Day 01

Welcome to Winnipeg

I flew into Winnipeg today and I am so excited to go on my northern lights tour! My home for the night is the Inn at the Forks, which is at the Forks, a popular tourist destination. After checking in I wait for an evening welcome dinner with my Frontiers North Photo Specialist where our group has the chance to ask last minute questions and learn more about what our adventure holds!

Day 02

The Manitoba Museum

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, where we enjoy an interactive tour of the Winnipeg night sky; this guided “nature walk” of the stars highlights current constellations, planets and northern lights. Next, we experience 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.

After lunch our day at the Manitoba Museum continues with a guided tour of the museum.

At the end of our day, we shuttle back to our hotel to prepare for a group dinner and a good night rest.

Day 03

Churchill Adventure Begins

After grabbing a quick breakfast to-go, we head to the airport to catch our flight from Winnipeg to Churchill.

After some free time to explore the town, our Photo Specialist reviews some northern lights photography tips in preparation for our night of northern lights viewing and photography.

This evening we escape the lights of town for the trip's first aurora borealis-viewing opportunity! Tonight we travel to a modern-style yurt tucked away in the boreal forest. The illuminated yurt and surrounding treetops can make for excellent northern lights photography, and thanks to our earlier photography workshop, we got some really good photos!

Photo © Abby Matheson

Day 04

Dan's Diner Culinary Experience

This morning we head out for a Churchill and area tour which comprises of a guided bus tour of local and historical points of interest surrounding Churchill, including the Polar Bear Holding Facility and Inukshuk.

After lunch we visit the Parks Canada Visitor Centre to view detailed and exciting wildlife dioramas and fur trade exhibits. We leave chock-full of natural and historical information about the Churchill region!

This evening's dinner plans are something I've been looking forward to since booking the trip! We journey by official Tundra Buggy® across the frozen Churchill River to Dan’s Diner and experience regional cuisine in a pop-up restaurant, complete with skylights and panoramic windows for best northern lights-viewing opportunities.

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

Day 05

Dog Sledding and Thanadelthur Lounge

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! Hosted by a local resident and dog sledding expert, we learn about Métis culture and the history of dog sledding in northern Canada. 

This evening we get to take part in another very special northern lights experience! From the town of Churchill, we again travel by Tundra Buggy across the frozen Churchill River, only this time it's 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 viewing and photographing incredible images of the northern lights as they streak across the sky.

Photo © Mike Gere

Day 06

Snowshoe Trek and Wapusk Adventures

Today we feel the exhilaration of an afternoon interpretive snowshoeing adventure through Churchill’s boreal forest.

After dinner we meet for a presentation from a local resident on the culture, history, and traditions of the Churchill area.

This evening we have one last night of northern lights viewing. Tonight it's at Wapusk Adventures, where a teepee awaits with a warming fire; a perfect spot for storytelling and a wonderful subject for nighttime photography as the glowing fire lights the traditional structure from within.

Photo © Abby Matheson

Day 07

Last Day in Churchill

On our final day in Churchill, we head over to the Itsanitaq Museum, which contains one of Canada’s finest collections of Inuit carvings, kayaks and artifacts dating from pre- Dorset, Dorset, Thule, and modern Inuit times.

We also pay visit to Polar Bears International House, where we receive a short talk from a Polar Bears International Ambassador who teaches us about polar bears around the world, polar bear research, climate change and more. We also tour the Interpretive Centre and learn how to support polar bear conservation efforts!

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.

Photo © Kieran McIver​

Day 08

Depart Winnipeg

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.