Beluga Whale Watching

Thousands of belugas gather at the Churchill River mouth each July

Each July, an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 beluga whales congregate at the mouth of the Churchill River to feed, socialise, and give birth in the warm, shallow waters where the river meets Hudson Bay. From the shoreline of the estuary you can watch them rolling and surfacing continuously. For a closer encounter, sea kayaking tours operate from the Churchill waterfront — belugas are naturally curious and regularly approach kayakers.

Snorkelling with belugas is also possible in calm conditions, and several operators offer underwater photography opportunities. The beluga season typically runs from late June through early August. This is also the best season for wildflowers across the tundra, making Churchill spectacularly beautiful in a way the bear-season photographs don't capture.

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Belugas are extraordinarily vocal — they have been called "canaries of the sea" — and you can hear them underwater through the hull of a kayak as a continuous chorus of clicks, whistles, and chirps. Local operators claim that belugas have been known to approach paddlers and sing to them.