Thermal diffusivities of pure and doped yttrium aluminum garnet single crystals were measured as a function of temperature. Samples doped with rare earth ions (3 at% and 25 at% of Yb ³⁺, and 0.8 at% and 2.1 at% of V ³⁺) were investigated in the temperature range from 34 °C to 300 °C. Determination of the thermal diffusivity was based on an analysis of propagation of a thermal wave in the sample. The frequency of the thermal wave was 100 mHz. A temperature disturbance connected with the thermal wave propagating in the sample was detected using the mirage effect. The results showed that the thermal diffusivity of all investigated samples decreases with an increase of sample temperature. A drop in the thermal diffusivity is more pronounced for pure and low-doped crystals.