Tour 11A: Okanagan Winery Tour (2 Days, 1 Night)

From Spirit Ridge Vineyard Resort and Spa in the south to Recline Ridge Winery in the North, the Okanagan Valley and environs there are over forty wineries, each with their own special reason to visit.

We are justifiably proud of our wines in British Columbia and the Okanagan in particular, with many of them winning awards worldwide. According to the BC Wine Institute our wineries are "small, young, intimate, hands on and unique".

While wine is now the best-known agricultural product from the valley, over the years, the Okanagan has been one of the most prolific fruit orchard regions of the world. Peaches, pears, plums, apricots, cherries and of course, apples are still grown in great quantities.

Departing early in the morning, we’ll head out of Vancouver along the Trans-Canada Highway and the Coquihalla Highway to our first winery, Quails’ Gate. Enjoy lunch and a wine tasting at the winery, before we head south towards Penticton and the Sumac Ridge Winery in Summerland.

Once we’ve stopped in to the Penticton Lakeside Resort and Casino, we’ll carry on to Naramata to visit a couple of excellent wineries, Red Rooster, and Kettle Valley wineries, both well known for their reds and whites.

Returning to the Penticton Lakeside Resort and Casino, you have the evening free to explore the nearby city centre, take a swim in the refreshing waters of Okanagan Lake, an 110km (70 mile) lake that ends at the sandy beach at foot of the hotel, or even try your hand with Lady Luck in the casino.

The next day, we’ll leave mid-morning to return to Vancouver, stopping at the best winery enroute, The Nk’Mip Cellars. We’ll drop in for a wine tasting and lunch, before returning along the beautiful Hope-Princeton Highway, passing through the little-advertised Manning Provincial Park before arriving into the Vancouver area in the late afternoon.