Yosemite and Sequoia: John Muirs California

•   View filmed vignettes by documentary filmmakers Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan that tell the stories of the history and ideals of the people behind the creation and preservation of the national parks

Day 1: Arrive San Francisco
A transfer is included from San Francisco International Airport to The Westin St. Francis, the elegant “Grand Dame” of Union Square, close to the city’s main attractions – with a cable car stop at the front door. Join us this evening for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.
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Day 2: Muir Woods and The Presidio
This morning, a short drive from the city finds you under the green canopy of Muir Woods, a coastal redwood forest preserved as a national monument. These towering ancient trees, some 20 stories high, are among the last remnants of a fog-shrouded primeval forest that once blanketed the northern coast. A self-guided tour along its winding walkways takes you through a shaded, misty world of slanted cathedral light, dense flora, and tranquil running streams – a place to feel the awesome power (and silence) of some of the tallest living things on the planet. Collect your thoughts on the return trip to the city, stopping at the Presidio, a former Army base, now a national park. Lunch at the Presidio Social Club, in a setting rich with history; the restaurant was once a barracks for soldiers returning from the Spanish American War. The base was also home to the “Buffalo Soldiers,” the African-American cavalry troops who earned their fighting reputation in the Indian Wars. Take a guided tour of the base, whose historic buildings ramble over a beautifully landscaped point with gorgeous views of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. From here, it’s a short ride to the Embarcadero and the city’s iconic Ferry Terminal Building, where an array of gourmet cafes, artisan food stands and wine bars awaits you – a local expert guides you on a “tasting tour” of its finest epicurean features. The rest of the day is yours; return to the hotel, or explore the city on your own – you’ve had a taste of all it has to offer and now it’s time to explore.
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Day 3: Central Valley and Sequoia National Park
Before there was a National Park Service, the job of policing and protecting the national parks belonged to the U.S. Army. At Sequoia and Yosemite, the parks’ guardians were the Buffalo Soldiers, who rode out every spring from the Presidio, crossing 300 miles on horseback to the Sierra Nevada mountains. Board a train this morning for a rail journey to Fresno that first follows wetlands, then nearly follows the Buffalo Soldiers’ route across the agriculturally rich Central Valley. At Fresno’s vintage train depot, board a motor coach for the 7,000 foot climb to Sequoia National Park; your destination is remote Wuksachi Lodge® on the park grounds. Tonight, hear Bill Tweed (retired Chief Naturalist for the National Park Service) tell the story of how John Muir found and documented this area, which he named the “Giant Forest,” in 1875.
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Day 4: Land of Giants and Moro Rock
Walk the Big Trees Trail, among ancient Giant Sequoias soaring to the height of skyscrapers. Wander among living monuments to American heroes, like the General Sherman Tree, estimated to be over 2,500 years old (and still growing), the Robert E. Lee, and the Booker T. Washington. Lunch at a private barbecue at Wolverton Meadow, where a living-history re-enactor tells stories of mountain life in the late 1800s. Travels inside Sequoia National Park are via small 10-passenger vehicles, accompanied by a guide; climb the 400 steps to the top of Moro Rock for stunning views of the park and the peaks of the Great Western Divide. The rest of the day is yours to explore at your own pace. Tonight at the lodge, immerse yourself in the hidden wonders of a night sky you didn’t know existed; a naturalist guides you through the spectacular constellations that fill the skies over the park, far away from the ground lights of towns and cities.
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Day 5: Kings Canyon and Yosemite national parks
The overlook at Kings Canyon offers a vista that will leave you breathless: deeper than the Grand Canyon, the glacier-carved granite cliffs plunge 8,000 feet to a wild river winding through an alpine landscape. Continue on to Fresno and the south entrance to Yosemite National Park. View a film by Ken Burns describing Muir’s passion for the Yosemite Valley, and his activism to preserve it for future generations. Later, have lunch in the elegant dining room of Wawona Lodge, an inn that was once a stagecoach stop. Only steps away is the Pioneer Yosemite History Center, a collection of buildings from different eras of the park’s history, including a blacksmith shop, jail, homestead house, and an army superintendent’s office. Here you’ll meet a “Buffalo Soldier,” portrayed by Park Ranger Shelton Johnson (featured in the Ken Burns documentary "The National Parks: America’s Best Idea"), who tells the story of how his regiment blazed trails, built roads, and mapped the wilderness to enable management of the parklands. Visit Glacier Point for a stirring view of the Valley, overlooking Half Dome and a panorama of glacier-clad peaks; on this spot in 1903, John Muir stood with Teddy Roosevelt during a private tour of the area that persuaded the President that Yosemite should be under federal protection as a national park. This evening, settle into your room at The Ahwahnee®, a historic masterpiece of stone, timber and soaring stained glass windows in the heart of Yosemite. Dine at your leisure, then join us for coffee and cordials with John Muir himself (portrayed by actor Lee Stetson, who appeared in "The National Parks: America’s Best Idea"), who shares stories of his life and philosophy.
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Day 6: Yosemite: "Nature's Grandest Temple"
Yosemite “is the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter,” wrote Muir, who regarded such settings of awesome natural beauty as sacred places with restorative powers, “where the galling harness of civilization drops off and wounds heal, ere we are aware.” Discover Yosemite’s power to move your spirit on a guided tour in a special open-air vehicle, with opportunities to explore on foot. The afternoon is yours to enjoy the park at your own pace. Optional activities are available (some at additional cost), including bicycling, mule rides, a hike over the footbridge at Vernal Falls, and a visit to the Yosemite Indian Cultural Museum and Village. One area you may want to visit is Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, once a glacial valley that Muir fought unsuccessfully to save; in the 1920s, the federal government allowed its river to be dammed, turning the valley into a reservoir for the city of San Francisco. Today, a campaign continues, joined by the Sierra Club (which Muir founded) to remove the dam and restore the valley to its original state. “Mountain parks,” Muir argued, “are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life...” an idea that remains controversial to this day.
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Day 7: Return to San Francisco
Depart Yosemite for the return trip to San Francisco, driving across the populous Central Valley with stops in Mariposa and Manteca and lunch at a bistro in Merced. Filmed narratives by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan weave together the past seven days of history and nature, with insights you won’t get anywhere else. Arrive late afternoon at The Fairmont San Francisco, a Beaux Arts-style, premier hotel on Nob Hill – it’s listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Join us tonight for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner; the setting may be a long way from the Sierra Nevada, but Yosemite can never be left behind (and may be as close as your glass of tap water...).
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Day 8: Journey Home
Tour ends: San Francisco. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Fairmont San Francisco to San Francisco International Airport. You should allow two hours for flight check-in. If you wish to stay longer in San Francisco, ask about additional hotel nights.
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Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
6/2/2012 - 6/10/2012	$4,290
6/9/2012 - 6/17/2012	$4,290
6/23/2012 - 7/1/2012	$4,290
6/30/2012 - 7/8/2012	$4,290
7/14/2012 - 7/22/2012	$4,290
7/21/2012 - 7/29/2012	$4,290
8/11/2012 - 8/19/2012	$4,290
8/18/2012 - 8/26/2012	$4,290
9/1/2012 - 9/9/2012	$4,290
9/8/2012 - 9/16/2012	$4,290
9/15/2012 - 9/23/2012	$4,290
9/22/2012 - 9/30/2012	$4,290
10/6/2012 - 10/14/2012	$4,290
10/13/2012 - 10/21/2012	$4,290
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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