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Churchill: Bucket List Dreams

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/09/2016 (3322 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It’s the stuff bucket lists are made of. A trip to the Polar Bear Capital of the World is a notch in the cap of any traveler and getting up close to those great mammals at the shoreline near Churchill is a sight you’ll never forget. It’s not to late to get in on this year’s season.

Starting in late September, polar bears congregate in huge numbers along Hudson Bay, waiting for ice to form so they can start hunting seals. Specially outfitted vehicles take visitors to areas just outside of Churchill where bear concentrations are the greatest. It’s not uncommon to see dozens of bears in one day.

Out one side of the vehicle, you might spot a female crossing the sub-Arctic landscape with one, two or three cubs following closely behind. And on the other side of the vehicle, two males are engaged in what looks like a serious battle—standing on hind legs and pawing at each other. But it’s only mock fighting to keep their skills sharp. Real battles happen over mates and food.

Many vehicles are outfitted with open-air decks, offering a clear view of the bears—great for photographs. And if you look between your winter boots, you’ll often see a great white bear looking up at you.

After a couple of days exclusively with the bears, it’s time to explore the cultural and historical highlights that Churchill has to offer. Prince of Wales Fort is a massive stone outpost at the mouth of the Churchill River that took more than 40 years to build. The history of the great Canadian fur trade and the Hudson’s Bay Company is alive and well at this remote architectural gem, featuring an iconic four-point design.

The Eskimo Museum in Churchill is home to an impressive collection of sculptures using various materials—including antlers, bone and stone—from across the region. The collection includes many forms of art along with books and photographs that share the rich history of life along the Hudson Bay coastline.

No trip to Churchill would be complete without sampling the food of the north. Caribou, elk and Arctic char are given gourmet treatment at Churchill’s several restaurants. There’s also a bakery offering pastries that you’ll be craving the minute you return home. Pop into a gift shop and pick up a piece of authentic northern artwork or some polar bear inspired jewelry.

For more adventure, book a heart-pounding dogsled ride lead by a team of enthusiastic huskies or hop on a helicopter for a birds’ eye view of the area. A 60-minute tour includes a spin above the port of Churchill, a visit to the Ithaca—a ship that ran aground in 1960 and a fly-over the stunning Prince of Wales Fort. Then it’s on to Cape Churchill, to the east of the community, for a top-down glimpse of the polar bear congregation. Along the way, visitors often see moose, caribou and seals.