Discover Churchill by Rail

Day 1: Arrive in Winnipeg

After flying into Winnipeg make your way to your home for the night – The Inn at the Forks. The inn is situated opposite the VIA Rail Station at the Forks, a popular tourist destination.

In the evening, you will meet as a group to get to know your fellow travellers and the expedition team, ask last minute questions and discuss the plans for the adventure ahead.

Day 2: Board the train

Have breakfast at the hotel and some time to explore the local area before boarding the train in the early afternoon. Settle into your berth (or cabin if you decide to upgrade) as you begin the first leg of the journey to Churchill.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 3: From Winnipeg to Churchill

Wake on the train ready for your first full-day of travel. As you journey you'll notice the landscape beginning to change, from prairie grasslands thick with trees to boggy muskeg with stunted growth.

During the late afternoon you will arrive in Thompson, one of the route's major stops. You'll have around an hour to see the town before boarding again, travelling approximately 400km further north to Churchill.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 4: Reach Churchill

You should reach Churchill by about 09:00, with a whole day to explore. Head straight out on a tour of the area, driving to historical Cape Merry – the site of a crashed airplane affectionately known by locals as Miss Piggy – and Manitoba Conservation's Polar Bear Holding Facility.

Lunch will be enjoyed at one of Churchill's family run restaurants before an afternoon dog sled excursion. Listen to stories of adventures as you set off on the snow with your guide and the dogs, riding into the boreal forest.

Head to your hotel in the early evening. After dinner, you'll get more of an insight into the culture of Churchill hearing a presentation by a local.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: Tundra Buggy Adventure

The first day on a Tundra Buggy! Be picked up from the hotel in the morning and transferred to the Tundra Buggy Dock where you'll board your buggy. Hit the trails and travel into the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA), looking out for polar bears and other Sub-Arctic wildlife while the interpretative guide points out interesting facts about the area's geology and history. 

You'll stop for a picnic lunch as you continue to watch and photograph the local wildlife, then carry on the journey on the tundra. 

In the late afternoon, return to town for a warm dinner and relaxing evening.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: Culture of Churchill

Today the activities focus is on northern culture. Begin with a visit to Churchill's Itsanitaq Museum, home to an enormous collection of Inuit artifacts honouring the town's Indigenous history and culture.

Then you'll explore the Parks Canada Visitor Centre, which has in depth displays that reveal the remarkable history of Churchill through wildlife dioramas and exhibits that portray the history of the fur trade in the area.

In the evening, you'll have dinner at a locally owned restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Second Tundra Buggy Adventure

Look forward to your second Tundra Buggy adventure in search of more polar bears and extraordinary wildlife sightings. In the midst of your exploring, lunch will be eaten picnic style out on the tundra again. You'll want your camera to capture some of the encounters in the wild!

As the day draws to an end, so does your time in Churchill. You will be transferred back to the Churchill airport for your return flight to Winnipeg. Upon arrival you'll check into the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, near the airport.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Depart Winnipeg

Check out of your hotel and then depart Winnipeg at your leisure, for home or onward travel.

NOTE: This itinerary is for guidance only as each voyage will vary depending on ice and weather conditions, and opportunities to see wildlife. Flexibility is key and all part of the adventure of an expeditionary cruise.