My family of 11 engaged John and Vivian's tour service for a 2-day tour of Yosemite in March. Prior... read more
We arrived in Yosemite a few nights ago with little planned. We had no guide service, and were... read more
We spent 5 nights and 6 days hiking from Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite Valley with our awesome guide, John. There is no way we could have done this without him, being that there were no trails for the first two days. He taught us so much about the park, about being efficient backcountry campers, and even taught my son how to fly fish! Having taken several guided trips with our family in the past, John ranks at the top of all of them.
The 3 nights/4 days we spent backpacking with John (and his wonderful, well-trained, and fish-crazy golden retriever, Parker) in the Hoover Wilderness at the northeast corner of Yosemite National Park was an outstanding experience. John is knowledgeable and passionate about the area, as well as an easy-going and friendly fellow-traveller. He took the time to figure out what we really wanted to experience (views, fly-fishing and wildflowers) as well as our physical abilities, and put together the perfect route. The wildflowers on the Return Lake loop were off the charts, the fishing was good, and the hikes were beautiful and challenging but well within our fitness comfort zone. Perfect! John supplied up-to-date, good-quality equipment and provisions for the trip. Everything was in great condition. If you've had much experience with outfitters or outdoor liveries, you know how important this is. We really just can't say enough good things about John and the whole fantastic experience. Highly recommend.
We spent 3 fantastic days in Yosemite with John. The weather was less than kind!! Think thunderstorms, hail and torrential downpours, but we still managed to explore far and wide across the National Park. It was also Memorial Day weekend so the Park was really busy but John managed to find some beautiful, unspoilt places where we could really appreciate the natural beauty of Yosemite. John was a great guide, a really good cook and very good company. We feel that we made the very best of our short stay in a beautiful place and certainly saw far more than we would have done on your own. Definitely recommend John so that you can get to places and see things that only a local can show you. Thank you, John.
My wife and I chose John as our guide and were not disappointed. John is a wonderful guide, knows Yosemite National Park like it's his own backyard and goes out of his way to accommodate individual needs. We are birders and wildlife enthusiasts so along with the phenomenal sights that Yosemite has to offer John was able to show us quite a few birds and mammals along the way.
Our 3 day adventure included 2 nights "luxury camping" and even though there was a bit of snow around our camp site and accommodations were warm and cosy.
John is a great cook as well. One night as we were searching for the elusive Great Gray Owl John prepared a restaurant quality seafood pasta. John also knew a great deal about the history and geology of the park which added to the experience. If you are looking for a great guide who will look after every detail you will not be disappointed. very highly recommended!!
John is an experienced, knowledgeable guide, who will design a backpacking trip that suits your interests and capabilities.
Most of our small group had never backpacked before but were relatively althletic hikers. Rather than slogging through a grueling one-day Half Dome hike, we decided to experience Half Dome in a more enjoyable 3 day/2 night backpacking trip. After doing research, John’s Yosemite Guide Service seemed the best due to his excellent reviews, small groups, and specially tailored trips. John quickly obtained permits and designed a 3 day/2 night backpacking trip for us. Backpacking is a logistical challenge that can make the experience stressful if you don’t know how to backpack or the area. John’s equipment is new and high-quality and he cooked delicious meals for us. John has a wonderful way of being fully present, keeping track of all group members and ensuring our safety and comfort, while being low-keyed and friendly. With John as our guide, we had a fun, fantastic and unforgettable adventure!
We had the pleasure of spending two days hiking in Yosemite with Martin on 10/30 and 11/1. What an incredible experience!! The park is spectacular of course, but Martin knew hikes off the beaten path to give us views we never would have had otherwise. AND, his encyclopedic knowledge about the park - the history, culture, geology, geography, and biology - made the hikes so much more enjoyable. We could not believe our good fortune in having found Yosemite Guide Service for our trip! We plan to go back again next spring and will absolutely call them again!
