Death Valley, Yosemite & San Francisco, USA
Bindlestiff Tours charges £1,060
No-markup version: ~£485 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 4-day self-launched run from Las Vegas through Death Valley and Yosemite to San Francisco, recreated without the $1,346 group tour price tag. You'll drive yourself (shared rental car with a fellow traveller, or a Turo hire split two ways) or take a mix of public transport and self-booked day trips. Note: this is a US national-parks route, so real costs skew high — park entry, fuel, and Yosemite-area lodging are the big fixed costs. Estimated spend is roughly £480–£560 per person for four days excluding flights, versus ~£1,060 for the operator version. Book park passes in advance at recreation.gov, secure Yosemite lodging early (it sells out months ahead), and be ready to hike.
Day-by-day
Las Vegas to Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park / Lone Pine
Pick up a rental car (or a Turo hire) at Las Vegas airport first thing — book ahead for ~£35–45/day, and split the cost with a travel buddy if you can. Fill up with fuel in Pahrump (cheaper than in-park). Drive ~2hrs to Death Valley, entering via Death Valley Junction. Hit Zabriskie Point first for the viewpoint and short walk, then Artist's Palette drive, Devils Golf Course, Badwater Basin salt flats (short flat walk out onto the basin), and finish with sunset at Mesquite Sand Dunes. Stop at Furnace Creek Visitor Center for maps, water refills and ranger advice. Bring 3L+ of water per person — summer temps hit 45°C+; never rely on the car AC. Drive out east via Death Valley Junction and overnight in or near Lone Pine / Olancha (budget motels ~£60–80 double, so ~£30–40pp).
🚌Rental car from Las Vegas airport (~£35–45/day split between travellers); ~4hrs driving total, fuel ~£25
🛏Budget motel in Lone Pine or Olancha (~£30–40pp sharing; e.g. Dow Villa Motel or a local independent motel)
- →Zabriskie Point viewpoint and short hike
- →Artist's Palette scenic drive
- →Badwater Basin salt flats walk
- →Devils Golf Course
- →Mesquite Sand Dunes at sunset
- →Furnace Creek Visitor Center
Tioga Pass to Yosemite Valley
Yosemite National Park
Early start — drive north to Lee Vining and cross Tioga Pass (open roughly late May/June to October; check road status on the NPS site the night before — if closed, reroute south via Bakersfield, which adds ~3hrs). Stop at Mono Lake for the tufa formations viewpoint (~£3 parking), then Olmsted Point, Tenaya Lake (quick swim if warm), and Tuolumne Meadows for a short walk. Enter the park via the Tioga Pass entrance — note the $35/vehicle 7-day pass covers you; buy it at the gate or pre-purchase on recreation.gov. Arrive Yosemite Valley mid-afternoon, swing past the Valley Visitor Center and exhibits, then take the free Valley shuttle for a mini-tour of the valley floor. Overnight inside the park area — book months ahead. Options: Curry Village canvas tents (~£90–120/night, split ~£45–60pp), or cheaper private rooms in El Portal / Mariposa (~£80–110 double).
🚌Self-drive over Tioga Pass (~2.5hrs from Lone Pine); free Yosemite Valley shuttle bus inside the park
🛏Curry Village tent cabin in Yosemite Valley or budget motel in El Portal/Mariposa (~£40–60pp sharing)
- →Mono Lake tufa viewpoint
- →Olmsted Point
- →Tenaya Lake
- →Tuolumne Meadows walk
- →Valley Visitor Center exhibits
- →Yosemite Valley shuttle mini-tour
Yosemite hikes and waterfalls
Yosemite National Park
Full day on foot in Yosemite Valley. Start early to beat the crowds and parking crunch (Valley lots fill by 8am — use the shuttle from Curry Village or El Portal if possible). Hike the Mist Trail toward Vernal Fall (allow 2.5–3hrs return, ~£0 — a free, self-guided classic; permit-free but check seasonal closures). Swap or add Lower Yosemite Falls loop (flat, 1hr), El Capitan Meadows for climber spotting, and Half Dome viewpoints from Sentinel Bridge or Cook's Meadow. Rent a bike from Curry Village (~£12/hr or ~£30/day) to cruise the Merced River loop. Bring your own lunch (packed from a grocery stop in Lee Vining or Mariposa — park cafés are pricey) and refill water bottles at the valley fill stations.
🚌Free Valley shuttle buses; optional bike hire ~£30/day; no driving needed inside the valley
🛏Same as night 2 — Curry Village tent cabin or El Portal/Mariposa budget motel (~£40–60pp sharing)
- →Mist Trail to Vernal Fall hike
- →Lower Yosemite Falls loop
- →El Capitan viewpoint
- →Half Dome viewpoints
- →Cycling the Merced River loop
Yosemite to San Francisco city tour
Yosemite then San Francisco
Drive out of the park via Big Oak Flat / Highway 120 (~3.5hrs to SF, or ~2hrs more scenic via Highway 140 and Merced if you want a wine-country detour). Drop the car at a downtown SF rental return (watch for one-way drop fees — returning to SF rather than Las Vegas usually adds £60–150, so book a one-way rate in advance). Do your own version of the city tour: BART or Muni day pass (~£6) or a self-guided walk. Hit Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 (sea lions), catch the 30 or Powell-Hyde cable car to Haight-Ashbury for thrift shops and coffee, then finish with the Golden Gate Bridge — walk the eastern span or take bus 28/29 to the visitor plaza (free). Sunset at Crissy Field or Baker Beach is a great closing move. Tour operator ends around 17:00; you'll have the evening free to eat in the Mission (cheap burritos ~£8).
🚌Self-drive Yosemite to SF (~3.5hrs, fuel ~£25) + car drop-off one-way fee; Muni/BART day pass ~£6
🛏Not included — book a hostel dorm in SF (~£40–55/night) or onward travel; see HI San Francisco Downtown or Green Tortoise Hostel
- →Fisherman's Wharf
- →Pier 39 sea lions
- →Haight-Ashbury wander
- →Golden Gate Bridge walk
- →Crissy Field sunset
Self-launched vs. Bindlestiff Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Bindlestiff Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£485 | £1,060 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £575 per person (54%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Bindlestiff Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£485
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 Self-Launched Death Valley, Yosemite & San Francisco (Las Vegas to San Francisco) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £485 per person for 4 days in Death Valley, Yosemite & San Francisco, 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 Bindlestiff Tours?+
Yes — Bindlestiff Tours charges around £1,060 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £485 — a saving of roughly £575 (54%) per person.
How long is the Death Valley, Yosemite & San Francisco, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Death Valley, Yosemite & San Francisco, 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 Death Valley, Yosemite & San Francisco, 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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