Polar Bears and Aurora in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.
When I think about destinations that combine raw wilderness with once-in-a-lifetime photographic opportunities, Churchill in northern Manitoba quickly rises to the top. Perched on the edge of Hudson Bay in Northern Canada, this beautifully remote Arctic gateway offers a rare mix of luminous night skies, rare wildlife sightings, and unique ways to experience them. After learning about the region over coffee with the team from Travel Manitoba, I started researching and exploring the adventures possible for photographers (and myself!) who are keen to visit in 2026.
I already know it’ll be a destination that fills my memory cards faster than the northern lights dance across the sky!
Here are the experiences that have firmly placed Churchill on my radar for 2026.
#1 Aurora visible up to 300 nights each year
Churchill sits directly beneath the auroral oval, making the northern lights a near certainty, rather than a chance encounter, visible up to 300 nights each year. Having photographed aurora in Iceland, Greenland and across Scandinavia, plus the Aurora Australis in New Zealand, the concept of an easier hunt sounds very enticing! I don’t think I slept a wink on my first trip to Iceland, constantly checking the forecast map and looking outside at all hours of the night.
There’s several tours available from Churchill, and I love the sound of the Nights Under Lights experience with Nanuk Operations. Over five nights, you stay at a remote lodge with dedicated dark-sky viewing platforms, joining expert guides for three extended aurora sessions. Days are filled with activities that keep the creative spark alive and offer a variety of photography opportunities from dog sledding to snowshoeing and nature walks through the boreal forest.
More info on witnessing the Aurora magic in Churchill can be found here.
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
Image Credit – Travel Manitoba
#2 Photograph Polar Bears in Their Natural Habitat
Churchill is known as the ‘Polar Bear Capital of the World,’ so it’s very clear why this is perhaps the top reason most people visit. In Churchill, the presence of polar bears offers more than just iconic imagery, it presents a rare chance to observe these Arctic giants going about their own rhythm.
Churchill sits on the edge of Hudson Bay, and each fall, polar bears gather near the shoreline, waiting for the ice to form and their hunting season to begin. Mid-October to mid-November is the peak of this migration, offering high chances of sightings and the perfect backdrop for intimate wildlife photography.
For photographers, there are several ways you can give yourself the best chance of documenting these beauties.
Tundra Vehicle Tours: Specially designed vehicles drive you across the tundra, allowing safe, close-range observation and framing of bears against sweeping landscapes. There are indoor spaces, and outdoor viewing decks so you can safely observe and not disturb the polar bears…although, from some of the videos and imagery I’ve seen, they’re quite curious so you may end up having a close encounter!
Walking Safaris and Lodge-Based Access: Wilderness lodges, such as those operated by Churchill Wild, offer opportunities to photograph bears on foot from a respectful distance. This ground-level access can yield portraits with more personal connection and nuanced compositions, using the environment and natural elements to help frame your images.
For the ultimate experience (in my opinion), the Nanuk Emergence Quest by Churchill Wild stands out. This 14-day winter expedition places you in the heart of denning areas, where you may witness a mother polar bear leading her newborn cubs from the den onto the frozen coast. Requiring patience and close observation, it’s a charted and guided experience, offering the chance to capture wildlife images that most of us dream of, not to mention the opportunity to simply witness this moment!
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
#3 Experience Beluga Whales Beneath your Kayak
Every summer, thousands of beluga whales migrate into the Churchill River estuary, transforming the water into a living canvas of sound and movement. Photographing from a kayak offers a perspective few wildlife destinations can match, eye level with playful, curious whales whose pale, shapely figures glow against the deep blues of the river.
Having photographed a series focused on split-level underwater imagery, I’d actually researched how to photograph belugas before, and Churchill is the one place I had marked on the map!
While it’s important to maintain your distance and not to jump in the water with them, there are tours available where you can paddle board, kayak, or even float while drifting behind a boat, an experience I think would lend itself well to those keen to capturing underwater imagery.
Image Credit: Build Films, Travel Manitoba
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
Image Credit: Build Films, Travel Manitoba
#4 Combine a trip with Arctic Expedition Sailing
There’s now an additional way to reach Churchill, and it involves sailing across Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea, through the Hudson Strait and into Hudson Bay. In 2024, Silversea became the first expedition ship to sail into the port, opening a new route across the Canadian Arctic and providing the option for travellers to arrive via Greenland and the High Arctic regions.
Hapag-Lloyd has since joined with its own itinerary, which begins in Churchill before sailing across to Kangerlussuaq with a charter flight through to Zurich. Canada, Greenland and Switzerland in the same itinerary…yes, please!
I can only imagine how special it must be to arrive or depart by sea, photographing shifting ice floes and bergs under an endless midnight sun, and the excitement of thrilling wildlife viewings along the way.
Image Credit: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Image Credit: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises
Image Credit: Hapag-Lloyd Cruises / Christian Wyrwa
#5 Unique Wilderness Stays for Immersive Experiences
Remote eco-lodges and innovative tundra accommodations allow photographers to base themselves within the landscape, ready for whatever the light or wildlife brings. Churchill Wild Lodges, such as Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge and Seal River Heritage Lodge, place you where wildlife roams freely. Guided walks begin at your door, and panoramic windows mean the aurora can appear while you are reviewing the day’s shots by the fire. No long transfers, no crowds, just the chance to respond instantly when nature calls, in a photographic sense.
Lazy Bear Lodge offers a different but equally photogenic stay. Built from reclaimed timber, it has the warmth of a northern cabin with quick access to beluga tours, Arctic Crawler trips, and coastal aurora viewpoints. Its cosy interiors, lamplight against rough-hewn logs, are as atmospheric to photograph as the wildlife beyond its doors.
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
Image Credit: Travel Manitoba
Will you be adding Churchill to your wish list in 2026? Or maybe, you’ve already been, if so, leave a comment and share your experience!
I’d love to try and arrange a photography experience for readers of The Wandering Lens and members of The Travel Photography Club to connect and come together in Manitoba for a wildlife photography adventure in 2027.
Continue Your Photography Journey
If reading about Churchill’s wild north has sparked ideas for your own photography adventures, you might love what I share inside The Travel Photography Club. It’s an online community and learning space I created for photographers who want to refine their skills, connect with like-minded travellers, and keep their creativity alive between trips.
Members receive a beautifully designed monthly magazine, access to a growing library of location guides, photo itineraries, editing resources, and exclusive challenges that encourage you to keep shooting wherever you are. You’ll also find a private forum where photographers around the world share images, swap advice, and inspire one another.
For a deeper dive, the self-paced Travel Photography Courses guide you step-by-step through everything from composition and storytelling to building a portfolio or launching a print store. Whether you are just beginning or ready to take the next professional step, these courses are built to help you grow as a photographer while staying true to your own creative vision.
Hello! I’m the founder and photographer behind The Wandering Lens.
With 19+yrs experience as a professional travel and landscape photographer, all advice found on this site is from my personal experience, or that of contributors, on the road. I hope it’s useful for your own travels and would love to hear in the comments about your trips and experiences around the world.
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