Manitoba
3
Day Itinerary •
Canada
Three days in Manitoba reveal the most extraordinary range of wildlife destinations in Canada, from the cultural capital of the prairies at Winnipeg to the plains bison herd and Grey Owl heritage of Riding Mountain National Park and the world-famous polar bears and beluga whales of Churchill on Hudson Bay. No other province can offer face-to-face encounters with polar bears, belugas, bison and grey wolves within a three-day circuit. This route moves from the CMHR, the finest museum building in Canada, through the bison paddock trails of Riding Mountain National Park to the extraordinary tundra and Hudson Bay landscape of Churchill, the finest polar bear viewing destination on earth. Three days across the most extraordinary wildlife province in Canada.
Best Time To Visit
Oct to Nov for bears, Jun to Aug for belugas
Getting There
Fly into Winnipeg (YWG)
Getting Around
Car plus flight to Churchill
Budget Per Day
Approx 220 to 585 CAD per person per day
Difficulity
Easy to moderate, tundra walking
DAY 1
WINNIPEG, THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF THE PRAIRIES
MORNING
THE CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY MUSEUM IN CANADA
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg is the most extraordinary museum building in Canada, its extraordinary alabaster and glass tower by Antoine Predock rising above The Forks, its remarkable galleries exploring human rights from the Holocaust to Indigenous residential schools and its extraordinary Tower of Hope giving the finest view of the Red River confluence making it the finest museum in the country. Entry approx 18 CAD. Drive/Travel: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
THE FORKS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE AND THE RED RIVER CONFLUENCE
The Forks where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet is the most extraordinary historic meeting place in western Canada, a 6,000-year-old gathering site now containing the remarkable Forks Market, the extraordinary Manitoba Museum of Indigenous and natural history, the remarkable skating trail on the frozen rivers in winter and the outstanding Winnipeg Goldeyes baseball at the extraordinary Canadian baseball stadium. Market entry free. Drive/Travel: 15 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE EXCHANGE DISTRICT AND THE FINEST HERITAGE ARCHITECTURE IN WESTERN CANADA
The Exchange District is the most extraordinary heritage commercial neighbourhood in western Canada, its extraordinary 150 buildings of Edwardian and Beaux-Arts commercial architecture from the wheat boom of 1880 to 1920 preserved entirely intact, the remarkable Winnipeg Art Gallery Inuit art collection, the extraordinary Old Market Square and the remarkable North End neighbourhood making it the finest architectural quarter in the prairies. Gallery approx 15 CAD.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Winnipeg North End is the most extraordinary immigrant neighbourhood in western Canada, its extraordinary Ukrainian, Jewish and Filipino heritage concentrated on Selkirk Avenue in the finest ethnic food strip in the prairies. The oldest Ukrainian Orthodox church in Canada, the Rorie Street community and the Winnipeg Goldeyes stadium are
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Deer + Almond, Winnipeg The finest restaurant in Winnipeg. Outstanding prairie farm breakfast. Also excellent for | Lunch: The Forks Market food hall Outstanding multicultural food hall at the finest market in Winnipeg. Ukrainian, Filipino and Indigenous all extraordinary. | Dinner: Segovia, Winnipeg The finest tapas restaurant in western Canada. Outstanding prairie ingredients in Spanish format.
DAY 2
RIDING MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AND THE PRAIRIE WILDERNESS
MORNING
RIDING MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK AND THE FINEST WILDLIFE IN MANITOBA
Riding Mountain National Park on the Manitoba Escarpment is the most extraordinary wilderness destination in southern Manitoba, its extraordinary Clear Lake, the finest freshwater lake for swimming and sailing in the prairies, the remarkable herd of 40 plains bison in the south park enclosure and the extraordinary grey wolf, black bear and elk populations in the backcountry making it the finest wildlife park in the prairie provinces. Park pass approx 10 CAD. Drive/Travel: 3 hours drive
MIDDAY
WASAGAMING, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY RESORT VILLAGE IN THE PRAIRIES
Wasagaming on the shore of Clear Lake is the most extraordinary resort village in the prairie provinces, its extraordinary collection of 1930s rustic log buildings including the park administration building, the remarkable Riding Mountain Golf Course and the extraordinary Clear Lake beach with its warm water swimming in summer making it the finest lake resort in western Canada. The townsite is entirely within the national park. Entry with park pass. Drive/Travel: 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE BISON PADDOCK AND THE GREY OWL CABIN TRAIL
The Riding Mountain bison paddock contains the finest accessible plains bison herd in Manitoba, 40 animals in a 500-hectare enclosure visible from the paddock road. The Grey Owl cabin trail, a 15km return hike to the cabin where the English-born conservationist Archibald Belaney lived as the Indigenous trapper Grey Owl in the 1930s, is the finest heritage hike in Manitoba. Entry free with park pass.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Boreal Forest trail network in the backcountry of Riding Mountain gives extraordinary moose encounters in the beaver pond meadows north of Clear Lake. The Ochre River trail at dawn in September gives the finest moose viewing in Manitoba. No facilities beyond the trailhead. Park pass required. Bring bear spray.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Clear Lake Bakery, Wasagaming Outstanding national park breakfast at the finest cafe in Riding Mountain. Local prairie wheat bread. | Lunch: Elkhorn Resort dining room Outstanding Manitoba wilderness lunch at the finest resort in Riding Mountain National Park. | Dinner: Wasagaming Campfire Restaurant Outstanding park dining experience. Local Manitoba bison burger and prairie wild berry desserts.
DAY 3
CHURCHILL, THE POLAR BEAR CAPITAL OF THE WORLD
MORNING
CHURCHILL AND THE POLAR BEARS OF HUDSON BAY
Churchill on Hudson Bay is the most extraordinary wildlife destination in North America, the only town in the world where polar bears congregate on the land as they wait for Hudson Bay to freeze. The extraordinary Tundra Buggy tours through the Churchill Wildlife Management Area give face-to-face encounters with the world's largest land predator from October to November. The subarctic tundra landscape is extraordinary in all seasons. Tundra Buggy full day approx 250 CAD. Drive/Travel: 2 hour flight
MIDDAY
THE BELUGA WHALE ESTUARY AND THE CHURCHILL RIVER
The Churchill River estuary in summer contains the most extraordinary concentration of beluga whales in the world, 3,000 to 5,000 belugas in the shallow warm waters of the estuary from June to August giving the finest cetacean viewing in Canada from shore. The extraordinary kayaking among the belugas is the finest wildlife paddling experience in the country. Kayak tour approx 65 CAD. Shore viewing free. Drive/Travel: 20 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND THE CHURCHILL AURORA SEASON
Churchill is the finest northern lights destination in North America accessible by scheduled transport, its extraordinary subarctic sky away from light pollution and its position under the auroral oval giving the finest aurora borealis viewing in Canada from September to March. The extraordinary Aurora Pod heated dome accommodation gives the finest overnight aurora experience in the country. Viewing free from town.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site across the Churchill River, accessible by boat, is the largest 18th-century stone fortification in North America, begun by the Hudson's Bay Company in 1731 and surrendered without a shot to the French in 1782. The extraordinary restored walls and the views across
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Gypsy's Bakery, Churchill The only genuine bakery in Churchill. Outstanding cinnamon buns and the finest coffee on Hudson Bay. | Lunch: The Tundra Inn dining room Outstanding Churchill lunch. Local Arctic char and the finest Churchill chowder in the only hotel in town. | Dinner: Lazy Bear Lodge, Churchill The finest dinner in Churchill. Outstanding Canadian wilderness menu in the most extraordinary log lodge.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Winnipeg, Night 1 Inn at the Forks or Alt Hotel. Approx 150 to 300 CAD per night. Riding Mountain, Night 2 Elkhorn Resort or Wasagaming lodge. Approx 120 to 250 CAD per night. Churchill, Night 3 Lazy Bear Lodge or Tundra Inn. Approx 200 to 400 CAD per night.
Top Tips
1. Churchill polar bears: October 20 to November 20 is peak season. Book Tundra Buggy months ahead.
2. Beluga whale kayaking: June to August only. Book Sea North Tours ahead at seaNorth.com.
3. Riding Mountain bison: the paddock road is open year-round. Best light for photography is early morning.
4. CMHR Tower of Hope: go at sunset for the finest view of the Red River confluence.
5. Narcisse snake dens: mid-May emergence is the most extraordinary free wildlife spectacle in Canada.
6. Churchill northern lights: September to March. The Lazy Bear Lodge aurora alert service is the finest.
Total Budget
220 to 580 CAD/day