National Geographic Logo - Home
    Sponsored by Travel Manitoba
    • Travel
    • Article

    Great Escapes: Manitoba

    Nature hits all high notes in this Canadian sub-Arctic realm, a land of polar bears, belugas, and the brightest of northern lights.

    The sun sets over a frozen lake on the arctic tundra in November near Churchill, Manitoba.
    Photograph by Andreas Gebhard, Getty Images
    ByKristen Pope
    • 5 min read
    This content is brought to you by our sponsor.

    Churchill calls itself the “polar bear capital of the world.” A gateway to the Arctic, this tiny town 600 miles north of Winnipeg, Manitoba’s capital, sits on the remote western shore of Canada’s Hudson Bay. An adventure destination where tundra, boreal forest, and Hudson Bay waters meet, the area has long been a traditional hunting area for indigenous peoples (the cozy Itsanitaq Museum, formerly the Eskimo Museum, honors their heritage). Today Churchill attracts visitors from around the world with its wildlife-watching and aurora-viewing opportunities.

    In 1979, Churchill resident Len Smith created the first Tundra Buggy to help visitors get closer to polar bear habitats. Shortly after, a National Geographic crew joined him and in the following years, a story and video footage from the region prompted wildlife enthusiasts to make tracks to view bears and belugas. Summer, fall, and winter are the seasons to visit. Book your flights early, as Churchill currently is accessible only by plane.

    Underwater View of Beluga Whales, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

    Young beluga whale calves swim with their mother near the mouth of the Churchill River in Manitoba.

    Photograph by Paul Souders, Getty Images
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Summer
    BELUGA WHALES

    Nearly 60,000 beluga whales inhabit the western reaches of Hudson Bay. Each summer, thousands head into the mouth of the Churchill River in search of warmer waters to birth and raise calves and feast on capelin and other fish. Highly sociable and curious cetaceans, belugas are called canaries of the sea for their bird-like calls.

    Boat tours bring visitors to waters often frequented by belugas. Many boats have hydrophones so passengers can listen to the whales underwater. For up-close looks, adventurous visitors can kayak, paddleboard, or snorkel. Fun fact: Unlike most whales, belugas don’t have fused neck vertebrae, so they can turn their heads to look back at you!

    Polar bear mother (Ursus maritimus) huddles with her two cubs in Wapusk National Park, Manitoba, Canada.
    Photograph by Andre Anita, Getty Images
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

    Fall
    POLAR BEARS

    One of the best ways to spot Ursus maritimus—the polar bear—is on a tundra vehicle tour, both in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area and beyond. The rugged vehicles transport visitors into this realm of the ice bear, to watch males spar, cubs play, and mothers snooze.

    Helicopter tours provide a birds’-eye view of the spectacular landscape of snow, ice, water, and rock, along with plenty of polar bear sightings. Normally it’s ill-advised to walk among the bears, but Churchill Wild offers hiking tours at remote eco-lodges to safely see them by foot. Come fall, bears begin to gather along Hudson Bay waiting for ice to form so they can hunt seals—a prime time for visitors to see these magnificent animals.

    Aurora borealis—from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada—looks north toward a curtain with pink upper coloration from low-energy electrons exciting oxygen in the high atmosphere.
    Photograph by Alan Dyer, Stocktrek Images | Nat Geo Image Collection
    Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.
    • Nat Geo Expeditions
    Book your next trip with Peace of Mind
    Search Trips

    Winter
    NORTHERN LIGHTS

    Churchill is one of the best places on Earth to witness the aurora borealis, which shimmers into curtains of light here some 300 nights a year. February and March, with their dark and clear evening skies, offer ideal viewing conditions. Green lights are the most common; red and blue are more elusive.

    Temperatures this far north typically are frigid mid-winter, but aurora watchers waiting for the polar spectacle to fan out over the heavens stay warm in tent-size Aurora Domes, a wheeled Aurora Pod, and even an Aurora Lounge. Photography tours offer visitors guidance on capturing images of this fleeting phenomenon with tips on how to optimize camera settings.



    Read This Next

    Tree-planting projects abound. Which should you support?
    • Environment
    • Planet Possible

    Tree-planting projects abound. Which should you support?

    So you want to contribute to a mass tree planting campaign to combat climate change. Where can your money do the most good?
    A revolutionary team of climbers makes history on Everest
    • Adventure

    A revolutionary team of climbers makes history on Everest

    By successfully summiting the world’s tallest mountain, a group of Black and Nepali climbers makes mountaineering more inclusive.
    Secret tunnel reveals procession of ancient gods
    • History & Culture

    Secret tunnel reveals procession of ancient gods

    Assyrian deities of thunder and the moon were revealed by archaeologists in an underground chamber originally discovered by looters.
    Mining is a polluting business. Can new tech make it cleaner?
    • Environment
    • Planet Possible

    Mining is a polluting business. Can new tech make it cleaner?

    Mining will always have environmental impacts, but new approaches could help reduce them as the world digs up more metals for renewable energy.

    Legal

    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your California Privacy Rights
    • Children's Online Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    • About Nielsen Measurement
    • Do Not Sell My Info

    Our Sites

    • Nat Geo Home
    • Attend a Live Event
    • Book a Trip
    • Buy Maps
    • Inspire Your Kids
    • Shop Nat Geo
    • Visit the D.C. Museum
    • Watch TV
    • Learn About Our Impact
    • Support our Mission
    • Nat Geo Partners
    • Masthead
    • Press Room
    • Advertise With Us

    Join Us

    • Subscribe
    • Customer Service
    • Renew Subscription
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Work at Nat Geo
    • Sign up for Our Newsletters
    • Contribute to Protect the Planet
    • Pitch a Story

    Follow us


    National Geographic Logo - Home

    Copyright © 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright © 2015-2022 National Geographic Partners, LLC. All rights reserved