Churchill Belugas and Bears Explorer by Train

Day 01

Welcome to Winnipeg

I flew into Winnipeg today and I am so excited to go on my beluga whale tour! My home for the night is the Inn at the Forks, which is just across the street from the VIA Rail Station at the Forks, a popular tourist destination. After checking in, I head to an evening meet and greet held by a representative from Frontiers North. Our tour is unescorted, meaning the Frontiers North representative will not be travelling with us to Churchill. The meet and greet gave our group the chance to ask some last-minute questions about our adventure.

Day 02

The Train Voyage Begins

After breakfast at the hotel I have a bit of free time to walk around the Forks before our train departure in the early afternoon. We all meet at the train station and board the train. The travel arrangements on the train are private sleeper cabins, but there are plenty of opportunities to socialize with my fellow travellers during meals!

Photo © Uli Kunz

Day 03

Day on Train

We wake up on the train for our first full-day. We enjoy a delicious breakfast in the dining car and afterwards I snuggle up with a book and a cup of coffee in my berth. As we are travelling, I notice the landscape is beginning to change. First from prairie grasslands thick with trees to boggy muskeg with stunted growth. In the late afternoon we arrive in Thompson, one of this routes major stops.

While some people board the train, I spend an hour exploring Thompson. We once again board the train for our final leg to Churchill. Once again I'm rocked to sleep by the slow chug of the train.

Photo © Uli Kunz

Day 04

Churchill Adventure Begins

We wake up early in the morning for breakfast before arriving in Churchill. Our first day encourages guests to learn about the history and culture of the town. Upon arrival, we head straight out on a Churchill and area tour, which comprises of an exploratory drive past various points of interest in and surrounding Churchill. Our driver stopped briefly at Manitoba Conservation’s Polar Bear Holding Facility so we could get out and take photos. Don't forget to bring your bug spray! 

After our tour, the bus dropped our group off at our hotel for check in.

I meet with the rest of the tour group at Sea North Tours and we are bussed down to the port for our evening on the water. They take us on a three-hour boat tour on the Churchill River, cruising down the river looking for pods of curious whales.

This excursion also included a stop for a walking tour at the historical Prince of Wales Fort where a Parks Canada Interpreter teaches us about the famous explorers who lived at the fort in the 18^th Century and how they managed to survive in Churchill’s harsh climate. 

For dinner I meet with a couple of my fellow travellers at the Tundra Inn Dining Room and Pub - lucky for us it happens to be open mic night so we stayed for a pint and enjoyed the show! 

Photo © Doug Ross

Day 05

Dog Carting, Beluga Whale Zodiac Tour

Today is our first encounter with Churchill’s beautiful beluga whales! After a light breakfast at our accommodations, we head down to Wapusk General Store for our next activity—dog carting! We are transferred to join a local dog musher for an exciting dog carting excursion through the boreal forest, what a rush! Our host Dave Daley introduces us to his team of sled dogs and explains to us the importance of dog sledding in northern culture and history.

After lunch, I chose to spend my free afternoon visiting the Parks Canada Visitor Centre and Churchill’s Itsanitaq Museum, which houses one of the most extensive Inuit Art collections in the world.

I meet with the rest of the tour group at Sea North Tours and we are bussed down to the port for our Zodiac boat tour on the Churchill River. We zip up and down the river looking for pods of curious whales. They follow us so closely and seem to love the bubbles coming from the Zodiac!

Photo © Dan Harper

Day 06

Tundra Buggy Adventure

In the morning we hop on a Tundra Buggy and head out onto the tundra in search of summer polar bears, arctic foxes, hares, and more types of plants and flowers than you can imagine growing in the North!

Photo © Frontiers North Adventures

Day 07

Depart Churchill

It's hard to believe but my Churchill adventure is almost over. We meet in the lobby at noon, then it's back to the airport for our return flight to Winnipeg, where the group checks back into our hotel for a good night’s rest – a perfect time to go over the thousands of pictures I took!

Photo © April Caradang

Day 08

Depart Winnipeg

My Churchill adventure is over and I’m heading home – but I have a lot of wonderful photos to show my friends and family. I can't wait to plan my next Churchill trip!