Cautionary advice and helpful tips when visiting Saranagati Village
No accommodations. Unfortunately, we have no guest facilities in our community. We hope to have some one day, but we don’t for now.
Nearby Hotels in Cache Creek (about 20 minutes from Saranagati):
Sandman Inn, Sunset Motel, and Sage Hills Motel
Call the Goshala (Cow Barn) before visiting: (236) 565-1199
Good things to know:
Colder winters. Hotter summers. The simple formula is Ashcroft's forecast - 4° C = Saranagati’s temperature.
Mud season is usually March and April. Dress accordingly.
Winter tires are required, according to local regulations, from Oct 1st to April 30th.
No cell reception once in the village. So, it’s time to unplug. ;)
Some things to bring:
Flashlights. There are no street lights in the village.
Bug spray. (Warmer months.) We are surrounded by nature… where lots of bugs live!
Bathing suits. (Also, warmer months.) We have a nice lake for kids to have fun in. (There is no lifeguard on duty.)
An offering. We suggest flowers for the Temple deities.
Specific Directions
Coming from Vancouver or Merritt:
(If coming from Merritt, ignore the first paragraph)
A useful pit stop:
The drive up from Vancouver is 4 hours. The city of Hope is midway and that's where the mountains start. It's a beautiful drive. Hope is a nice place to have a little pit stop. In Hope, across the street from the main gas stations, there's a little walkway by the river that might entertain the kids. Fill the gas up in Hope, since gas stations become scarce afterwards.
Turn on Venables Valley Rd S:
Spences Bridge is the last small town (more of a village) before Saranagati. About less than 15 minutes after Spences Bridge, there is a green sign saying “Venables Valley Rd S”. Right after the sign, it's the first road to your left.
Coming from Kamloops:
About 7 minutes after the Ashcroft Travel Center (Esso), there will be a rest stop to your left. A few minutes after the rest area, there will be a green sign for Venables Valley Rd N.
Better to take Venables Valley Rd S, which is a few minutes after.
Turning from Highway 1:
Venables Valley Rd S eventually becomes a dirt road that is not that wide. For your safety, while on that ride up the hill, honk when there are sharp turns where you don't see ahead. From the highway, it should take you less than 10 minutes to reach the top of the hill where there will be the big sign for Saranagati Village.