Arctic Whale and Polar Bear Watching
Itinerary
Day 1: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Arrive Winnipeg and transfer to the Fort Garry Hotel, built in
1913 by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The French-style chateau
is still the grande dame of Winnipeg, offering first-class
hospitality. Meet your Expedition Leader and fellow travelers at a
welcome dinner this evening.
Day 2: Winnipeg / Train to Churchill
As an introduction to the Canadian north, we explore Winnipeg’s
history and natural environs, including Oak Hammock Marsh, with its
rich variety of birdlife. We also visit the acclaimed Manitoba
Museum, renowned for its exhibits reflecting the human and natural
heritage of the province, including the history of northern native
cultures. After dinner, we board the evening train to
Churchill.
Day 3: Train to Churchill
Traveling northward, southern prairies give way to dense boreal
forest. We disembark to explore a waterfall and enjoy lunch by the
lake before continuing by rail to the edge of the tundra. The train
is relaxing and comfortable, and each cabin has its own toilet,
sink and large windows, offering a broad vista of the changing
ecosystems.
Days 4 - 7: Churchill
Early in the morning, we arrive in the small northern outpost of
Churchill, gateway to the Arctic, with four full days of adventure
ahead. Our activities include two Zodiac trips to see belugas in
the Churchill River. More than 3,000 of these wondrous white whales
spend the summer in the region, and our motorized rafts put us at
eye level with them. With their unusual ability to turn their heads
from side to side, they appear to be as curious about us as we are
about them. Through the use of a hydrophone on board, we can even
listen to their otherworldly songs. Few wildlife encounters offer
as intimate a perspective as this one. We’ll also take a larger
vessel across the river to Fort Prince of Wales, established by
Danish explorer Jens Monk in 1619, and where the Hudson’s Bay
Company built one of its original fur-trading posts. Churchill
became a stopover point for explorers searching for the fabled
Northwest Passage and was instrumental in the opening of the
Canadian West. A unique tundra vehicle conveys us to a point near
Hudson Bay, where we enjoy an outdoor cookout while watching for
wildlife here at the interface of the boreal forest and tundra.
Caribou with calves, snowy owl, Arctic fox and ptarmigan are often
seen, and we may even spot polar bears. At this time of year, it is
not uncommon to find mothers with cubs.
Day 8: Fly From Churchill to Winnipeg
After a free morning to visit the Eskimo Museum with its
comprehensive collection of native Inuit artifacts and time to pick
up some authentic carvings and other handcrafts, we transfer to the
airport for our return flight to Winnipeg. Depending on flight
schedules, we will have either a farewell lunch in Churchill or a
final dinner together in Winnipeg.
Day 9: Return Home
After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for flights
home.
Quick Links:
arctic whale polar bear watching -
introduction
arctic whale polar bear watching -
factfile
arctic whale polar bear watching - dates
& prices
arctic whale polar bear watching - booking
enquiry
arctic whale polar bear watching - before
you go
REF: Arctic Summer Beluga - NH0004
