STORY IDEAS FOR TOURISM KAMLOOPS
Winter Wonderland
With an average annual valley snowfall of 90 cm (about 3 ft), winter brings on a smile in Kamloops. In our nearby mountains you’ll find heaps of snow! There are groomed Nordic ski trails criss-crossing the area and hills galore filled with groomed trails from novice slopes to radical mountain riding to thrill snowmobilers. There’s hut-to-hut back country skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding as well.
Summer Adventures
With more than 2,000 hours of sunshine, and a landscape featuring forest, the North and South Thompson Rivers, lakes and mountains, summer is filled with adventure. Enjoy mountain biking, river rafting, fishing, gold panning, hiking, boating, golfing, kayaking or horseback riding — the list is endless and the magnificent setting is thrown in for free.
Golf
The Kamloops golf season kicks off in late March and continues through mid October. A diverse geographical landscape, and a variety of courses within minutes of town, makes Kamloops one of Canada’s finest golf destinations. Five championship courses including a links course, several executive-length courses and natural and attractive landscapes create great opportunities for fun and challenging golf. Today, two new courses are being built and Kamloops has 13 golf courses in total. The newest trend of residential development on golf courses has taken the Kamloops area by surprise. In Kamloops, you can have your cake and eat it too.
Mountain Biking
Hoodoos, rugged canyons, logging roads, singletrack ridges, spectacular steeps, sliders, ramps and big air, plus the new Kamloops Bike Ranch — it’s here and makes for some of the best riding in Canada. There are trails for beginners, intermediate and expert riders. Bikers can spend a summer here and never set a wheel in the same place twice.
Cowboys and First Nations people
For all your “down to earth” country lovers, Kamloops has an annual Cowboy Festival boasting cowboy tales and poetry, lively music, can-can dancing, two stepping, line dancing, roping lessons, cowboy church at the Calvary Temple and cowboy art. This early spring 3-day event lassos more and more guests every year.
The Secwepemc Museum & Heritage Park features a 5.3 ha (12 ac) Native Heritage Park on the banks of the South Thompson River. Along more than 1 km (0.6 mi) of trails you’ll encounter a reconstructed summer village, the archaeological remains of a 2,000-year-old Shuswap winter village and the Secwepemc Ethnobotanical Gardens of herbs and foods traditionally used by the local indigenous people.
Kamloopa Pow Wow
Every year at the end of July the annual Kamloopa Powwow is hosted by the local Secwepemc Indian band. More than 15,000 people are expected to view over 1,300 performers and competitors and to celebrate the heritage of the First Nation’s people over the 3 days. Native costume and dance are featured along with arts and crafts.
BC Wildlife Park
British Columbia has more species diversity than any other province and Kamloops is home to over half of the country’s endangered species. Just 15 kilometres outside Kamloops' city limits, the British Columbia Wildlife Park, a non-profit city funded organization, is quietly contributing to a revolution in wildlife viewing. Animals in the park are either “resident”, meaning they are unable to habituate in the wild again, or “visitors”, who may have been brought in due to illness or injury. Wildlife restoration has major emphasis here. Animal care staff closely mimics the patients’ natural habitat and, where possible, reintroduces them to the wild after they have been rehabilitated.
Sunmore Ginseng Spa & Teahouse / Sunmore Factory
The Kamloops area has been growing ginseng for the past 20 years, and the Sunmore Ginseng Factory has been processing it locally for the last 5 years. The Sunmore Ginseng World Class Spa offers ginseng-infused spa treatments as well as a variety of other treatments. North America’s only ginseng spa contains four themed rooms — Wood, Water, Wind, and Fire — each room encompassing the three “R’s”— relax, rejuvenate and revitalize. The principles of Feng Shui underlie the Spa’s architecture, as each room is decorated harmoniously. After treatment, guests can participate in a traditional tea ceremony and explore an extensive menu of teas in the tearoom.
Kamloops Heritage Railway
Steam back into history with the Kamloops Heritage Railway and hear the actual 2141 whistle — but be careful: word has it that Billy Miner and his gang are on the lookout. The Heritage Railway Society offers the Spirit of Kamloops, the Ghost Train, and the Spirit of Christmas as short 1 hour trips in town. The Armstrong Explorer is a world class full day excursion that travels through beautiful scenery with bridges, tunnel, lakes, small communities, farms and ranches.
Art, music, fine dining and boutique shopping. The Kamloops Art Gallery holds the largest permanent art collection in the interior with over 1,700 pieces, often showcasing the work of rising artists. Regional relevance is the key to the Kamloops Art Gallery Program, and art that reflects the history, character, and diverse culture of the region is emphasized. Enjoy a night with the Kamloops Symphony or Western CanadaTheatre, enjoy a picnic and live music at Riverside Park, or take advantage of the international film festival in the spring.