Churchill’s Belugas, Polar Bears & Arctic Wildlife

Through the perspective of a gratified Nat Hab traveler, get an aerial view of beluga whales swimming in the Churchill River and watch polar bears roaming the rocky shoreline of Hudson Bay.

Each summer, thousands of beluga whales migrate to the warm, shallow waters of the Churchill River in Manitoba, Canada, to feed and raise their young. Join intimate Zodiac and kayak excursions among these curious white whales, and explore tundra alive with Arctic wildlife, including polar bears.

On our Arctic summer adventure, we get the opportunity to kayak at eye-level with beluga whales in the mouth of the Churchill River. Watch the glee on this Nat Hab traveler's face as the curious marine mammals follow closely behind her kayak!

Belugas are among the Arctic’s most beloved animals, but studying them is no easy task due to the remoteness and seasonal extremes of their northern habitat. Churchill Expedition Leader Eleanor Edye explores new research on these elusive whales: what scientists are discovering about beluga communication, their matrilineal family groups, the differences between healthy and endangered populations and emerging insights into how climate change may affect their future. Eleanor also highlights other Arctic species and their relationships to belugas, including narwhals, orcas, capelin fish (a vital food source for belugas) and polar bears.

In honor of International Polar Bear Day, Expedition Leader Kristina Disney invites you to step into the sensory world of the Arctic’s apex predator. Explore how polar bears perceive their environment through scent, sound and sight, and learn how they navigate social bonds, family ties and a rapidly changing sea-ice landscape. Find out what polar bears need to survive—and how conservation travel on our Churchill polar bear adventures can help provide it.

Beneath the ocean’s surface, marine mammals communicate in remarkably complex ways. Mexico Expedition Leader Andrea Adame explores how whales and dolphins use sound, movement and social behavior to navigate their world and interact with one another. Focusing on the gray whales of Baja, Mexico, she shares insights into their intelligence and communication, along with their curiosity around humans. Plus, find out how you can encounter these behaviors on our Great Gray Whales of Baja adventure.