Source:
Outside Magazine May 2000
Destinations: Churchill, Canada
Being Beluga
Thawed beauty. But still, beware the summer cold.
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| (Map by Randy Sweitzer) |
GETTING THERE: Other than by freighter or dogsled, the only way to Churchill is by plane or train. Canadian Airlines (800-426-7000) flies to Churchill from Winnipeg, with round-trip fares starting at $425. The train ride from Winnipeg is 36 hours each way on Via Rail (888-842-7245); fares start at $189 round-trip.
ACCOMMODATIONS: The Churchill Chamber of Commerce (888-389-2327) can connect you with the town's handful of utilitarian hotels—I stayed at the clean, friendly Polar Inn ($69, double occupancy; 204-675-8878)—and B&Bs (starting at $58, double occupancy).
OUTFITTERS: Sea North Tours (204-675-2195) runs beluga-spying snorkeling trips for $112 per hour. It's BYO wetsuit: One Stop Diving in Winnipeg (204-257-2822) rents toasty seven-millimeter titanium-lined suits with hoods, gloves, and booties for $80 per week. Paul Ratson's Adventure Walking Tours (204-675-2147) offers tundra treks (starting at $36 for a half day). Churchill-based Hudson Bay Helicopters (204-675-8823) does drop-offs and pickups in Wapusk National Park (no park fee, contact warden prior to your arrival; 204-675-8863) for $575 per hour for groups of up to four.
