Churchill Photos of the Week

These scintillating northern lights photos taken by Natural Habitat Adventures guide Eddy Savage were the first two he took of the 2017 northern lights season. What a widespread display of aurora borealis highlighted by cloud cover. Great shots! Churchill was buried in a huge snowstorm yesterday so it might take a couple of days for clearer skies to reveal the magical northern lights again. Stay tuned for the next incredible images from the north.

aurora borealis churchill

Northern lights over Churchill will cloud cover. Eddy Savage photo.

 

Churchill northern lights

Amazing northern lights over Churchill. Eddy Savage photo.

Churchill Northern Lights Photos

Here are some more photos from Natural Habitat Adventures guides in Churchill from recent groups during this northern lights season. Dog sledding has been amazing and the new warmer Aurora Pod has been a huge success with avid photographers. The aurora borealis is taking a little longer to get going full – on this season though the ones that have appeared have been sensational. We look forward to getting more updates to you with incredible northern lights soon! Enjoy!

Natural Habitat Adventures Aurora Pod Northern lights

Natural Habitat Adventures group at the Aurora Pod under the northern lights. Justin Gibson photo.

 

dog sledding in Churchill

Dog – sledding in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.

 

Natural Habitat Aurora Pod Churchill

Natural Habitat Adventures Aurora Pod in Churchill below the northern lights. Justin Gibson photo.

 

Northern lights boreal forest churchill

Northern lights over the boreal forest. Brad Josephs photo.

 

Dogsledding churchill

Dog sledding in Churchill. Brad Josephs photo.

Spectacular Churchill Train Journey Video

Traveling from Winnipeg to Churchill to experience the incredible natural wonders found in the frontier town has limited options. You can, of course, fly via the small airlines and hope the weather provides a window in and out of Churchill. You cannot drive, unless you have ample time and are on a four wheeler or a dogsled…closest you can get is Thompson or a bit farther on gravel road. In fact, my favorite mode of travel is by train.

When I guided Churchill Summer beluga whale adventures for about 10 years, I would take the train one -way, as Natural Habitat does now in summer and winter both, with small groups of 12-15 travelers. The memory that stays with me the most from those days is without a doubt the interactions with thousands of beluga whales in the chilly waters of the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. I still feel the pull to return each summer as if I were the one migrating to warmer waters as the whales do from the Hudson Straits in the north.

However, the other thrill that clearly stands above many of my most treasured memories is the train journey from Churchill to Winnipeg. The anticipation for each trip would build until we boarded, in Union Station in Winnipeg at around 9:00pm at night. Traveling northwest through some prairie – land into Saskatchewan and back into Manitoba was better done at night. Once morning arrived and the group was waking in their sleeper births the landscape changed to more deciduous trees and slowly transition into boreal forest then taiga and tundra. Lakes and rivers were all over the land as we slowly rocked north and slowed even more as permafrost rested below the tracks.

All in all the trip was scheduled for 36 hours though quite often an additional four or five would put us in Churchill around noon or later. This allowed for guests to sleep in and enjoy a nice breakfast on board while Churchill slowly appeared on the horizon. What a way to ease everyone into “tundra time” as Churchillians call the calming pace of life in town. By the time we reached Churchill everyone was more able to search patiently for wildlife on land as well as enjoy the surreal interactions of beluga whales on the water.

This video filmed and produced by Natural Habitat Adventures guide Brad Josephs during a northern lights trip this season gives an inside and outside view of one of the most exciting and relaxing trips on rails you can experience! Whether the landscape or wildlife or even northern lights are your passion, chances arise throughout the journey to experience all or some of these.

Train to Churchill by Brad Josephs from Natural Habitat Adventures on Vimeo.

Churchill Sunday Photos – Aurora

Natural Habitat Adventures guide Justin Gibson has had an incredible week in Churchill with his group of avid travelers. Recent northern lights activity has been quite spectacular to start the season and these are just a few of the great ones Justin captured last week. Keep posted for many more aurora pics and field notes coming your way from the north. Enjoy!

Churchill Justin Gibson

Natural Habitat Adventures guide Justin Gibson outfitted for the Churchill weather. Justin Gibson photo.

 

northern lights churchill

Igloo in Churchill under the northern lights. Justin Gibson photo.

 

Natural Habitat Aurora Pod Churchill

Natural Habitat Adventures Aurora Pod in Churchill below the northern lights. Justin Gibson photo.

 

aurora borealis churchill

Tee pee at Wapusk Adventures do yard under the aurora borealis. Justin Gibson photo.

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