It’s paradise for northern lights and winter sights — if you can get to this remote Canadian town

It’s cold and remote, but polar bears, beluga whales and star-gazing make Churchill, Manitoba a hotspot.

Photo by Lance King (Getty Images)

If you are an environmental enthusiast who doesn’t mind insanely cold weather and a lengthy amount of travel time, then this could be the place for you.

Churchill, Manitoba is the smallest of small towns that sits along Hudson Bay in the northeastern part of the province, only 87 miles south of Nunavet, the largest and northernmost territory of Canada.

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There are no roads in the town and the only way to get there is by train or air, according to travelandleisure.com.

In January, the average high temperature is -7 degrees, and the warmest average temperature by month is 64 degrees in July.

In other words, it’s often COLD.

So, why is this cold and remote place worth visiting? It offers several features that many other towns don’t, that’s why.

Northern lights can be viewed for 300 nights a year

With its northern location comes unprecedented access to the beauty that is the northern lights in the sky.

Churchill is located directly beneath the auroral oval in the Northern Hemisphere, so the northern lights can be seen an average of 300 nights a year there.

For star-gazers, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better spot.

The polar bear capital of the world?

In addition to northern lights, Churchill is a popular spot to check out polar bears, who are more accessible there due to the town being the southernmost destination in the world to see polar bears, according to Travel Manitoba.

Polar bears are in abundance in the Hudson Bay due to there being more ice there year-round and food is easier to find.

Those who want to see the polar bears can book a ride on a Tundra Buggy, an all-terrain vehicle that will drive to where the polar bears are.

Beluga whales can be seen also

Churchill is a haven for beluga whales, normally social animals who travel in groups. The whales often congregate in the warmer, shallow waters around Churchill during summer months, and visitors can easily see them from land or on boat tours.

OK, are you going? Let us know in the comments below.

Also, do you have your own photos of northern lights you wish to share? You can do so by submitting them below.


About the Author:

Keith is a member of Graham Media Group's Digital Content Team, which produces content for all the company's news websites.