ITINERARY: CHURCHILL
The taxi driver said it as kindly as he could: “Nobody from here would be that dumb.” I’d only just flown into Churchill, hoisted halfway up the vast shoreline of Hudson Bay, 1,700 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. Offered a driving tour of local sights and scenes on the way to my hotel, I’d accepted. Leaping out with my camera at our first stop was the dumb part: there are reasons that Churchill is known as the polar bear capital of the world, and however majestic and Instagrammable they may be, the fact that one of the world’s largest carnivores doesn’t particularly like to be surprised is worth keeping in mind as you navigate this Manitoba town of 900. If ubiquitous bears are Churchill’s star attraction (and they are), there are many more subarctic reasons to visit the Hudson Bay Lowlands. Situated on Treaty 5 territory, with a history of Indigenous habitation (including by Thule, Inuit, Dene and Swampy Cree peoples) that reaches back 5,000 years and a permanent settlement that dates to 1717, Churchill is a wintertime destination like no other in Canada. A reminder, as you ponder a potential week’s itinerary: be sure to pack your parka, your fleeces, your woollens; wintry thermometers can drop (and linger at) -26 C.
DAY 1 MUSH MUCH?
What better way to get out on the land than on a sled powered by racing huskies? Wapusk Adventures will pick you up in town and whisk you to their base just beyond for a half-day experience that encompasses a little history, some instruction and doses of hot chocolate and bannock in preparation for your canine-powered trail ride through scenic boreal forests. Keep an eye out for locals along the way: you may cross paths with Arctic fox and hare, snowy owls, maybe even a willow ptarmigan.
DAY 2 HISTORY LESSON
When Churchill’s first museum opened in 1944, it was a modest affair housed in the local Roman Catholic mission. Today, a short walk beyond Churchill’s small downtown will get you to Itsanitaq Museum, which features a mightily fascinating collection of more than 1,000 Inuit sculptures, carvings and artifacts revealing the art, mythology and lifestyle of the North in all their richness. Next stop, Prince of Wales Fort. The fortress is hard to believe, even when you’re standing in front of its massive stone ramparts: commanding the mouth of the Churchill River across from the modern-day town, the starshaped 18th-century fur-trading fortress built by the Hudson’s Bay Company seems like it must have strayed here from some far-off European shore. Now operated by Parks Canada, it closes its gates in wintertime, but if you can find a guide to take you across (and keep a watch for bears), the scale and sightlines of Prince of Wales Fort make it worth a visit at any time.
DAY 3 BEAR NECESSITIES AND NIGHT SKIES
Polar-bear precautions pervade life in Churchill all year: locals leave cars unlocked for any who might need to seek quick refuge, and the town maintains a temporary holding facility (a.k.a. the polar bear jail) to accommodate bears that are caught straying too close — before they’re released again at a safe distance. The best way to pay your respects and point your camera is to sign up for an excursion with a local operator such as Great White Bear Tours or Tundra Buggy Tours. While details can vary, both companies take you in search of wildlife in (sturdy and secure) all-terrain vehicles — with lunch included. Or take to the skies with Hudson Bay Helicopters, which offers 60- and 90-minute forays aloft in search of a sighting. Once you’ve earned a fantastic finale, Churchill is up to the job: it just happens to be one of the best places on the planet to witness aurora borealis, the northern lights, which dazzle the night sky here up to 300 nights a year. Opportunities to marvel at the waltzing colours abound, including the popular Nights Under Lights tour in the boreal forest or, for the more science-oriented, an “aurora and astronomy” learning vacation through the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. One way to do it in style is to book one of the Churchill Hotel’s aurora domes, a 20-minute drive away from the town’s light pollution, and enjoy the show overhead from the comfort of a plexiglass bubble. Stephen Smith ( @pkstrk) is a writer in Toronto whose reporting has taken him in recent years to Newfoundland and the islands of Tahiti.