Churchill is located directly beneath the Auroral Oval making it one of the best places on Earth to witness Mother Nature's light show. Our Northern Lights and Winter Nights adventure offers a unique program in which travellers can enjoy watching the dancing skies from directly on the tundra, and experience the incredible culture and warmth of the town and people of Churchill. Our Northern Lights and Winter Nights adventure, led by a Frontiers North Interpretive Guide, offers the opportunity to capture this incredible night sky phenomenon from directly on the tundra, surrounded by the beautiful northern tundra landscape and with access to the warmth and comfort of an official Tundra Buggy and the Thanadelthur Lounge.
This adventure includes many northern light photo opportunities. Your Interpretive Guide can assist you with some camera settings but be sure to read our blog on northern lights photography.
Today marks the beginning of my northern lights adventure! I’ve arrived into Winnipeg and have checked into my room at the Inn at the Forks hotel, which is just a short taxi ride away from the Winnipeg airport. This evening I look forward to meeting my Interpretive Guide and fellow travellers at our welcome dinner, which will give everyone a chance to get to know each other and ask our guide any questions about the tour.
Photo © Inn at the Forks
After a wonderful and hearty breakfast, my fellow travellers and I are shuttled to the Manitoba Museum, renowned for its vivid portrayal of Manitoba’s rich and colourful history, planetarium shows and science gallery exhibits.
Our Manitoba Museum program begins with a planetarium presentation depicting the northern lights, followed by an interactive program called “Inuit: People of the North”, which gives us a deeper knowledge and understanding of the traditional lifestyles of the Inuit people. We are able to get a closer look at Inuit art and clothing made of fur, skin, stone and bone and learn about how these resources were integral to the Inuit community.
After lunch our day at the Manitoba Museum continues as a Museum representative leads us on a private guided tour of the Museum, which focuses on galleries that complements our recently gained knowledge of Inuit communities and the history of the fur trade in the North.
At the end of our day, we shuttle back to our hotel to prepare for a group dinner and a good night rest.
We begin our morning with breakfast at our hotel restaurant, after which we check out of our rooms and hop on a shuttle to the Winnipeg airport for the early flight to Churchill.
In the afternoon our Interpretive Guide reviews some northern lights photography tips in preparation for our night of northern lights viewing and photography.
After dinner at a family-run Churchill restaurant, we gather our photography equipment and layers of warm clothing and get ready to enjoy the dancing skies. We set up at Wapusk Adventures to take in the spectacular northern lights. Thanks to our earlier photography workshop, we got some really good photos!
After a truly magical evening, we return to our accommodations for a welcomed sleep after a great first day in Churchill.
Photo © Cole Moszynski
After breakfast in the hotel lobby, we bundle up in warm clothes for our Churchill and area tour which comprises of an exploratory drive past various points of interest in and surrounding Churchill while our Interpretive Guide provides interpretation. Our driver stopped briefly at Manitoba Conservation’s Polar Bear Holding Facility so we could get out and take photos.
This evening we get to take part in a very special northern lights experience! From the town of Churchill, we embark on an official Tundra Buggy across the frozen Churchill River, far away from the lights of town and pull up to Frontiers North's Thanadelthur Lounge. Here, we can view the northern lights from inside by peering out through the panoramic windows or we can climb onto the roof-top observation deck for an unobstructed view. We spend our late night hours capturing more incredible images of the northern lights as they streak across the sky.
After a wonderful evening at the Thanadelthur Lounge, our Interpretive Guide and Tundra Buggy Driver take us back to town. I crawl into my comfy bed excited for what tomorrow will hold.
Photo © Mike Gere
In the morning I grab a quick breakfast from the lobby hotel before meeting the group. Today we’re going on a dog sledding excursion led by local dog musher Dave Daley. Once we get to know some of the sled dogs, he explains the basics of dog sledding and the importance of dog sledding to the northern communities. Soon we prepare to take a mile-long ride through the boreal forest. What an awesome way to connect with Churchill's northern culture!
This evening's dinner plans are something I've been looking forward to since booking the trip! Similar to yesterday, we board a Tundra Buggy and drive across the frozen Churchill River, only this time it's for the Dan's Diner culinary experience! We enter our warm haven for the night: a dining hall enclosed by warm wooden beams, panoramic windows and skylights, and settle in for a dining experience like no other. We're served a sophisticated menu inspired by regional cuisine, all while the sun's light begins to fades and the night sky comes to life right above us!
After dining beneath the northern lights, we're given time to relax, step outside and socialize with fellow travellers. We eventually head back to town and I just know this will be an experience to remember forever!
Photo © Abby Matheson
Today we're heading out on an interpretive snowshoeing program led by a Churchill naturalist that gives us the chance to trek through boreal forest, across Precambrian rock and along the shore of the Hudson Bay.
After snowshoeing we have one last night of northern lights viewing at the Thanadelthur Lounge. Tonight I made sure to turn my camera off, lay down on the tundra, and just stare at the northern lights absorbing their beauty. When the northern lights die down we head back across the Churchill River to our hotel.
Photo © Mike Gere
Today is our last day in Churchill. After breakfast we head over to the Parks Canada Visitor Centre, which has detailed displays that reveal the remarkable history of Churchill through wildlife dioramas and exhibits that portray the history of the fur trade in the area.
Next it's off to Churchill's Itsanitaq Museum, home to an internationally recognized collection of Inuit art in stone, bone and ivory depicting the life and spirituality of a people deeply rooted in the north. The collection comprises of almost 1000 pieces dating from approximately 1700 BC to modern times. The museum also houses a gift shop where visitors can purchase Inuit art and carvings.
After our final hours in Churchill, we return to the Churchill airport for our evening return flight to Winnipeg. Once we land we check into the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel for our last night of our tour. We have one more big group dinner as a send off for all of the travellers who have come from all over the world to see the northern lights in Churchill.
Photo © Dan Harper
It’s my final morning in Winnipeg. My northern lights adventure was such a wonderful experience and I’m so excited to go home and show everyone the amazing photos I’ve captured of Churchill’s incredible northern lights.
Guests will arrive into Winnipeg and make their own way to Inn at the Forks hotel; Evening welcome dinner hosted by Frontiers North Interpretive Guide. Meals: D
Manitoba Planetarium presentation; Interactive “Inuit: People of the North” program. Meals: B, L, D
Early morning flight to Churchill; Introductory northern lights photography workshop; Evening northern lights viewing at Wapusk Adventures. Meals: B, L, D
Churchill and area tour; Evening northern lights viewing from the Thanadelthur Lounge. Meals: B, L, D
Dog sledding and interpretive program; Dinner across the frozen Churchill River at Dan’s Diner. Meals: B, L, D
Interpretive snowshoe trek; Evening northern lights viewing from the Thanadelthur Lounge. Meals: B, L, D
Parks Canada Visitor Centre; Itsanitaq Museum; Evening flight to Winnipeg; Guests will check into the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel at the Winnipeg airport. Meals: B, L, D
Depart Winnipeg at your leisure. Meals: None
Across the frozen Churchill River a remote dining experience awaits at 58° North latitude, surrounded by wilderness beneath the northern lights.
Imagine dining beneath the northern lights with a world-class meal that features regional and local fare. This is Dan’s Diner, a remote culinary adventure like no other.
DAN’S DINER REMOTE CULINARY EXPERIENCE
Available on select Northern Lights and Winter Nights departures.
Visit dans-diner.com to learn more.
"We had a marvelous time. The staff was fantastic. The Tundra Buggy took us to a dark area where we didn't have light interference. We have two amazing nights. The first had blues at the top, reds at the bottom and the curtains moved quickly. They even danced for us. The second night was more of your classic NLs. Slow, rippling curtains of green but sometimes they seemed to cover half the sky. It exceeded our expectations. A number of our friends had disappointing experiences in Norway and Iceland. Churchill is the best spot since you need it really cold to avoid clouds and snow. "
Richard
| Dates | Adventure | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 - Mar 3 2020 Tour Code: NL2 | Northern Lights and Winter Nights Enthusiast Lodging: 3 nights Winnipeg, 4 nights Churchill Maximum 20 people NEW: Includes remote culinary experience | $5,799 CAD $995 CAD Single Supplement |
| Feb 27 - Mar 5 2020 Tour Code: NL3 | Northern Lights and Winter Nights Enthusiast Lodging: 3 nights Winnipeg, 4 nights Churchill Maximum 20 people NEW: Includes remote culinary experience | $5,799 CAD $995 CAD Single Supplement |
| Feb 29 - Mar 7 2020 Tour Code: NL4 | Northern Lights and Winter Nights Enthusiast Lodging: 3 nights Winnipeg, 4 nights Churchill Maximum 20 people NEW: Includes remote culinary experience | $5,799 CAD $995 CAD Single Supplement |
1 800 663 9832 (toll free)
1 204 949 2050 (international)
All prices CAD, plus applicable taxes.
All prices, inclusions, and dates may be subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control.
Tundra Buggy Lodge Specialist
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