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British Columbia, Canada
Photo: Jack Borno, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Thompson-Okanagan is a region in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada. It encompasses wineries and fun-in-the-sun Okanagan Valley, summer boating adventures on Shuswap Lake in the east and the pretty Thompson River valley to the north.
The Okanagan Valley is a popular vacation destination and fast-growing region centred on the 155-km-long Okanagan Lake. The lakes provide many beaches and boating opportunities, while the mountains offer hiking in the summer and skiing and snowboarding in the winter. The hot dry summers are ideal for grapes and the valley has emerged as one of Canada's leading wine producing regions. Kelowna, Penticton and Vernon are the main centers and provide a good base to explore the valley's trails, wineries and beaches.
The meeting point of three mountain ranges with splendid scenery and outdoor activities like hiking and rafting. To the south is the North Thompson Valley and the headwaters of the Thompson River. It is a land of many lakes and waterfalls, protected within Wells Gray Provincial Park. Northwards is the Robson Valley where the majestic Mount Robson, highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, watches over the beginnings of the Fraser River. Mount Robson Provincial Park has hiking and camping, and there are spots nearby to see salmon spawn in August. The nearby villages provide services and accommodation options but the main attractions are the parks.
The Fraser Canyon and Lillooet Country to the west has dramatic scenery with rafting, near ghost towns and opportunities to learn about the early gold rushes. Eastwards is the more wide open spaces of the Nicola Valley and Kamloops area. Kamloops is the main city in the region and has the largest selection of services and accommodation.
Centered on Shuswap Lake, the region is the epitome of cottage country. The communities here are small and the tourism infrastructure less developed — don’t expect luxury hotels or glitzy nightlife — it’s mostly about the great outdoors. Salmon Arm is the largest town and main service centre for the region, while nearby Sicamous is called the “Houseboat Capital of Canada”.
Nestled between the Okanagan Valley and the Lower Mainland the Similkameen Valley is an important transportation route but less touristed and developed. The main attraction is two remote mountain parks — Manning Provincial Park and Cathedral Provincial Park — with some spectacular camping and hiking. The eastern end of the valley around Keremeos is known for its roadside fruit stands filled with fresh produce from the nearby orchards and a growing number of vineyards.
By plane
The airports in Kamloops and Kelowna have connections to larger cities in western Canada like Vancouver, Prince George, Calgary and Edmonton.
By bus
By train
By bus
By public transit
BC Transit operates routes within several communities in the region, such as Clearwater, Kamloops, Kelowna, Merritt, Penticton, Salmon Arm, and Vernon.
By boat
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Kamloops · Regional · YKA
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The second largest city in British Columbia's interior and crossroads of three major highways. With grasslands, mountains, two rivers and many lakes in the vicinity, there's a wide range of things to do outdoors. Fishing, golf, hiking and mountain biking are all popular.
The life of the party in summer with water, beaches, microbreweries and wineries. The nearby mountains provide many options for outdoor activities year-round, with Myra Canyon notable for hiking and cycling and Okanagan Mountain Park providing hiking and camping. More tame options include enjoying one of the many golf courses in the area. Kelowna is the largest city in the Okanagan, the transportation hub and has the widest range of accommodation options.
A recreation center, with beaches, accommodation and boating along Lake Osoyoos. It's also wine and orchard country with 30+ vineyards and over half of the vines in British Columbia nearby. The region’s scrubland and aridness is unique within Canada (often referred to as the only true desert in Canada) and local attractions allow you to learn about and explore this ecosystem with walking and interpretive trails.
A very popular summer holiday destination and small city at the southern end of Okanagan Lake. Enjoy the water by renting a boat or seadoo, floating your way down the canal or hanging with the locals (and other visitors) at one of the beaches. Off the water, Skaha Bluffs has trails and rock climbing and the old Kettle Valley Railway — a hiking and biking trail — has some outstanding views. Penticton is also a good base to explore the South Okanagan's orchards and wineries.
The largest town in the Similkameen and home to two copper mines. There are some trails in the area (including a branch of the Kettle Valley Railway) and the center of town has a number of buildings with a frontier heritage look and colourful murals.
Lakeside town, summer vacation spot and main centre of the Shuswap. The main attraction and focus of activities is Shuswap Lake. There are houseboats to rent, fishing and a handful of beaches.
Largest community in the northern Okanagan Valley with three lakes, beaches, wineries and plenty of outdoor activities. Highlights include the many parks that offer swimming, walking and hiking trails and Predator Ridge, an acclaimed golf resort, located just southwest of town.
Ski resort and village southeast of Kelowna in the Okanagan. It lays claim to having to more ski-in ski-out accommodation than any other resort in British Columbia. Summer activities include hiking and sightseeing.
It isn't easy to get to (a steep hike in or pay for a shuttle to the lodge up top) but the reward is some stunning scenery and hiking. The alpine lakes are beautiful, the mountains dramatic and the 360° views from the mountain ridges go on and on. There are several campgrounds in the park and a lodge if you're looking for a little more comfort.
Large provincial park with year-round activities located at the western end of the valley. The valley floor has lakes, cross-country skiing and a downhill ski area. The mountains have many trails — some multi-day — and the sub-alpine meadows are known for their mid-summer wildflowers. There are a number of campgrounds accessible from the highway, as well as hike-in backcountry spots in the mountains.
Over 100 km of hiking trails and crowned by Mount Robson, the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. There are both drive-in and backcountry campsites but no lodges.
A ski resort and provincial park in the northern Okanagan Valley. The ski village is small but the brightly coloured buildings are memorable and make for easy ski-in ski-out access. Nearby Sovereign Lakes is noted for its Nordic skiing trails. Activities are year round with mountain biking and hiking in summer.
Ski resort and village northeast of Kamloops. The ski area has the second largest terrain of any resort in British Columbia. Summer activities including hiking, mountain biking and golf.
The "waterfall park" (as it's sometimes called) has over 30 named waterfalls, including Canada's fourth highest, Helmcken Falls. Beyond the waterfalls, there are fish filled lakes, miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, and alpine meadows. Over 5,000 sq km in size, you can stick to the main access road and see one or two highlights for the day, or bring a canoe or hiking boots and venture deep into the park to the campgrounds and sights less visited.
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