The Yosemite Valley Floor Tour is a two-hour tour and although the valley is only a small part of the park there are some spectacular views during its 26-mile route.
The best time to visit for the falls is late April and early May when the water’s roaring and the weather is fair.
Our tour guide kept an ongoing commentary and fascinating facts about the history of the park, the geology of the rock formations and the wildlife within the park.
We passed beneath towering monoliths of pale granite and journeyed alongside sparkling streams under the shade of thousand-year-old trees.
The scale of El Capitan was quite incredible. El Capitan is a must-see if you only have one day in Yosemite National Park.
There are two other groves of majestic Sequoia trees in the valley. All of this should fill your day at Yosemite nicely and with time for lunch.
Head to the visitor center where there’s plenty of day-long parking. Walk to the center where there are free shuttle buses to Yosemite Valley.