Revelstoke Holidays

Best time to visit Revelstoke in British Columbia

With four distinct seasons, you can expect a completely different mountain experience on your Revelstoke holidays, depending on when you choose to visit.

In summer (July to August), warm temperatures open up the high-alpine terrain for hiking through fields of wildflowers. Visitors can also ride the thrilling Pipe Mountain Coaster, conquer the extensive mountain biking networks or try white-water rafting. The daily highs can reach up to 27°C.

Autumn (September to October) brings crisp, peaceful days perfect for hiking among golden larch trees and exploring uncrowded trails, though many high-alpine attractions close by late September.

Winter (December to March) is the town’s peak season, drawing skiers and snowboarders from around the globe to tackle North America's greatest vertical descent and an average of 10.5 metres of legendary powder. The coldest month to visit Revelstoke is January (-3°C/-8°C).

In Spring (April to May), visitors can enjoy sunny spring skiing on the upper mountain until mid-April, while the warming valley floor below welcomes early-season hikers with brilliant opportunities for dramatic waterfall viewing fuelled by the melting winter snow.

Highlights of Revelstoke

• Summer outdoor playground – With Mount Revelstoke National Park on its doorsteps, visitors are spoiled with options for hiking and white-water rafting. The park also features a paved road almost to the very summit of the mountain, allowing easy vehicle access to beautiful wildflower meadows and trail heads. Back at the resort, there are many family-friendly attractions, including a scenic gondola, suspended bridge and electrifying mountain roller coaster. Thrill-seekers can try high-octane activities, such as mountain biking on naturally “sendy” terrain and tandem paragliding. Hike, bike or drive, Revelstoke holidays have something for everyone.
• Rich railway heritage - Long before it was a mountain resort town, Revelstoke was famous as a vital, booming piece of Canada's transportation history. It sits near Rogers Pass, the treacherous mountain crossing used to complete the historic Canadian Pacific Railway.
• World-class ski resort – When the snow falls, Revelstoke turns into a winter wonderland for skiers, snowboarders and freeriders. It boosts on average 10.5 metres of powder snow and offers downhill, heli- and cat-skiing, along with snowmobiling. Almost half of the skiable terrain is rated for advanced and expert skiers. 12% of the remaining terrain is marked as green, and 43% is suitable for confident intermediate skiers.

Things to do in Revelstoke

Revelstoke holidays are filled with great outdoor adventures for nature lovers. Some of the amazing things to do while visiting the resort include:

• Pipe Mountain Coaster - rated as Revelstoke’s top summer attraction, the mountain coaster features two single-rail tracks twisting and turning through forested ski hills and tunnels, and reaching a top speed of 42 km/h.
• Revelstoke Skywalk – an impressive suspension bridge, a viewing platform and a cliffside hiking trail, revealing the most incredible views of Mt. Begbie.
• The Meadows in the Sky Parkway - a scenic, paved mountain road in Mount Revelstoke National Park, winding through old-growth forests and providing a direct vehicle access to vibrant, summer wildflower meadows.
• White-water rafting – guided rafting tours on the rapids of Illecillewaet River (Class I to Class III).
• Mountain biking – from downhill mountain biking to cross-country biking and bike hiking, Revelstoke is a mecca for off-road riders and thrill-seekers alike.
• Hiking - with such an expansive alpine terrain and Mount Revelstoke National Park on its doorstep, Revelstoke boasts a vast network of hiking trails ranging from easy inland rainforest walks to challenging expert-only high-alpine treks.
• Winter sports – depending on skill level and personal preference, visitors can enjoy downhill skiing or snowboarding, take exhilarating snowmobiling tours, try cat- or heli-skiing or test their endurance on guided backcountry touring adventures.

Revelstoke holiday ideas

In the summer, Revelstoke is best experienced on a self-drive journey between the Canadian Rockies and the Pacific Coast. The wide range of activities on offer make it ideal for couples and families alike. Planning a stay of at least two nights at Revelstoke is essential, giving you one full, unhurried day to experience the famous mountain coaster, explore the subalpine wildflower meadows, and soak in the historic downtown charm before continuing your road trip through Western Canada.

In winter, ditch the car and take a transfer from Kelowna International Airport. Although famous for its extreme winter terrain, the Revelstoke Mountain resort offers ski runs for all experience levels, including the longest green run in North America.

Revelstoke holiday packages booked with Canadian Affair are ATOL protected and our UK-based Canada Travel Experts are on hand to tailor your dream trip, with international flights, car or RV rental and accommodation all included in the package.

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Revelstoke ski holidays

Skiing in Revelstoke started shortly after the first non-indigenous settlers set foot on this phenomenal alpine terrain back in the 1890s. Several ski jumping world records were set here, including the 240-feet jump by the pioneer Nels Nelsen in 1925. Fast-forward to today, Revelstoke is dubbed as the “heli-skiing capital of the world”, the “Capital of Canada’s Alps”, the only resort in the world offering lift, cat- and heli-skiing from a single village base and the resort with the longest vertical drop in North America reaching 1,713 metres (5,620 feet).

It boasts 3,121 acres of skiable terrain with an average of 10.5 metres of snowfall per year. With almost half of its ski runs marked as diamond blacks and double diamond blacks, it is a mecca for advanced and expert skiers from around the world. Beginners can still learn to ski at the resort within the dedicated beginner-friendly zones. The remaining skiable terrain of roughly 43% is best suited for confident intermediate skiers. Beyond traditional downhill skiing and snowboarding, a winter holiday to Revelstoke also offers an array of additional winter activities, including snowmobiling, cat- and heli-skiing, Nordic skiing and snowshoeing.

Explore Revelstoke ski holidays

How to get to Revelstoke from the UK?

The closest airport to Revelstoke is Kelowna International Airport (YLW). The mountain town sits about 186km northeast of Kelowna, and you can either rent a car in Canada for your onward journey or take a shuttle from the airport. The driving time is about 2.5 hours.

Many travellers prefer flying to Calgary or Vancouver and stopping for few days at Revelstoke as part of a wider fly drive itinerary in Western Canada. It is a spectacular scenic road trip experience in the summer, as the town sits directly on the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), roughly halfway between Calgary and Vancouver. Driving from the east, you will wind through the breath-taking peaks of Banff and Yoho National Parks, while the drive from the west will take you through the lush Okanagan Valley or the dramatic mountain passes of the Monashees. Whichever route you choose, there are amazing places in Canada you can see along the way, and our Canada Travel Experts can help you plan your dream holiday to Revelstoke.

For those visiting for the incredible skiing in winter, the town is easily accessible via scheduled shuttle and private transfer services operating from Kelowna International Airport.