This article is brought to you by Adventure World/Destination Canada.
In Hudson Bay, in sub-Arctic Canada, belugas play alongside zodiacs, kayakers and stand up paddleboarders. In the near distance, is Churchill, one of the most remote communities in the world. Beyond the weathered buildings, polar bears roam the earth, waiting for the bay’s ice to return. Far to the south is a city that pushes cultural boundaries and embraces creativity in its galleries, museums and public spaces. This is Manitoba, a province that not only surprises but captivates modern-day adventurers.
Canada’s polar bear capital
The Winnipeg Jets may fire up ice hockey crowds, but the polar bear is the province’s unofficial mascot, and the best place to see one is in Churchill. Nicknamed the polar bear capital of the world, Churchill is a tight-knit community of people who live among the bears, a thousand kilometres north of the capital Winnipeg. When Hudson Bay thaws in summer, the world’s largest land predator comes ashore to explore and relax in grassy “day beds” among wild chamomile and purple fireweed.
As magical as wildflower season is, the peak time to see these magnificent creatures is mid-October to the end of November, when they ready themselves to return to the ice to hunt for seals. One of the best ways to see them up close is on a tundra vehicle. From the safety and warmth of these large, all-terrain vehicles, you’ll spot bears, along with Arctic fox and hare, caribou and snowy owls.
Back in town, visit Polar Bears International House, an interpretive centre that educates visitors, and hosts scientists and researchers. Check out Adventure World’s six-day Polar Bear Adventure, which also includes a visit to an Indigenous dog musher, as well as Itsanitaq Museum to see Inuit carvings. Each night in Churchill, be sure to watch the night sky – you may just be lucky enough to catch the Northern Lights illuminating the darkness.
Manitoba’s Big Five
A few hours’ drive north-west of Winnipeg is Riding Mountain National Park, the best place to see Manitoba’s megafauna, in the form of three of the Big Five – moose, black bear, and bison – and also where you’ll find an eclectic collection of classic log cabins from the 1920s.
Complete the Big Five list (polar bears and belugas round out the five), and join an eight-day Big Five Safari with Adventure World.
If visiting in summer, it’s worth flying to Churchill to kayak or enjoy a zodiac boat trip for life transforming experiences with the beluga whales, with 60,000 of these curious and playful mammals migrating into Hudson Bay each summer. While out on boat tours, polar bears can also be viewed along the rocky shoreline.
Winnipeg’s rich culture
The cultural heart of Canada is Manitoba’s capital, Winnipeg, a city that will surprise you with its thriving arts and culinary scene. Starting with the arts, Winnipeg is home to the architecturally impressive Canadian Museum for Human Rights, located on Indigenous ancestral lands. Constructed out of stone and glass, this museum has dominated the cityscape since its opening in 2014. Inside, you’ll find exhibits that aim to ask questions and redress past and present social injustices. On a smaller scale, the city’s Design Quarter is brimming with galleries, boutiques and artist studios, making for easy exploration on a free afternoon, while Francophiles should check out St Boniface, the city’s famous French quarter, with boutique hotels, restaurants, shopping and lakelife.
One of my favourite things about Manitoba is how wild the province is, from the wide streets of Churchill to the green spaces of ‘the Peg’, as locals call it. Parkland, cycleways, sun-drenched patios and rivers that flow through the city entice you outdoors. At the top of your itinerary should be the 445-hectare Assiniboine Park, where you’ll also find The Leaf, a horticultural attraction that features four biomes. In spring and summer, join locals jogging, cycling and picnicking in the park, or spend a day exploring the Gardens at The Leaf, which includes a sensory garden and the Indigenous Peoples Garden.
Another top spot to check out is The Forks market, located at the junction of the Assiniboine and Red rivers. As one of Winnipeg’s most popular tourist attractions, the gathering space is buzzing in the warmer months. Inside you’ll find a food hall, with craft beer, as well as jewellery, books, homewares and maple syrup. Outside is a skate park, and plenty of spots to enjoy a takeaway lunch by the water.
The Forks has a long history as a meeting place. It was once visited by Indigenous bison hunters, before becoming a hub for fur traders in the late 1800s, and later giving over to railroad development. Now, it’s where locals and tourists intertwine.
After all of your exploring, put your feet up at one of the city’s craft breweries (there’s also a burgeoning craft cocktail scene), which bustle with tastings and tours in summer. Call into one before or after watching the Winnipeg Jets put on a show at Canada Life Centre.
Solar Max: Finding magic in the Yukon Territory
Whether you’re exploring under a midnight sun or the northern lights, there’s plenty of magic to be found in Canada’s wildest territory, the Yukon.
The yapping of excited huskies bounces off the kennels at Sky High Wilderness Ranch, in the Yukon. The dogs leap as they’re leashed like reindeer readying to pull Santa’s sleigh. Then, moments later, the world falls silent as the canines race across the snow, and it’s then that I understand Yukoners’ love for dog sledding. But the forest doesn’t have to be muffled by snowflakes for visitors to fall under the Yukon’s spell. The Yukon, in Canada’s north-west, is also one of the best places in the world to see the northern lights, and with the solar cycle reaching its peak over the coming months, there’s no better time to witness them.
Whitehorse
A major drawcard for tourists to the Yukon is the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights and winter is the time to see them. A top spot to view the sky glowing purple, pink and green is at Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs, as you can soak up the impressive show while soaking in the outdoor mineral pools. Relax on a “recliner boulder” as you rejuvenate your body and the northern lights spark your imagination.
On the outskirts of Whitehorse, you’ll find wilderness ranches where you can go dog sledding in winter. Sit in a sled as the dogs pull you along snowy tracks or try your hand at mushing.
Other activities out of Whitehorse include ice fishing on a frozen lake and snowshoeing, a great alternative to hiking when there’s snow on the ground. In summer, hire a standard bicycle and set off along the trails that skirt the Yukon River, or instead take to the sapphire water in a canoe.
For a bird’s-eye view of the river, go for a scenic flight over the city, and once back on the ground, stop by the paddle-wheeler, the S.S. Klondike. Another popular attraction is Yukon Wildlife Preserve, where you can see elk, moose and more. Round out your evening with more northern lights viewing at the AuroraCentre, where you can cosy up in an insulated yurt. The dancing lights occur year-round, but they’re most visible during dark, clear winter nights.
Kluane National Park and Reserve
Every visitor to the Yukon should make time for stunning Kluane National Park and Reserve, 160 kilometres west of Whitehorse. Kluane is home to the world’s largest ice field outside the poles, as well as Canada’s highest mountain, Mount Logan (5,959 metres). The park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and captivating in every season. In winter, it’s extra special when the glaciers are surrounded by snow-covered slopes, while in summer you can immerse yourself in the environment on a guided hike.
Dawson City
Timber buildings slump in the permafrost, cocktail bars proudly tell their sordid history as former brothels, and a local will recite you a poem before you down a shot of whiskey with a gnarly frostbitten toe swishing around in it in the amazing town of Dawson City. Unlike anywhere else in the world, Dawson has a way of getting under your skin, like it once did for the men who flocked here to make it rich during the 1890s’ Klondike Gold Rush. The attraction now is the curious city itself and the friendly people who call it home.
Make Dawson City Museum and the Visitor Information Centre your first stops, then walk to the back of town to discover American novelist Jack London’s former writing cabin (after reading The Call of the Wild, of course). Reserve one night to visit Canada’s oldest casino, Diamond Tooth Gerties, for a gold-rush era can-can show (in summer). Of course, you can’t leave town without joining The Downtown hotel’s Sourtoe Cocktail Club (yes, that aforementioned toe whiskey) – if you dare.
If you’re keen to catch the northern lights or enjoy the midnight sun (extended daylight hours) in summer, head to Dawson’s Midnight Dome lookout above the city.
Tombstone Territorial Park
While you’re so far north, you’ll want to day trip into Tombstone Territorial Park. Not much grows this close to the Arctic Circle but look closely and you’ll discover blueberries among rust-coloured scrub that clings to the sheer slopes of mountains. The landscape is dramatic, the emptiness humbling. To see the park at its most colourful, visit during autumn when the valleys and hills are a palette of yellows, oranges and red. Set off on foot with a guide to soak in the elements.
Make it happen
The Destination Experts at Adventure World can take the hassle out of your Yukon trip by customising their suggested itineraries to your interests. To experience the beauty of the territory covered in snow, AW’s Yukon Winter Dream runs from late November to late March. For travellers wanting the long midnight sun, Yukon Summer Dream is offered from mid-July to late September.
This article is brought to you by Adventure World/Destination Canada.
