Osoyoos, BC

Osoyoos is a desert town located in the southern part of the Okanagan. Grasslands, micro deserts, highlands, and mountains surround it. The Osoyoos lake supplements to the beauty of the town and make it a perfect destination for summer camping. The summer month offers hot, dry, and many sunny days as compared to the BC coast.

The road trip is a perfect weekend or long weekend getaway for residents of the BC Coasts. The road trip takes you through Fraser Valley, Manning Park, and many small towns full of Wineries and orchids.

How to get there

Take Hwy 1 East and continue driving through Fraser Valley till you get the signs for Hwy 3 East (the merger for Hwy 3 E is in hope). Hwy 3 is a beautiful drive through the Alison pass into Manning Provincial Park area, and then through small towns with many wineries. Hwy 3 E will take you to Osoyoos, BC. The trip is about 400 km from Vancouver.

Highlights

Nk’mip Desert & Heritage Centre: It is a self-guided, interpretive centre that holds both indoor and outdoor cultural and nature exhibits. The centre provides an opportunity to discover the stories, people, art and history of first nations, and the endangered desert ecology. Plan your day to take a walk through the desert while exploring the ecosystem of the rattlesnakes.

Drive to Mt. Kobau for spectacular panoramic views of the Okanagan Valley, Osoyoos Lake, and the Similkameen Valley. Please read our other blog post, “Mount Kobau.”

Visit Wineries along your trip and enjoy the Wine Tasting experience.

Enjoy the Lake: The Osoyoos Lake has a warm temperature, so be prepared for water activities and take a dip in the lake.

Camping by the lake: There are very lovely campgrounds by Osoyoos Lake. We camped at Nk’mip Campgrounds located right by the lake. If you could reserve in advance, the Haynes Point campground is also an interesting camping area.