The Okanagan Valley is almost dry enough to warrant being called a desert. After even one visit to this spectacularly diverse area, you’ll understand why superlatives are constantly used to describe it. Beloved by thousands of visitors and inhabitants alike for the unparalleled variety of its climate and landscape, the Okanagan has something for everyone: hoodoos, orchards, vineyards, mountains, valleys, lakes, highlands, ski slopes, and trails. This is truly one of the most desirable locales in British Columbia for year-round outdoor fun.
In the South Okanagan, near the Canada/United States border, you’ll find spectacular backcountry, with the remains of old mining settlements dotting the highway. After you pass through the arid Osoyoos and Oliver regions and head north up the Okanagan Valley, you will encounter orchards and vineyards, evidence of some of the best fruit- and vegetable-growing land in the world.
Visitors are inundated with a wide range of attractions to see and adventures to embark upon. Tour the Gold Canyon Highlands at nearby Rock Creek, conquer the Similkameen River in a canoe, hike the wilderness Okanagan Mountain Park near Naramata, or ski the slopes at Apex Mountain Resort near Penticton.