Top of Half Dome
Hike into Yosemite’s backcountry, away from the crowds.
Change your scenery and inspire your team by holding your group retreat in Yosemite National Park. Whether you wish to brainstorm, foster team camaraderie or host a community event in an outdoor setting, our private guides can help you deliver the right message to your team, away from the noise and distractions of the city.
Choose from a wilderness hike, hotel stay or more as we show your group the real Yosemite, where you can find the balance within yourselves in a total of 2-5 days enjoying the rejuvenation found in nature. Why not disconnect from your devices for a few days in the real world?
Whether your group wants to stand at the base of El Capitan and see where Alex Honnold accomplished his famous “Free Solo” ascent, or ‘gram themselves leaping in front of world-famous Half Dome, your team members will see the real Yosemite while not feeling like tourists.
Each adventure is molded to your budget; what we include or don’t include is up to you. Are you looking for a Yosemite digital detox? Would you like a photographer to record your group’s best moments? We can create the private Yosemite retreat to enrich and inspire your team.
*COVID-19 Policies : Our team is dedicated to providing a safe, healthy environment for all our guests and employees. Read our full list of preventative actions on our COVID-19 page.
Cruise along Yosemite’s roads with our knowledgeable guides leading the way. We’ll visit sights such as Tunnel View, El Capitan and the giant Sequoia Trees, then explore on foot, because hiking is the only true way to view Yosemite’s beauty. All skill levels of hikers are welcome.
Do you travel with forty vegetarians? Are you in need of a private dining room? Your meals will not taste like frozen rubber pizza here. Instead, dine on well-prepared meals from Yosemite’s best restaurants. Enjoy a catered picnic lunch under Yosemite’s pines, followed by delectable, never-ending s’mores once the sun goes down.
Our expert guides offering our Yosemite Corporate Retreat have hiked hundreds of miles in the park. They know where to go to create the best experience. With the correct planning, knowledge and heart, we provide an authentic Yosemite experience for your team.
Those decades of combined experience enable our hosts give your group that fresh feeling of visiting the wondrous park with a good friend.
What’s best for your private group?
Now that you potentially see the value of a weekend in nature for your group – an outdoor adventure away from San Francisco – what comes next? Or, to put it better: What kind of feeling do you want your group to have once your Yosemite weekend is complete?
Feel free to give us a call, fill out our Planning Form or check out our FAQ page for a clearer understanding of the possibilities. Only when we’re on the same page can we start to create the perfect Yosemite weekend for you.
For 3 Days, 2 Nights from San Francisco
Embark on a journey of self-discovery in airplane mode during your Yosemite Corporate Retreat, seamlessly blending nature with a digital detox. Set up your email autoresponder, prepare for a hiking adventure and bid farewell to distractions as you trek towards unforgettable memories. Meet us in San Francisco, where our dedicated guides will take care of the rest.
Imagine learning about the details of Yosemite with our expert guides by day. And as night falls, gather around the campfire for marshmallow roasting, storytelling, and witness the modern world gradually fading away. This immersive experience not only showcases Yosemite’s beauty but also fosters group cohesion in a natural setting.
A private corporation approached us with an inquiry about showing their group Yosemite National Park in November. They admitted the planning details for the park were confusing (and we agreed), and asked for our assistance. Following a brief phone call, our private guides proposed a tailored solution – a 3-day, 2-night Yosemite Weekend Getaway crafted specifically for their group of 35, showcasing the finest aspects of the treasured national park during their allotted time frame.
Below is an outline of the private retreat we provided them, refined to their group.
Yosemite is confusing to plan for, and many times, the details you’ll find by Googling are different from what happens when your boots are on the ground. Michelle, well aware of this challenge, worked closely with us to strategize her accommodations, timeframe, room configuration, extras, and availability. Once we clarified the style she sought – the feeling she wanted her group to leave their Yosemite weekend with – we proceeded to the next steps in the planning process.
Our private guides and Michelle decided on two nights, three days in the park. Beginning in San Francisco, we would explore Yosemite together on Day One – a way to make the group feel comfortable in their new, natural environs, followed by a private dining room for meals on Day Two (a way for her team to accomplish their brainstorming activities), with hikes in Yosemite in between sessions. This was followed by our last day, where the group would relax by the river – a way to nonchalantly bond with each other, away from their incessant daily phone notifications.
Our guides were to provide documents, hosting in the park and safety talks (such as how to deal with a bear in the wilderness) for the group. In essence, do the heavy lifting so Michelle and her leaders could show up in San Francisco for a weekend away in Yosemite, without the planning or operational headaches.
The group adventure began with a travel day, when all group members flew into San Francisco from all over the country, with their hotel reservations at the Fairmont Hotel, in a safe and homeless-free neighborhood, waiting on their arrival. That night, we chose PCH on Sutter Street for happy hour, a great location for drinks and mingling for her group. During the happy hour, we issued her group’s Yosemite documents, with plenty of dinner suggestions for that night. That evening, the group enjoyed San Francisco at their leisure using our handmade map.
This morning we departed for Yosemite in private transportation with all equipment and down-to-earth guidance ready. Our primary goal, besides bonding the group together in a natural environment (with us not as the main character), was to give Michelle and her team leaders the relief that all logistics were handled so she could focus on her team. We also wanted to share with the group our knowledge of the park, hopefully motivating the travelers to explore Yosemite – or any natural environment for that matter – independently in the future.
Once the group began to understand Yosemite from a local’s point of view, with the power now placed in their hands, we made our way to the Valley, where group members were able to enjoy many of the viewpoints, such as Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall. With no signal in many of the places, the group didn’t have an option but to begin to connect with one another – the way genuine human interaction used to be.
On our second day, Michelle and the group expressed a desire for greater privacy for their meetings, so we secured a private dining room for the day for up to 48 guests. This arrangement allowed the group to escape the typical restaurant commotion and create an environment conducive to their company discussions. In addition, we provided two large whiteboards, a way for the group to jot notes as they brainstormed.
That evening, after a day of brainstorming, hiking, trail lunches, photography and communal bonding, we returned to the hotel to cleanse ourselves of the day’s exertions. Refreshed and invigorated by the crisp Sierra Nevada air, we gathered for another private meal. This setting allowed the group to revisit the morning’s agenda, providing a space to reflect on the day’s wildlife, attractions and wondrous Yosemite sights – and to consider the company’s plans for next year.
Our last day is when everything came together, with the group, hailing from different corners of the globe, and usually only seeing each other on Zoom or by other virtual methods, were now interacting, laughing and understanding Yosemite as they embraced the essence of nature. The park became more than a backdrop for business discussions; it evolved into a space where genuine connections flourished, once people were liberated from the constant distractions of email, smartphones and social media. Continuing to unravel the intricate puzzle that is Yosemite, our private guides planted the seed of possibility – a future visit with their families.
After a few days immersed in the wonders of Yosemite, enjoying some of the most beautiful scenery on earth, invigorating hikes and more, we bid farewell to the national treasure and began our journey back to San Francisco. Most, if not all, of the team members recognized that Yosemite held a power that extended far beyond what just a few days could reveal. It was life changing for some.
Yosemite Corporate Retreat
Yosemite National Park can be an incredible wondrous place to visit if you allow yourself to disconnect from your notifications while here. Even then, it can take a few days for a guest to fully recharge. This can be while simultaneously relaxing at a luxury resort, camping, wilderness hiking or anything else — and it’s your choice. Your private retreat. But we can assure you, as we’ve hiked hundreds of miles in the park ourselves, you will have a more rewarding experience if your phone is in airplane mode…at least while in Yosemite. You may find a new outlook on your screen time.
On Our Yosemite Corporate Retreat
Is authentic, unfiltered human connection fading away in our digitalized age? To us, a corporate retreat in the post-COVID era should transcend activities such as ziplining. It’s about affording your staff the time to genuinely connect with each other – and with themselves. Not every retreat requires a motivational speech or cliché team-building exercises (egg on a spoon, anyone?).
Instead, provide your team with the opportunity to clear their tech-savvy minds, fostering insight and growth through the shared experience of Yosemite’s inspiring natural environment. Consider it a formula: spiritual growth = rejuvenation = enhanced productivity. Contact us »