While Manitoba’s remote town of Churchill may be known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World (and for good reason), the white arctic bears aren’t the only reason you should make the trip here. During the summer months, before the bears have started arriving from the melting sea ice on Hudson Bay, this tiny town of 900 residents has plenty of other activities on offer.
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1. Summer Tundra Buggy Tour
I originally booked the Tundra Buggy Summer Tour with Frontiers North because there was a tiny chance of seeing polar bears as early as the first week of July. And while it simply wasn’t to be, the tour made me realise how much else there is to the subarctic landscape around Churchill. I ticked off three new species from my wildlife bucket list, saw the beautiful arctic wildflowers, and got a glimpse of the breaking sea ice out on the very blue waters of Hudson Bay.
And the Tundra Buggy itself is an experience worth coming for. The ginormous tyres are almost as tall as I am and you have to take a staircase just to get into the vehicle. With space to walk around (though not while it’s driving) and large windows, the view of the surrounding countryside was amazing. And because the wilderness reserve area is now left untouched, these hardy vehicles are definitely the only way to travel, whether it’s through the flooded paths in summer or the harsh snowy winter.
Want to read more about the Tundra Buggy Tour with Frontiers North? Here’s a full blog post about my experience!
2. Churchill’s Belugas
With the disappointment of having failed to find polar bears the day before, I started out on the Sea North Tours Beluga zodiac trip hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of one on the distant shores. But it took approximately one minute for that thought to completely disappear. For the next two hours, belugas were all I saw and thought of. Surrounded by hundreds of these white arctic whales, feeding, diving and – best of all – coming to play in the jet stream of the zodiac’s protected engine, it was clear these animals had no fear of boats or humans. With one of the largest beluga populations in the world, the Churchill Estuary is the best place to see them in summer.
Check out my full post about Sea North Tours’ beluga excursions here!
3. Eskimo Museum
This small, unobtrusive building on the edge of town hides a treasure trove of Inuit art and history. With carvings from thousands of years ago to more modern art following the same traditions, the Eskimo/Itsanitaq Museum is the best place to learn more about the traditions, history and lifestyle of the area’s original inhabitants.
The museum is free, although there is a donation box, and the gift shop has some beautiful books, artworks, gifts and jewellery on offer. Although I was on a budget, I couldn’t help buying a beautiful dainty necklace with a beluga fin on it to commemorate my experience.
4. Miss Piggy
Easily my favourite part of Churchill aside from the belugas, the Miss Piggy plane wreck is well-worth visiting. Located an hours walk from town, or just a few minutes drive, the crashed plane should only be visited in early summer before the bears start arriving, especially if you’re walking.
The plane, an ex-military aircraft that was used in World War II before becoming a cargo plane in northern Canada, crashed here in 1979, with the three crewmembers all luckily surviving. Nestled amongst lichen-covered rocks and sparse alpine confiers, Miss Piggy is a sight to behold. It’s made even more impressive by the beautiful mural that has been painted on one side in recent years. What hasn’t been painted by professional artists is covered in amateur graffiti.
If you’re feeling brave, you can climb up into the plane, though there’s nothing left inside. Climbing the rocks surrounding Miss Piggy will give you different vantage points of the wreckage, as well as amazing views over Hudson Bay. If you’re there in June or early July, you might even see the wall of white sea ice out on the horizon.
5. Polar Bear Jail
Yes, you read that right, Churchill has a polar bear jail. Before the creation of this unique facility, any polar bears causing problems in or near the town used to be shot. In the 1980s, the jail was set up to test a different solution. Any bears found too close to the town are tranquilised and transported to one of the 28 available cells, where they spend 2-30 days on house arrest. The idea is to instill a sense of fear and create bad memories for the bears regarding the town, in the hopes that they don’t return. Once their sentence has been completed, the bears are tranquilised again and brought far from town to be released.
On the side of the building is a beautiful mural by Winnipeg artist Kal Barteski, painted in 2017 as part of the SeaWalls Churchill mural festival.
6. The Town Murals
The residents of Churchill have completely embraced the town’s identity as a wildlife wonderland. Bears, wolves and belugas adorn many of the buildings here. In this remote part of Manitoba, humans have found a way to earn a living by celebrating the wildlife instead of exploiting it. Many of these murals were painted by 18 artists who came to Churchill as part of the SeaWalls Churchill mural festival I mentioned above.
The amazing thing about these murals is that it was just as the artists were due to arrive that the railway tracks linking Churchill with the rest of Canada were destroyed by flooding. With the freight trains no longer delivering tourists or supplies to the town, residents were worried for the future of Churchill. The artists came anyway, by plane, and painted the town with stunning images, including one large mural with the phrase ‘Know I’m Here’. It became a beacon of hope to the town, that they wouldn’t be forgotten. It took a year and a half, but the trains began to run again in November 2018, restoring the town to what it was.
How To Get to Churchill
There are three options for getting to Churchill. Bear in mind there are no roads to the town, so driving is not possible.
Option 1: Fly from Winnipeg.
This is the most expensive option, with the absolute cheapest flights costing at least $900 return. The flight from Winnipeg takes about two hours. There are also charter flights available, but these will likely be even more expensive. Depending on the time of year, you will need to book these flights months in advance to guarantee a spot.
Option 2: Take the train from Winnipeg
While cheaper than flying, this option takes the longest. With an average length of 45 hours (though it often takes longer), the journey can be off-putting for some. Sleeper cabins with beds are available, but get booked up very quickly, even during the summer season. The two-day journey can be an exciting adventure if you choose to see it that way, and you will certainly get to see the scenery change from prairie to forest to tundra in a way you couldn’t from the air. Tickets start at $250 each way for an economy seat, and the train runs twice a week. There is a dining car on board, though I recommend bringing your own food to save on costs. Look for tickets on BusBud!
Option 3: Drive to Thompson and take the train from there
In my opinion, this is the best way to go. It is the cheapest option, and saves a lot of time compared to taking the train from Winnipeg. Thompson is a 7-9 hour drive from Winnipeg, and has a museum and famous wolf mural that’s worth seeing. Train tickets from Thompson to Churchill start from $70 each way, and the journey is about 16-18 hours long – much more manageable than 45. This way you still get to see the scenery, you save money, and the journey takes half the time. Plus, you can leave your car under the supervision of the fire station in exchange for a donation.
Where To Stay in Churchill
Churchill has many accommodation options ranging from basic to splurge. The one hostel in town appears to have closed, so this isn’t really a backpacker destination (although I think it’s worth spending the money).
I stayed at the Iceberg Inn, a 2-minute walk from the train station, but still on the main street. With staff that have infectious laughs, cosy en-suite rooms and free tea and coffee in the comfy lounge area, you could do a lot worse.
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[…] fully melted yet, so no bears had made their way to the mainland yet. At least there are plenty of other things to do in Churchill, the polar bear capital of the world, named because during the autumn months, there are three times […]