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Sunset on the tundra
Churchill and Hudson Bay
The little town of Churchill is situated in northern
Manitoba on the edge of Hudson Bay, an area of
unique diversity where taiga, tundra, boreal forest
and coastal estuary meet. Established early in the
1700s the town grew into a prosperous trading
post but declined in the 19th century when it was
bypassed by faster overland routes. Even today
this is a rather dishevelled community, made up
of Inuit, Cree and white settlers, that has only
recently found a new role as the ‘Polar Bear
Capital of the World’. Each autumn the area’s
polar bears venture onto the newly-frozen pack
ice to hunt for seals, but there are good reasons
to visit in the summer months too: beluga whales
and birds abound. Sights to see in town include
the Polar Bear Compound which houses orphan
cubs and anti-social adults, an excellent Eskimo
Museum and Cape Merry National Historic Site.
Other places to see nearby include Prince of
Wales Fort and York Factory, site of the Hudson
Bay Company’s first trading post.
General store in Churchill
AURORA INN, CHURCHILL
The Aurora Inn offers comfortable lodgings in this
remote outpost. Spacious two-storey suites are
equipped with a loft bedroom containing either a
queen or two double beds: ideal for couples or
families. Private bathroom facilities, fully-equipped
kitchens and wheelchair access make the inn one
of the best in the region, and guests are also
within walking distance of Churchill’s restaurants,
bars and railway station.
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Aurora Inn
Polar bear and cubs