Beluga Encounter

Arrive in Winnipeg and transfer on your own to your hotel. Explore the vibrant Exchange District and the historic Forks area. Stroll the river promenade and the scenic Esplanade Riel Bridge. Visit Canada’s newest national museum, The Canadian Museum of Human Rights, the only national museum located outside of the nation’s capital.

After breakfast this morning, meet your transfer to the Winnipeg airport and board Calm Air for your northbound flight to Churchill. Upon arrival, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your accommodation. Sample regional cuisine this evening at one of the many local restaurants. Arctic Char, caribou or “Tundra Tea” are popular options in the north!

This summer tour to the north will introduce you to the flora, fauna and history of one of Manitoba’s most unique towns. Highlights include the migrating Beluga Whales at the mouth of the Churchill River and an interpretation of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Tours are locally guided.

Discover Churchill’s legacy on a Cultural and Historical Tour. Explore the town and visit local attractions such as Cape Merry, the Port of Churchill and the Polar Bear Compound. Later today you will join a three-hour boat tour to view the pods of Beluga Whales. These magnificent, playful creatures migrate along the coast of the Hudson Bay, and thousands may be in the mouth of the Churchill River at any one time. The boats are equipped with onboard hydrophones that magnify the vocalizations of these whales. This boat tour makes a stop for an interpretive tour at the historic Fort Prince of Wales.

This morning offers free time to visit the Parks Canada display and spend time at the Eskimo Museum, housing the world’s largest collection of Inuit artifacts dating from pre-Dorset, Dorset, Thule and modern Inuit times.

Note: The Roads and Trails Tour is not available for summer 2020. A half day Roads and Trails tour has been arranged this afternoon, allowing a rare opportunity to travel into the legendary areas outside of Churchill. You may spot Ptarmigan, Arctic Fox, Snowy Owl, and possibly even Caribou or a Polar Bear!

Optionally, we can arrange for you to take the Sloop Cove Historic and Nature Walk tour (not offered summer 2020), or a Tundra Buggy­­™ summer day tour, one of the best ways to experience the magnificent ecosystems surrounding Churchill. Tour substitutions may incur extra charges.

Enjoy a second excursion with the ‘Sea Canaries of the North’ on a two-hour zodiac tour. This gives you an up-close encounter with the friendly belugas! You will have some free time to shop for souvenirs before transferring to the airport for your return flight to Winnipeg. Overnight accommodation has been arranged at The Grand Hotel, located at the Winnipeg Airport.

Your tour concludes upon check-out this morning.

VIA Rail: Take the train one-way or in both directions for an incredible experience, travelling through a variety of landscapes all the way up to sub-Arctic tundra. The train trip takes 3 days/2 nights one-way and offers various accommodations on board. Ask us to create a program for you using the train and customizing the program in Churchill to fit around the train schedules.

Tundra Buggy™ summer day tours, July and August
A Tundra Buggy­­™ summer day tour is one of the best ways to experience the magnificent ecosystems surrounding Churchill. With the most special permits to access the trail network in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, explore the tundra while your driver provides interpretation about the colourful flora, amazing fauna and incredible history of this unique sub-arctic environment. Experience the summer scenery and scan the landscape for arctic fox, arctic hare, caribou and the first polar bears to return from their annual hunt on the sea ice. Churchill is also an incredible destination for bird lovers, with over 200 different species migrating through the area each summer. Please note that Tundra Buggy day tours take place on a 40-passenger Tundra Buggy and during peak seasons have a tendency to sell to capacity. We highly recommend booking your Tundra Buggy day tour(s) as early as possible.

Tours begin at Fifty Eight North – Home of the Tundra Buggy at 124 Kelsey Boulevard. Guests will be transferred to the Tundra Buggy launch area where we will board our Tundra Buggies and journey into the Churchill Wildlife Management Area for a 6-hour tour. Our time on the tundra will be spent exploring the sub-arctic landscape and searching for wildlife. At the end of the tour guests will be transferred back to Fifty Eight North. Snacks and refreshments will be available on the Tundra Buggy. Please note, no disposable plastic water bottles are available on board, but water is provided for you to fill a reusable water bottle. Tundra Buggy tours are planned to co-ordinate with the whale watching tours, therefore the operating times change depending on the date.

Dog-carting: Enjoy an educational talk about Dog Sledding, Métis Culture and life in Churchill, Manitoba followed by an exhilarating dog cart ride through the boreal forest! In the summer the sleds are put on wheels and take the same route as sledding in winter.

Kayaking with the belugas: Let your adventuresome spirit take you out onto the Churchill River to meet beluga whales. You’ll feel as if you are one of the pod as you skim across the surface of the river teeming with whales. Perfect for the novice paddler.

Paddle boarding with the belugas: We are always searching for new adventures for our clients to try. Paddle boarding is a new activity! If you’ve never been on a paddleboard before now, there isn’t a better place to try it. Especially when there are beluga whales along to encourage you. Don’t be intimidated by having to stand for a long period of time, you can sit on the paddle board as well. The belugas may be laughing at your balance but a little hurt pride is a small price to pay for an experience such as this.

Town & Area tour (subject to a minimum # of participants): The perfect tour for those wanting a quick but thorough introduction to the community and its historical treasures. This tour includes popular sights such as: Cape Merry, Miss Piggy, the Polar Bear Jail, The Churchill Northern Studies Centre and of course we keep a lookout for wildlife the whole time. 3-4 hours depending on wildlife viewing.
You can also add add a hike to the MV Ithaka to your tour for an extra fee. Nearly a century old, this WWI vessel has been ship wrecked 12 miles east of Churchill since 1960. Come experience her history and beauty during a short hike at low tide on this 2 hour tour.

Helicopter Tours: During the summer months, you can fly along the coast and see beluga whales as they congregate to give birth and feed their calves before departing in early August. Polar bears can often be seen during this time on longer flights. 60 and 90 minute flights offered. Please inquire for availability and pricing for the dates you are interested in.

• Additional Nights in Churchill
• Winnipeg Hotel nights
• Car rental and touring in Winnipeg pre/post Churchill visit