A stone bench sitting on top of a sandy beach

Churchill

Churchill is a remote town on Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada, where visitors go to see polar bears in autumn and beluga whales in summer.

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Churchill is a small town on the western shore of Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba, Canada. No road links it to the rest of Canada, so most visitors arrive by train from Winnipeg or by plane. Trips are usually built around one season, since the wildlife that draws people arrives at different times of year. Pick the dates first, then choose the way in.

Polar bears gather near the bay in autumn while they wait for sea ice to form, and tundra vehicles take visitors out to see them. Beluga whales come into the Churchill River estuary in summer. In winter, the town is a base for viewing northern lights, and the stone ruins of Fort Prince of Wales still stand on the bay. Most visitors stay in town, where hotels, shops and the Itsanitaq museum are within walking distance. A stay of a few days suits travelers who want wildlife in a quiet, remote setting.

Churchill in five

Choose bears or belugas before anything elseTravel Manitoba says bears are seen from October to November and belugas in July and August. The season decides tour type, cost and how cold you will be.
Book a polar bear tour about a year aheadTravel Manitoba recommends booking at least a year in advance; October to November is busiest. Packages typically include transport from Winnipeg, meals, lodging and excursions.
Arrive by train or plane onlyTravel Manitoba says no roads lead to Churchill. VIA Rail lists two departures a week from Winnipeg on a trip of about two days, and a Calm Air flight takes about 2 hours.Winnipeg
Pack for far-north cold in OctoberHighs sit near freezing in October and fall below it by November, with wind off Hudson Bay. Layers, windproof outerwear and insulated boots matter more than any camera.
Insure the remote tripWeather can ground flights, and Churchill is far from major hospitals. Cover for delays, cancellations and medical transfer is worth comparing before you pay for a pricey tour.Travel insurance

Things to do in Churchill

See all attractions in Churchill

Historic site · ChurchillPrince of Wales Fort National Historic Site

Museum · ChurchillItsanitaq Museum

Sight · ChurchillWapusk National Park

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to ChurchillPut the places you like in Churchill on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Churchill (YYQ), reached by air from Winnipeg
Getting there: VIA Rail twice weekly from Winnipeg, or flights of about 2 hours
Getting around: Tour vehicles and walking; the town is small
Best base: Churchill town, or a lodge on the tundra
Time needed: A week or more; some packages run 8 to 9 days

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryCloudy5 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh-20°Low-26°Aurora, deep cold
FebruaryCloudy3 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh-22°Low-29°Aurora, deep cold
MarchCloudy6 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh-14°Low-22°Aurora, cold
AprilCloudy6 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh-6°Low-14°Cold, thaw
MayPartly cloudy7 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh3°Low-3°Cold, birds
JunePartly cloudy9 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh11°Low3°Cool, thaw
JulyPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh16°Low8°Belugas
AugustPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Belugas
SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh11°Low6°Cool, quiet
OctoberCloudy10 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh3°Low0°Polar bears
NovemberSnow13 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh-7°Low-13°Polar bears
DecemberCloudy7 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh-17°Low-23°Cold, dark

Average daily high and low in Churchill, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Churchill

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: -3°
Humidity: 80%
Wind: 8 km/h
Chance of rain: 22%

Churchill

04:57 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT-5

Today-1°-6°22%Monday: Snow. High -1°, Low -6°. Chance of rain 22%.
Tue4°-2°25%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 4°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 25%.
Wed1°-4°2%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 1°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 2%.
Thu3°-4°2%Thursday: Cloudy. High 3°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 2%.
Fri2°-3°2%Friday: Cloudy. High 2°, Low -3°. Chance of rain 2%.
Sat2°0°7%Saturday: Snow. High 2°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 7%.
Sun2°0°12%Sunday: Drizzle. High 2°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 12%.

Updated 03:13 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 1.397 CAD

Amount

Converted to

CAD · Canadian Dollar

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Polar bear viewingOctober to November, by tundra vehicle or lodgeTravel Manitoba lists tundra vehicles, remote lodges, walking safaris and helicopter tours.
Beluga whale tripsJuly and August, by boat or kayakThousands of belugas move through Hudson Bay; summer trips can also show bears.
Northern lightspeak January to MarchTravel Manitoba says the aurora shows about 300 nights a year; you need clear skies.

Before you go to Churchill

Polar bear and beluga toursPackages from WinnipegCompare day trips

Churchill lodges and innsTown and tundra staysCheck availability

eSIM for ChurchillCheck coverage before you goRead the guide

Insurance for remote tripsWeather delays and medical transferRead the guide

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Rules for Churchill, checked

Churchill has no road access; reach it by VIA Rail from Winnipeg or by air. Travel Manitoba lists a flight of about 2 hours.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Travel Manitoba: polar bears are seen from October to November, beluga whales in July and August.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
VIA Rail lists two departures per week on Winnipeg to Churchill, about 1 day 20 hours on its page.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

Plan around Churchill

Winnipeg

The gateway city for trains and flights

Read the guide Nunavut

Arctic flights and cruises across Hudson Bay

Read the guide All of Canada

eTA, regions, cities and money basics

Read the guide Travel insurance

Cover for delays and medical transfer

Read the guide Getting around Canada

Flights, trains and long distances

Read the guide Canada eTA explained

Who needs it and where to apply

Read the guide

Churchill FAQ

When is the best time to see polar bears in Churchill?

October and November, according to Travel Manitoba, which also says bears start gathering along Hudson Bay as early as July. Summer can show bears and belugas on the same trip.

How do you get to Churchill?

By train or plane only. VIA Rail runs from Winnipeg twice a week on a trip of about two days, and Travel Manitoba lists flights of about 2 hours with Calm Air.

How far ahead should you book a polar bear tour?

About a year. Travel Manitoba recommends booking at least 12 months ahead, though last-minute openings sometimes appear. Packages usually bundle transport, meals, lodging and excursions.

Can you see the northern lights in Churchill?

Yes, on many nights. Travel Manitoba says peak season runs January to March and the lights show about 300 nights a year, but clear skies are needed.

Is Churchill worth it if you only have a long weekend?

Rarely. Getting there takes up to two days by train, and tour packages run about a week. A short trip fits only by air, with a booked tour and some weather slack.