Churchill Autumn: Polar Bears, Whales & the Aurora

Our Churchill adventure begins in the vibrant city of Winnipeg on the eastern edge of the vast Canadian prairie. Once an important Hudson's Bay Company fur-trading post where the Assiniboine and Red rivers meet, and later a boomtown for the Canadian Pacific Railway, today Winnipeg is Manitoba’s cultural, commercial and provincial capital. Transfer on arrival to the historic Fort Garry Hotel, grande dame of Winnipeg hospitality and one of the city’s most prestigious landmarks. The French chateau-style hotel was built in 1913 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway to provide luxury accommodations for upper-class train travelers as part of an effort to lure them to the Canadian West. Meet your Expedition Leader at a welcome dinner at our hotel this evening.

Fly north this morning by private chartered plane to Churchill, a remote community inaccessible by road and the gateway to Manitoba's Arctic. We transfer to our simple hotel in town to spend the next three nights, our base for exploring this frontier outpost that grew up when the rail line was built to Hudson Bay in 1929, facilitating the transport of grain from the prairies to a new port facility. Striking murals cover many of the town buildings, part of the SeaWalls project to expand education about the world's oceans. The Itsanitaq Museum, showcasing the region's Indigenous cultures with artifacts collected from centuries of habitation, is a highlight of our tour. We also meet with local residents to gain insight into their cultural traditions and northern lifestyles. These captivating storytellers share tales from their personal histories, offering a window into the enduring cultures that have flourished in this daunting environment for thousands of years.

Our Expedition Leader offers an introduction to the natural history of the region as we explore the tundra, boreal forest and seacoast of Hudson Bay. These three ecosystems merge around Churchill, and the juncture is called an ecotone—the nexus of different ecologically and geographically defined areas. In such a dynamic environment, varied wildlife flourishes, and we go in search of it over the next several days. Polar bears roam the area, waiting patiently for temperatures to drop and the ice to form on the bay, ushering in their winter seal-hunting season—but it won't happen for weeks yet. At this time of year, it is not uncommon to find mothers with cubs roving about. Search for other wildlife, too: Arctic and red fox, ptarmigan and caribou. By late August, the tundra is a vibrant array of rich autumn color—red, burgundy, rust, orange and yellow.

Belugas are arguably as charismatic as polar bears, and several thousand of these small white whales migrate to the mouth of the Churchill River each summer, congregating where the river meets the bay. On multiple Zodiac excursions we observe these gentle cetaceans at thrilling close range, and the inquisitive whales follow in our wakes, seemingly as curious about us as we are about them. Through the use of a hydrophone, we can also listen to their otherworldly songs.

We'll also take a hike in the Churchill area to explore the flora and fauna further and head out to Cape Merry, where we view the exterior of Prince of Wales Fort, an important 18th-century Hudson Bay Company trading bastion. Built in 1717, its ruins occupy an area first scouted by Danish explorer Jens Munk in 1619 on his quest for the Northwest Passage.

One day during our time in Churchill, we'll board a custom Polar Rover and head onto the tundra on an Arctic wildlife safari. We'll hope to spy polar bears, as well as other tundra animals that may include Arctic fox, Arctic hare and ptarmigan. This specialized vehicle is purpose-built for polar bear viewing, with large plate glass windows and an outdoor rear viewing deck with a grated mesh floor. Though these giant vehicles with oversized tundra tires can accommodate more than 30 passengers, we take a maximum of 16, ensuring that everyone has a window seat and plenty of space to move about and angle for photos. Our Expedition Leader interprets all we observe, explaining wildlife behavior and how these hardy species thrive in such a harsh environment.

Then, we get an entirely different view of the tundra on a thrilling helicopter flight, looking down on the vast expanse of subarctic wilderness below. Surveying the autumn vegetation from the air, we may spot roaming polar bears and caribou as we trace the coast of Hudson Bay, looking as far as the eye can see at the dark boreal forest sprawling off to the horizon. The helicopter descends for a landing, and we disembark to explore the tundra on foot, keeping an eye out for Arctic fox and Arctic hare as we stop to examine an unoccupied polar bear den.

At this transitional time of year, when the sun sets earlier and dark night skies return, there's a possibility we could see the northern lights if conditions are just right. Churchill lies directly beneath the auroral oval, one of the best places on Earth to view the aurora borealis when it is visible. That's why we've included a two-night stay at White Whale Lodge on the tundra outside town, far from any spillover of artificial light. Today we head to this new location where it's possible to view the aurora, when it's visible, all night long. We also make a visit to Nat Hab's Boreal Lounge, a new two-story aurora-viewing site with a heated interior, huge windows and an arched glass top offering a totally uninterrupted view on the night sky.

Our chartered flight back to Winnipeg leaves this afternoon, allowing plenty of time to do more in Churchill today. Meet a local musher and his lively team of sled dogs, learn about this historic mode of northern transportation, and ride in a wheeled cart pulled by the avid huskies. Pick up some last-minute gifts or souvenirs on the town's main street, where several shops sell locally made handicrafts from leather and beadwork to caribou fur sculptures. Eventually, it's time to head to the airport for our chartered flight back to Winnipeg. Transfer to the Fort Garry Hotel, where we gather for a farewell dinner this evening.

After breakfast, a transfer to the airport is provided to meet homeward flights.

Please Note: This itinerary is meant to be a sample only. The actual order of accommodations, locations and activities will vary by departure, although all inclusions will be the same.