Itinerary

Arrive at Vancouver International Airport and use the hotel’s airport shuttle for the short journey to your accommodation. After checking in, the remainder of the day is free to rest after your flight or begin exploring locally. If time allows, browse Richmond’s Asian shopping centres and food courts, where bakeries, noodle shops and restaurants reflect the city’s diverse culinary scene. Asian cuisine is especially prominent here thanks to Richmond’s large Asian communities, whose culinary traditions have become an integral part of the city’s multicultural identity.

Today, set out on a whale watching excursion. Cruise through the Gulf Islands with a professional wildlife guide, keeping watch for graceful orcas and majestic humpback whales, and other marine life while learning about the region’s rich coastal ecosystem. Warm, windproof layers are recommended, along with a snack or packed lunch for the journey.

Spend the remainder of the day discovering Richmond at your own pace. Explore historic Steveston Village and its lively waterfront, where you can visit the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site and Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site to discover the boatyards and residences that reflect the Fraser River’s thriving fishing and boat-building industries. If you want to get out into nature, follow the West Dyke Trail on foot or by bicycle, or visit Iona Beach Regional Park for coastal views and excellent birdwatching.

Take time for one last wander around Richmond this morning before setting off for your next destination. Collect your rental car and travel east towards Revelstoke. Although the journey can take between six and seven hours, we recommend allowing the whole day so you can pause in pleasant towns and communities along the way, such as Merritt, a welcoming town surrounded by rolling grasslands and known for its country music heritage, before continuing into mountain country. Arrive in Revelstoke and check into your mountain resort accommodation. Settle in, enjoy the surrounding views and spend a relaxed evening preparing for two full days in this lively outdoor destination. You may wish to round off the day with a visit to one of Revelstoke’s craft breweries, a great way to sample the flavours of the region.

Begin with time in downtown Revelstoke, a compact mountain community with heritage buildings, independent cafés and shops. You may wish to visit the Revelstoke Museum & Archives or the Revelstoke Railway Museum to learn about the railway’s importance to the town and the wider region. For those looking to explore further, you might decide to take a guided walk in Mount Revelstoke National Park, which offers the chance to discover forested trails and scenic viewpoints showcasing the scale of the Columbia Mountains. Choose activities to suit the season and your preferred pace, then return to the resort for a relaxed evening beneath the surrounding peaks.

Today is free to shape around your interests. You might decide to ride the Revelstoke Mountain Resort Gondola for sweeping views, have an adrenaline rush on the Pipe Mountain Coaster, or venture further afield for a guided walk in Glacier National Park. For a truly memorable perspective, consider a scenic helicopter tour or high-alpine adventure, flying over dramatic icefields, peaks and valleys. More adventurous options include whitewater rafting, mountain biking and hiking, while those seeking a slower pace can browse the town centre, stroll beside the Columbia River or relax in nearby hot springs. As evening falls, Revelstoke’s vibrant food scene offers plenty of ways to round off the day, from cosy cafés and craft breweries to locally inspired restaurants showcasing regional flavours.

Leave Revelstoke this morning and travel west towards Sun Peaks, passing lakes, forests and mountain communities as the scenery gradually changes. Break the drive with a stop around Shuswap Lake or Salmon Arm, where the waterfront provides a pleasant place to stretch your legs. Continue to Sun Peaks and check into your hotel in the pedestrian-friendly resort village. Spend the remainder of the day becoming familiar with the village, enjoying the mountain outlook and choosing a local restaurant for dinner.

Join a two-hour guided alpine nature hike at Sun Peaks. After collecting your ticket and meeting your guide, use the chairlift to reach higher terrain, where panoramic views, seasonal wildflowers and traces of the area’s past give the walk both natural and historical interest. Your guide will adapt the experience to the conditions and help bring the mountain environment into focus. Full-day chairlift access is included, so after the guided walk you can continue exploring independently or return to the village for a restful afternoon.

Enjoy a full day at leisure in Sun Peaks.

Active travellers can discover more of Sun Peaks on the 108km of bike trails in the Park and along the valley, perfect for any ability level, or play a round at Sun Peaks Golf Course, where the high-elevation fairways offer wide mountain views. For time on the water, drive to nearby Heffley Lake to explore by kayak, canoe or stand-up paddleboard. Those seeking a slower pace can browse the village, relax on a terrace or visit its cafés and shops. Spend the day exploring at your own pace after yesterday’s guided hike, with plenty of time to enjoy the resort and its surroundings.

Leave Sun Peaks and drive south to Kamloops, where forested mountains give way to rolling grasslands, sagebrush-covered hills, dramatic river valleys and striking sandstone formations. Set at the meeting point of the North and South Thompson Rivers, Kamloops introduces a distinctly different landscape from the alpine scenery of the previous days. After checking into your centrally located hotel, discover the city’s creative side on the self-guided Downtown Back Alley Art Gallery, where colourful murals transform unexpected laneways into an outdoor gallery. Later, venture beyond the city centre to one of the area’s hoodoo viewing locations, where unusual geological formations and sweeping viewpoints showcase the region’s vast, open landscape. In the evening, choose from the city’s many independent restaurants, where local ingredients and products from surrounding farms, ranches and producers regularly feature on menus.

Begin at BC Wildlife Park, a non-profit wildlife park and rehabilitation centre dedicated to conservation and education. Many of the native animals in its care have been rescued, orphaned or are unable to survive independently in the wild. Learn about its rehabilitation work, including the Fawcett Family Wildlife Health Centre, where injured and orphaned wildlife are treated with the aim of returning suitable animals to their natural habitats.

Continue to the Secwépemc Museum & Heritage Park to learn about Secwépemc history, culture and enduring connection to the land. Later, head into the surrounding countryside to visit one of the region’s wineries. Sample locally produced wines while discovering how Kamloops’ warm, dry climate and distinctive landscape influence local wine production, before returning to the city for dinner.

Spend your final full day exploring the landscapes that make Kamloops a renowned outdoor recreation destination. Join a local guide for a hike through grasslands, sagebrush hills and pine forests, learning about the wildlife, vegetation and history of this distinctive semi-arid environment along the way. Golfers can play a round at one of the many championship golf courses in and around Kamloops, while those looking for more adventure can experience the city’s celebrated mountain biking scene with a guided ride, lesson or bike rental. Finish your final day over dinner at one of Kamloops’ many locally owned restaurants, where menus often feature ingredients and products from surrounding farms, ranches and local suppliers.

Leave Kamloops and drive west to Vancouver International Airport, a journey of approximately four hours without stops. As you head back towards the coast, take time once more to enjoy British Columbia’s changing scenery, from the dry grasslands, sagebrush hills and open valleys around Kamloops to mountain passes, forested valleys and the increasingly urban landscapes approaching Richmond and Vancouver. Allow generous time for rest stops, traffic and the return of your rental vehicle before continuing to the terminal for your onward flight, bringing your Rainforest to Rockies journey through British Columbia to a close.