Cycle Through One of Canada’s Sunniest Regions Along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail with Great Canadian Trails
Cycle through one of Canada’s sunniest regions on an awe-inspiring section of the Trans Canada Trail in the Okanagan, British Columbia. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail (KVR) is a converted railway bed originally built in the early 1900s. Surrounded by stunning mountain scenery, the rail trail’s grade is never over 2.2%, making for a pleasant cycling route. Ride alongside beautiful lakes, over the dramatic Myra Canyon Trestles, through mountain tunnels, and into the heart of one of the biggest fruit and wine-producing areas in Canada. Enjoy views of vine-covered hillsides along Okanagan Lake and endless opportunities to sample the local wines and culinary delights of Naramata, Summerland and Kelowna.
Overview | Inclusions
Duration: 5 days
Activities: 3 days self-guided cycling
Accommodation: 4 nights B&Bs/inns
Meals: 3 breakfasts, 1 lunch
What’s included
- 4-night accommodation in B&Bs/inns
- 3 breakfasts, 1 lunch
- Luggage transfer (1 piece per person, not exceeding 20 kilograms)
- Transfers to/from trailheads as indicated in itinerary
- Hybrid bike rental, including rear rack, bottle cage, bike lock, repair kit and helmet
- Detailed route notes and maps (one set per two hikers)
- Navigation app including detailed route routes and points of interest
- Access to emergency hotline
- $50 donation to Trans Canada Trail
What’s not included
- Travel to Kelowna/from Penticton
- Airfare, visas, applicable taxes, travel insurance (required)
- Airport transfers
- Guide (this is a self-guided tour)
- Optional e-bike upgrade
- Personal expenses
- Meals and transfers not indicated in the itinerary
- Wine-tasting fees
- All applicable taxes
Day 1: Arrive Kelowna
Welcome to BC! Find your way to your accommodations in Kelowna – a charming B&B in the centre of town. Enjoy the rest of the day exploring the largest city in BC’s Okanagan at your leisure.
Day 2: Kelowna to Idabel Lake to Chute Lake via Myra Canyon (approx. 53 km)
After breakfast, a transfer to the start of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail via shuttle. After your bikes are fitted and a briefing, your journey begins! Today’s highlights include Hydraulic Lake and the Myra Canyon trestle bridges. This section of the Trans Canada Trail includes 18 wooden trestle bridges and two tunnels. Continue to Chute Lake, where you will spend the night. Note that Chute Lake Lodge includes rooms with shared washrooms.
Day 3 Chute Lake to Naramata wineries to Penticton (transfer + approx. 36 to 41 km)
After breakfast, set off towards the Naramata Bench along a section of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail beneath giant Ponderosa pines. If you like, stop in Naramata for a wine tasting and take in incredible views. Popular stops include Hillside Winery and Poplar Grove Winery. Continue to Penticton, where you will stop for the night. Your accommodation is within cycling distance of several wineries.
Day 4: Penticton: Summerland and its wineries (transfer + approx. 51 km)
In the morning, transfer to Summerland. Tour the southernmost wineries of Summerland’s Bottleneck Drive, then continue onto the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. Follow the trail to the south as it passes Okanagan Lake and begins to circumnavigate Skaha Lake from its western side on the way to the little community of Okanagan Falls, on the lake’s southern tip. From here, you will ride on a panoramic road on the eastern coastline of the lake back towards Penticton.
Day 5: Depart Penticton
Services end after breakfast. An optional transfer to the airport in Kelowna is available.
Great Canadian Trails: A note on self-guided adventures
Self-guided walking requires individuals to use problem-solving skills, to be adaptable and to have a keen eye. It’s recommended that individuals are comfortable reading a map and referring to route notes, while having a good sense of direction (or are willing to work on improving this!)
Sometimes route finding, losing your way, and asking the locals for help are all part of the adventure. If you’ve never been on a self-guided trip, you’ll get the hang of it after the first couple of days, as the vast majority of first-time travellers with Great Canadian Trails attest.
Written route-finding materials issued by Great Canadian Trails are updated regularly. Great Canadian Trails provides a seven-day service hotline to help solve problems and answer questions.
