This unique geography school trip to San Francisco, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon offers your students the chance to get close to nature in a fun and active way!
Start your trip in San Francisco, where your students will consider how it's affected by its location on the San Andreas fault. Then visit the award-winning California Academy of Science and their Earthquake exhibit, where you can learn all about aspects of earthquakes on a local and international scale.
Then spend 4 nights in Yosemite National Park, where your students will enjoy a real geography adventure! Continue on towards Las Vegas, making a brief stop in Death Valley before ending your trip with the spectacle that is the Grand Canyon.
Suggested Itinerary (11 days, 9 nights)
Explore Yosemite National Park
Hike and study the landscape of Yosemite National Park with a choice of three areas to focus on – life sciences and ecology, watershed studies, earth science and geology, cultural history or current environmental issues.
Located in the western Sierra Nevada and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite National Park is world famous for its spectacular scenery including waterfalls, giant sequoias, mountains, glaciers and meadows.
Yosemite was key to the development of the USA’s national park system, thanks to the movement to protect it from development which led to President Abraham Lincoln signing the Yosemite Grant in 1864.
Did you know?
Almost 95% of Yosemite National Park is designated wilderness and boasts an incredible biological diversity – the park is home to over 250 species of vertebrates.
Visit California Academy of Science
The California Academy of Science is the greenest museum in the world and houses a world-class aquarium, planetarium and natural history museum!
It’s also one of the largest natural history museums in the world, with over 46 million specimens in its collection.
Founded in 1853, the Academy is particularly notable for championing the involvement of female scientists. In fact, in its first year of existence it passed a resolution approving of female participation in every department of natural science and inviting their cooperation.
Did you know?
The Academy is topped by a living green roof of 1.7 million plants, all of which are native to California. And its design was inspired by the seven major hills of San Francisco!
Visit the Grand Canyon
Possibly the most famous natural attraction in the US, the Grand Canyon is possibly one of the best places in the world to learn about the effects of erosion.
Here, two billion years of the Earth’s geological history is laid bare, thanks to the erosive power of the Colorado River and its tributaries.
This is a truly spectacular visit that will impress upon your students how the study of geography can help them to understand the incredible world around them.
Did you know?
The Grand Canyon is huge! It measures 277 miles in length and at its stretches 18 miles across at its widest point!
Day 1
Morning
Flight to San Francisco
Afternoon
On arrival transfer to your hotel for check in
Evening
Free time
Day 2
Morning
Visit the California Academy of Science - Rainforest Exhibit
Afternoon
Take in the view of the Golden Gate Bridge
Evening
Free time
Day 3
Morning
Optional visit to Alcatraz
Afternoon
Visit to Fisherman's Wharf
Evening
Free time
Day 4
Morning
Depart San Francisco for Yosemite National Park
Afternoon
Arrive at Yosemite and move in to your NatureBridge heated tent camp at Curry Village
Evening
Dinner and evening programme
Day 5
Morning
Breakfast in camp and depart on hike
Afternoon
Lunch on trail
Today focus on "Earth Science & Geology"
Evening
Dinner and evening programme
Day 6
Morning
Breakfast in camp and depart on hike
Afternoon
Lunch on trail
Today focus on "Watershed Studies"
Evening
Dinner and evening programme
Day 7
Morning
Breakfast in camp and depart on hike
Afternoon
Lunch on trail
Today focus on "Current Environmental Issues"
Evening
Dinner and evening programme
Day 8
Morning
Breakfast at camp before departing from Yosemite for Las Vegas
Afternoon
Stop en-route to visit Death Valley - the hottest, driest and lowest place in North America
Evening
Arrive in Las Vegas, evening at leisure
Day 9
Morning
N/A
Afternoon
Day trip to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam (entry optional)
Evening
Free time
Day 10
Morning
Free time to explore Las Vegas
Afternoon
Transfer to the airport for flight home
Evening
Overnight flight
Day 11
Morning
N/A
Afternoon
Arrival in the UK
Evening
N/A
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4-day NatureBridge Adventure field trip programme (full board)
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9 nights' bed and breakfast accommodation
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Airport taxes and passenger duty at current rates
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Airport transfers in resort
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ATOL protected return flights from the UK
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Comprehensive travel and medical insurance
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Day trip to the Grand Canyon by private coach
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Detailed information pack
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Entry to the California Academy of Science
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Free staff place ratio 1:10
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Itinerary planning service
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National Park entrance fees
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Private coach transfers between destinations
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Vamoos travel app - giving you access to all your trip documents on your phone or tablet
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VAT at current rates to tour operators
Curriculum Links
A-Level
- Water and carbon cycles
- Characteristics of a distinct ecosystem
- Biodiversity: flora and fauna adaptations
- Hot desert systems and landscapes
- Minerals and rocks
- Fossils and time
- Geomorphic processes
- Geomorphology
- Geohazards - seismic activity
- Glacial landscapes beyond the UK
- Glacial erosion, transportation and deposition
- Case study of a river catchment
- Fieldwork
GCSE
- Characteristics of ecosystems
- Biodiversity: flora and fauna adaptations
- Balance and interrelationships of biomes
- Water and carbon cycles
- Features of drylands and deserts
- Physical processes affecting land formation
- Erosion, transportation and deposition
- Fluvial landforms
- Fieldwork - investigating physical environments
- Characteristics of plate boundaries
- Effects of tectonic hazards
Key Stage 3
- Geological timescales and plate tectonics
- Rocks, weathering and soils
- Hydrology and coasts
Educational activities and visits
Alcatraz Cruises
Alcatraz and history go hand in hand. Once home to some of America's most notorious criminals, the federal penitentiary that… Read More
California Academy of Science
The California Academy of Sciences, located in Golden Gate Park San Francisco, contains an Aquarium, the world’s deepest Philippine Coral… Read More
Golden Gate Bridge
The best way to see and enjoy the bridge is to drive to either side, park your vehicle and then… Read More
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is the most famous natural attraction in the USA. It is one of the best examples of… Read More
NatureBridge Yosemite
NatureBridge Yosemite gives your students the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature, among the stunning surroundings of Yosemite National Park… Read More
Accommodation
Camp Curry was founded in 1899 by David and Jennie Curry, two schoolteachers from Indiana. "Ma" and "Pa" Curry are no longer around to welcome guests, yet the legacy of hospitality remains 100 years later.The cabins in Boystown are heated tent cabins. Each cabin has 2 single beds and 1 double bed. The cabins are heated by a propane heater and have wooden floors, frames and walls and ceilings of heavy-duty, waterproof canvas. Each of these cabins are equipped with a light and an electrical outlet.Meals are served in the Curry Village Dining Pavilion.
The San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel is the most popular budget option in the city. Housed in historic buildings in a National Park setting with views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, this is an ideal choice for travellers who prefer green grass and birdsong to the frenetic pace of urban life.
The San Francisco Downtown Hostel offers a five-star location at rock-bottom price. Stay in the heart of San Francisco's tourist district, one block from Union Square, in a vibrant neighborhood filled with restaurants, theaters, and art galleries.
The spacious rooms at La Quinta Convention Centre include a continental breakfast each morning. In addition to breakfast; the hotel has room service available from Cabana Grill; located on the sundeck in the beautiful pool area. All 251 rooms offer free high-speed internet access, cable television, coffee maker, hair dryer, iron with ironing board and an alarm clock.
Supporting you every step of the way
1 Creating Your Perfect Trip
We'll tailor make your school trip to meet your specific requirements
2 Launching your trip to parents and students
Head to our resources section for FREE promotional materials
3 After you've booked
Your dedicated Itinerary Coordinator will work with you on the finer details of your trip
4 While you're away
You'll be able to reach us 24/7 during your trip if you need our help
5 After your trip
Head back to our resources section to continue the learning
Need help?
Zoe Campbell — Learning & Development Manager
Don’t hesitate to contact me for any advice or further information on how your school trip can be tailored to your requirements.
Halsbury has thankfully catered this trip to us according to our requirements with an affordable cost and Covid guarantees.— Bolton Muslim Girls' School
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