Manitoba

Majestic rivers. Arctic coastline. Lakes, forests and desert dunes. An escarpment rises up in the West and miles and miles of trails beckon everywhere. Day breaks as the sun’s rays create delicate blue and pink ribbons that spread over the horizon. A soft breeze blows across a vast prairie sea creating rolling waves of rich natural color, a palette of golden wheat, lavender flax and yellow canola.

On a clear day, the sky fills with more blue than you’ll ever see, and at dusk a long saffron sunset of the deepest oranges and purples. A short drive from the Trans-Canada Highway, pincushion cacti dot steep dunes, and rugged gorges slice into an ancient escarpment. Moving north, patchwork fields of crops blend into rolling aspen parkland then transform into boreal forest that surrounds the ancient mantle of the Precambrian shield. Furthest north, trees thin and a liquid maze cuts through the tundra and merges into Hudson Bay.

Two-thirds of Canada’s 500-plus species of birds come here, drawn by more than 100,000 lakes and countless rivers and marshes. Manitoba is a premier wildlife-watching destination with among the highest densities of moose, elk and black bear. We also have wolves, fox and beaver. Near Hudson Bay, a marine frontier showcases animals in white – polar bear, beluga whale, arctic fox, ptarmigan and more. Come to Manitoba’s diverse landscapes for your next great outdoor adventure.

Ever gone on a wildlife viewing trip and been confused about whether you were the watcher or the watched? At Churchill Wild’s Seal River Heritage Lodge, you meet polar bears on their terms, on the ground and up close and personal and in a complete role reversal; you may find yourself as the main viewing event.

Churchill Wild boasts two luxury wilderness eco-lodges on the Hudson Bay Coast. Ideally situated to access and watch a great variety of wildlife, our location is part of what makes ours the most unique polar bear, beluga whale and northern lights viewing adventures on the planet. This unique environment – an ecotone where four varied ecosystems meet, with a southern climate modified by a vast cold ocean – creates conditions where polar bears, black bears and grizzly bears are all living.

Where Beluga whales spend their summers. Where caribou meet moose and where birds from the Arctic coexist with birds from the prairies. For discerning adventurers, Churchill Wild is the only company on the planet specializing in “on the ground” or “in the bay” access to polar bears, beluga whales, Aurora Borealis and more.

The fly-in eco-lodge locations set the scene for packages that stand apart from the typical Churchill offering ensuring the most adventurous, unique and quality experience you will find. While each of our packages includes the best of what Churchill has to offer, the biggest thrills are found at our place. Right up there with the thrills, your comfort is our priority and our Arctic lodge has all the comforts of home. Combine all this with our efforts to satiate you with our chefs’ culinary prowess and you will not believe that you’ve been dropped in a remote location in the rugged Canadian north….until you look outside.

Manitoba is the easternmost of the three Prairie Provinces. Comparatively level, Manitoba generally ranges from 490-ft./150 m to 980-ft./300 m above sea level. Baldy Mountain is Manitoba’s highest point, at 2727 ft./831 m. Agricultural land lies in a triangle, bordering Saskatchewan and the U.S., cutting diagonally across lake Winnipeg. The northern 3/5 of Manitoba is Precambrian Shield. In northernmost Manitoba lies tundra and permafrost (permanently frozen subsoil). All waters in Manitoba flow to Hudson Bay. Before settlement, a large area of southern Manitoba was flood plain or swamp. An extensive system of drainage ditches had to be constructed throughout south central Manitoba to make the region suitable for cultivation.

OUTDOOR RECREATION With warm, fine summers, crisp, brilliant winters, and more year-round sunshine than almost anywhere else in Canada, its no surprise that Manitobans can be found enjoying the outdoors every day of the year. Whether its a leisurely stroll along a beach, a visit to a special park, a round of golf or just relaxing in the sun, fun in Manitoba’s fresh air is never too far away…