RADAR

Marvelous Manitoba

DISCOVER CANADA’S ADVENTUROUS SIDE. BY AMY ROBERTS

FOR THE ROUGHLY 900 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN CHURCHILL, CANADA, THERE ARE THREE SEASONS: BELUGA WHALE WATCHING, POLAR BEAR ENCOUNTERS, AND VIEWING THE AURORA BOREALIS—OR NORTHERN LIGHTS. Regardless the time of year, it’s always awe-inspiring adventure season in this remote town situated along Manitoba’s northern Hudson Bay coastline.

The summer months are the best time to view and interact with beluga whales. In July and August, these inquisitive and vocal white whales give birth in the nearby estuaries and remain in the area to feed on capelin and Lake Cisco fish. Belugas are known to playfully engage with paddleboarders and kayakers in the Hudson Bay.

While the northern lights are most impressive January through March—when the skies are the darkest and clearest (don’t miss an opportunity to dine beneath them in peak season)—Churchill boasts over 300 nights of aurora borealis activity every year, meaning almost any night is a good one to observe the northern lights. No matter the temperature, visitors can stay comfortably warm inside an Aurora Dome, a bubble-like structure providing a 360-degree view of the night sky and its kaleidoscope of violets, greens, and blues. For those seeking unfiltered appreciation of the lights at night, there are several options to stay in a mix of ecosystems—from remote yurts and eco lodges to the famed Tundra Buggy® lodge.

A tundra vehicle is also a top choice for viewing polar bears—the highlight of any trip to Churchill. Known as “the polar bear capital of the world,” Churchill is the southernmost place to view polar bears in the wild (and the most accessible). From July through November, the polar bears outnumber people, as roughly 1,000 migrate to the area and gather along the coast waiting for the bay to freeze over. In the summer months, visitors can view the bears from the safety of a boat, and in the fall, a tundra vehicle provides unrivaled proximity to the bears. From inside the vehicle, you can watch them play, interact, and occasionally engage with your group. Curious bears have been known to sniff the vehicle and stand on their haunches for a better view of the humans occupying their territory.