Manitoba

In the same land that hosts the beluga whales of summer and polar bears in autumn comes an amazing phenomenon that illumines the dark winter skies. The northern lights—also called the aurora borealis, meaning “north wind of the dawn"—brighten the night in an ethereal display of color. Churchill has some of the most intense auroral activity on Earth, making it an ideal destination for a northern lights tour. Photograph the lights from varied heated vantage points, including a remote cabin in the boreal forest that we access via private snowcoach over a frozen creek, and from our custom-built Aurora Pod®, with 360-degree views of the night sky through its glass top and sides. On this exciting Arctic adventure, our days are filled with distinctly northern activities like dog sledding, while nights offer potential for the best aurora viewing on the planet.

Few of nature’s marvels match the intense aliveness of an Arctic summer. In a region that's frozen, still and dark for much of the year, the Canadian Northland awakens with a frenzy of energy during these long days when the tundra turns green, wildflowers burst into color, animals come forth in great flocks and herds, and belugas return for their summer feasting. More than 3,000 of these amiable white whales congregate at the mouth of the Churchill River, and our motorized rafts and kayaks put us at eye level with these often-curious cetaceans. On the surrounding tundra, look for terrestrial wildlife—we frequently spot polar bears roving or dozing on the banks, their creamy coats contrasting with the rocky shoreline and dark boreal forest. With the remote yet easily accessible town of Churchill as our base on Hudson Bay, we are surrounded by the flurry of natural wonders a northern summer provides.

Located directly beneath the aurora oval, Churchill is the best place on Earth to view the aurora borealis. We record auroral activity more than 300 nights a year, and our winter skies are especially stunning! Your days will be packed with authentic experiences with a focus on local history, culture, and the natural world, while your nights will come alive with the spectacular Northern Lights. Each evening, your instructor will present an engaging lecture on topics related to the aurora (like photography and the science of the aurora). Then, sit back and relax until you receive the call that nature’s awe-inspiring show has begun. Take photos of the winter skies from the safety of our elevated outdoor viewing platform, or marvel at the sky inside CNSC’s heated indoor viewing dome (pyjamas welcome). Since there is virtually no light pollution at the CNSC, which is 23 km outside of town, the views are even clearer and more enticing. Find out why astronomers and physicists have journeyed to Churchill to probe the upper atmosphere with cameras, balloons, and even rockets.