An incredible combined experience of riding on the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) and cycling in Okanaga (British Columbia). This is a bike ride with a difference!
Duration
PriceAn incredible combined experience of riding on the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) and cycling in Okanaga (British Columbia). This is a bike ride with a difference!
Enjoy World-class wines and extraordinary mountain scenery with the fabulous Kettle Valley Railway through tunnels and over canyons, and the incredible Myra Canyon.
Riding the real Kettle Valley steam train; having picnics in vineyard courtyards, and cycling on trails gently downhill through tunnels, and across trestles. Your support vehicle hovers nearby in case your sampling takes precedence over bicycle touring. The landscape changes dramatically even during a short bike ride. Orchards and vineyards often give way to dry, sagebrush-covered hills; dense forest can lead to the edge of deep, sun-bleached canyons, and wildlife sightings are common. Best of all, the culinary focus on this trip makes it a particularly luxurious and enchanting escape. Bring your sense of exploration, and discover what’s been happening in the Wild West!
Day 1 of your Cycling in British Columbia experience:
Introductory ride; up to 17km
Meet in Kelowna at 15:00. Airport pickups available. Introductions and bicycle warm-up on the Mission Creek Greenway, east of Kelowna toward Gallagher’s Canyon. This is a 1 to 2 hour gentle ride, perfect for unwinding after your travel and getting accustomed to the pace of the days ahead. Dinner tonight is particularly fabulous. D (Meal inclusions provided for guided trips. Self-guided trips include breakfast only)
Manteo Resort, or Hotel Eldorado, Kelowna
Day 2
Ride in Myra Canyon ~50km
Short transfer uphill to the famous Myra Canyon, with its 18 trestles and two tunnels. This is the most spectacular part of the Kettle Valley Railway, and the highest point. Though the grade is gentle, you will ride downhill to our meeting point at Chute Lake, where swims and wholesome food await you. The riding surface is unpaved, the setting is remote, vehicle support is limited and there will be ample time to enjoy the experience – and a picnic lunch – before whizzing downhill to finish your ride at Chute Lake above the Naramata Bench – a narrow corridor of distinctive, internationally renowned, award-winning vineyards between the eastern cliffs of Lake Okanagan and the Okanagan Highland. BLD
Naramata Heritage Inn, Naramata
Day 3
Chute Lake to Naramata 33km; optional activities: hiking in Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park, kayaking on Lake Okanagan, and horseback riding.
15-minute transfer to Chute Lake. Ride downhill from Chute Lake to Naramata, to enjoy the switchbacks, tunnels, and remarkable lake vistas from the rail trail. If you choose to, the spectacular hiking on the rustic trails of Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park will take you into Wild Horse Canyon. This is rattlesnake country; we recommend you bring good hiking boots. BL
Same lodging
Day 4
Penticton, Skaha Meadows, and the vineyards of Oliver ~68km
Ride along the Naramata Bench into Penticton. From Skaha Meadows golf course, just south of Penticton, ride on a combination of the Kettle Valley Railway and Green Lake Road. The views of Skaha Lake are gorgeous, and the swimming opportunities help keep you cool. Ride through the hills past glacial lakes on Green Lake Road, and descend to Oliver where your fabulous hotel awaits you. Enjoy an afternoon stroll through the vineyards or bike with ease to other wineries in the area. BD
Burrowing Owl Winery, or Hester Creek Winery, Oliver
Day 5
Winery Cycling loop; up to 40 km; Golden Mile hiking trail; 10km
Ride the partially paved trail past 12 wineries along the winding Okanagan River, with picturesque views of vineyards and farmland as well as the only desert ecological reserve in Canada. The Golden Mile Hiking Trail provides extra distance for those not tempted to linger at the wineries. It winds along the western foothills of the valley, providing close encounters with fruit orchards and vineyards and outstanding vistas of Oliver and the surrounding mountain valley. You can also visit the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, a fascinating look at the regional diversity, including native history and current artistic wealth. B
Same lodging
Day 6 - Jump on your bikes for the last ride of your trip!
Cycle to Osoyoos; 12km afternoon options include Kettle Valley Steam Train or inner-tube float.
Optional morning ride to Osoyoos, followed by transfer to Penticton for an inner tube float, or Prairie Valley Station for a 90 minute journey back through time aboard the Kettle Valley Steam Train (KVR). Continue the transfer back to your start point in Kelowna in time for dinner. BLD
Manteo Resort, or Hotel Eldorado, Kelowna
Day 7
Farewell
Following breakfast, transfers to Kelowna airport can be arranged for you. B
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