The Kettle Valley Railway was built to solve an almost impossible problem: connecting the interior of British Columbia to the coast across three mountain ranges.

Construction began in 1912, bringing more than 2,000 workers through the tiny village of Naramata. Many lost their lives. The last passenger train ran in 1964. They left behind stone retaining walls hand-built by Italian stonemasons using a mortar-free technique that UNESCO now recognises as intangible cultural heritage.

Today, the KVR is a multi-use trail with a maximum 2.2% grade, gentle enough for cyclists, walkers and horse riders, forming part of the Trans Canada Trail.

VoiceMap's tours reveal the railway's engineering story, explain how elk imported from Alberta escaped their railcars above Naramata and simply stayed. They guide riders through the rock-blasted Little Tunnel, past stonework that has held firm for over a century without a drop of mortar.