Churchill, Manitoba may not be everybody's dream of a winter destination-but this ecotourism destination was certainly mine. When my plans finally came together last March it was hard to imagine being any more excited. Here I was in the land of: dogsledding, polar bears, and the aurora borealis or northern lights! It was time for an adventure holiday in Manitoba.

There are three ways to get to Churchill. While some of the other tourists I met in Churchill came by VIA Rail and a few by snowmobile from Thompson, Manitoba, I flew in from Winnipeg-there are no roads past Gillam, 170 miles south of Churchill.

I'd already enjoyed more than four months of winter, but the view in Churchill was still enough to take my breath away. The sky, a startling blue as far as I could see, circled the pristine white snow that enveloped everything. A slight blur on the southern horizon marked the tree line. Ice hummocks on Hudson Bay, tiny iceberg like formations, scattered across the ice like monuments to winter. An Inuksuk built of stone provided guidance on the best path to take, where it stood at the outskirts of town.

I immediately set out for a walk around town and discovered the craft store. From fur parkas to hand-crafted moccasins and artwork, I was impressed with the beauty of the items for sale. I couldn't resist stopping to chat with some of the local artisans, who managed to answer my questions while their busy fingers worked away.

My day was dedicated to dogsledding, which was awesome. While my girlfriend bundled up in the sleigh, I stood on one side of the rigging at the back next to Dave-my job was to hold the brake or anchor into the snow when we stopped. The dogs started off, pulling us through a land of magic so quiet I could hear my own breathing, along with the crunching of the snow as we floated over it.

Taking the tundra buggy out over the same terrain that night provided an entirely different kind of experience. The immense vehicle crawled over the snow, giving us lots of time to sip hot chocolate and eat dessert while we waited for my other must-do of the trip-view the Northern Lights. The aurora borealis danced into the night right on schedule, filling the sky directly overhead with a multitude of colours ranging through whites, greens, and hints of reds.

While I expected to be amazed with the scenery of Churchill, I was quite surprised to be served a gourmet meal for my last supper. Helen Webber, lodge operator for Churchill Wild, chef, and author of some excellent cookbooks, opens her home to serve small groups-it was one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Caribou, served with locally picked cranberries and wild rice, introduced me to some of the north's most tempting main courses. Dessert, cranberry cake and blueberry cream cheese tart, finished off one of my most memorable meals.

The polar bear, unfortunately, hadn't made their way back to Churchill, so that gave me a reason to plan another trip to Churchill. Sometimes a trip can be disappointing when you have built up great expectations, but Churchill managed to surpass mine!

WHEN YOU GO:

Travel Manitoba
http://www.travelmanitoba.com
1-800-665-0040

Churchill, MB, Chamber of Commerce
http://www.churchillmb.net/~cccomm/english.htm

Churchill Wild!
Polar Bears, Fire & Ice adventures, Northern Lights -- Aurora Borealis
http://www.churchillwild.com/

Tundra Buggy Tours
Polar Bears, Northern Lights -- Aurora Borealis, 2004 Ecotourism Award
http://www.tundrabuggy.com/

Photos of the Northern Lights and the Tundra Buggy & Polar Bears are courtesy of Travel Manitoba. All other photos are by Linda Aksomitis.

	Web www.snowridermag.com

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