Beluga Whale Trip Report 2026
- WEEK 1 -

Churchill, Canada
July 21 - 27, 2026

July 22, 2026. Day One

Our first day on the Churchill River began under flat calm conditions with dark, rainy skies. It was one of those mornings where you know the photography might be a challenge before you even leave the dock.

The overcast light was heavy, rain fell on and off throughout the day, and while the water itself looked good, the weather had other plans for us.

The great thing though was… beluga whales were everywhere!

Large family groups were all over the river, and we felt confident that we'd find a few curious whales willing to spend some time with us. Right away after dropping the matt, whales approached us.

We did have several excellent encounters, and everyone got some water time and had the chance to see the whales up close.

Unfortunately, the visibility was horrible.

The rain had washed enough sediment into the river that everything looked hazy. Even when the whales were only a few feet away, they appeared soft and blurry through the water. It was one of those frustrating days where the wildlife delivered, but the conditions refused to.

Rather than continue searching for clearer water, we decided to change gears and head out onto the tundra to look for polar bears.

I'm really glad we made that decision.

It was a good day for bear sightings.

By the end of the afternoon we had seen six polar bears in total: a mother with her two cubs, two large males, and another bear off on its own searching the shoreline for Arctic tern eggs.

There was two males in the area that had taken an interest in her.

The mother was keeping a close eye on them. They were approaching her from different directions.

She clearly wasn't comfortable having them anywhere near her cubs and didn't linger long before moving her family away to a safer distance.

After the female left the area, one of the males turned his attention towards the other bear, and started walking towards it.

At first we assumed we might be about to witness a confrontation.

Two mature males slowly approached one another across the tundra, and everyone on the boat expected at least a little sparring.

Instead, they simply greeted each other without a hint of aggression.

They definitely had a brothers vibe to them, especially since a female was nearby. 

It was a great reminder that every day out here teaches us something new.

The weather may not have given us the underwater photographs we were hoping for, but Churchill still delivered a nice first day. 

Beluga whales in the morning and six polar bears by the afternoon is a great way to spend the day.

Can’t wait for tomorrow…

July 23, 2026. Day Two.

We began the day exploring some of the landmarks that have made Churchill famous.

While the wildlife is what brings us here each summer, the town itself has a fascinating history and unique Arctic character that is well worth experiencing.

By 2:00 p.m. it was time to head back out onto the Churchill River in search of our beloved beluga whales. Our biggest hope for the afternoon was better underwater visibility. The whales had been plentiful on day one, but the hazy water made underwater photography difficult.

Unfortunately, the visibility hadn't improved much.

The underwater encounters were still limited by the murky conditions, but we made the most of every minute.

Thankfully, there were belugas everywhere. Large family groups moved through the river, and the action above the surface was even better than below it.

Watching the whales surface, socialize, and feed was incredibly entertaining, and everyone enjoyed spending the afternoon surrounded by these remarkable Arctic mammals.

However every once in a while we did find little pockets of clean water and managed to snap a few photos worth sharing.

Later in the day we received word that several polar bears had been spotted near Button Bay.

With reports of as many as eight bears in the area, we decided to wrap up our time with the belugas and make the run over to see if we could find them.

While we didn't locate all eight bears, we were rewarded with a mother polar bear resting peacefully on the rocks with her two cubs.

Photographing them wasn't easy.

They were well over 100 yards away, and trying to capture sharp images from a boat rolling in the swell is tough.

But we gave it our best shot.

One of the cubs had climbed onto its mother's back and fallen asleep there, making for an incredibly tender moment.

It's easy to think of polar bears only as powerful Arctic predators, but moments like these remind us they're also devoted mothers raising curious young cubs in one of the harshest environments on Earth.

It was a great way to end another day in Churchill.

July 24, 2026. Day Three.

We began the morning with a drive across the tundra in search of Arctic foxes. Summer is one of the most challenging times to find them. The thick vegetation provides countless places to disappear, turning every search into a lesson in patience.

But that's wildlife photography.

You keep looking because you never know what you might see.

While making our way across the tundra, we spotted a Bald Eagle perched high in a tree overlooking the landscape. It's always a privilege to see one of these incredible birds. 

A little farther down the road, we noticed a van parked on the shoulder with several photographers looking towards the shoreline.

It was a bear.

The bear had been trying to settle in for a nap but couldn't seem to get comfortable. It wandered from one spot to another, lying down briefly, then getting back up in search of a better place to rest.

Eventually, it found a spot. The bear curled up, relaxed, and drifted off to sleep.

We spent a few minutes photographing it while it searched for the perfect place to rest, then quietly moved on once it had settled in. 

By 2:00 p.m. we were back on the Churchill River.

The weather couldn't have been more beautiful.

The water, however, was another story.

The visibility had deteriorated into what could only be described as coffee-colored water. Thick, muddy, and filled with suspended sediment, it was the worst visibility we've seen so far this week.

The belugas were still around, but not in the numbers we'd expected. Reports suggested that most of the whales had moved farther downriver, so we spent the afternoon changing locations in search of cleaner water.

We eventually found slightly better conditions, but the haze remained.

The whales clearly weren't interested in approaching us either. Belugas rely heavily on sound to navigate and communicate, but even they seemed reluctant to interact in the murky water.

After several attempts, we accepted what nature was telling us.

No magic for us today.

So we made the decision to call it a day a little early.

That's wildlife… You don't get to write the script.

Tomorrow is another day.

July 25, 2026. Day 4.

We started the morning with another drive across the tundra, hoping the Arctic might surprise us.

It did.

Not long into the drive we encountered two caribou.

Seeing caribou around Churchill is super rare. In fact, the last time I photographed one here was back in 2017. One of the animals carried a massive set of antlers, making the encounter even more memorable.

Sometimes wildlife photography is about persistence.

Sometimes it's simply about being lucky, and I love being lucky.

As we continued exploring, we also came across a Willow Ptarmigan in its beautiful summer plumage. While nothing compares to seeing these birds in their brilliant white winter feathers, these iconic Tundra birds are beautiful no matter the season and are always a welcome addition to a day on the tundra.

4:00 p.m. it was time to head back onto the Churchill River.

The sky was gray, the wind had picked up, and there was definitely a chill in the air.

It was COLD… and it did not look like it was going to be a fun day to be on the water.

While we were getting gearing up, Ernst looked at me and said, “I am not feeling very motivated to go out there, give me some motivation.”

I laughed and said… “today is going to be an EPIC day!” 

I pointed out to the river and showed him… That there were belugas everywhere.

He thanked me and continued gearing up. 

Even before entering the water, the whales were showing some curiosity, surfacing around the boats and moving closer to us than they had in previous days. 

Once we slipped into the river, two things became obvious.

The first was that the visibility had improved dramatically.

The second... the water was cold.

The drop in temperature had done exactly what we'd been hoping for. It cleared much of the suspended sediment that had been hanging in the river all week, revealing the best underwater conditions we'd experienced so far.

And then... the magic happened.

A massive pod of belugas surrounded us as they fed on schools of capelin.

They were whales everywhere.

Whales swam beneath us, beside us, and surfaced all around us. We were in the middle of it all, sharing the river with hundreds of animals completely focused on feeding.

It was one of those encounters that reminds you why you travel halfway around the world.

After yesterday's disappointing visibility and quieter whale activity, many of us wondered if today's dive would be more of the same.

Instead, Churchill reminded us why patience matters.

Nature doesn't follow our schedule.

Sometimes it asks you to wait.

And sometimes... it rewards you beyond your expectations.

I was filming footage for our Wild Minute series, doing my best to stay composed while talking to the camera.

I failed.

It was just so good.

The visibility was still far from perfect by Churchill river standards, but compared to the rest of the week it was incredible.

More importantly, the whales wanted to be with us.

There was quite a few boats out there today.

For everyone in and on the water today, it was the kind of day you dream about.

I was so very grateful that I was right… Today was EPIC!

July 26, 2026. Day Five.

Our final day in Churchill.

We started the morning with a drive across the tundra in search of wildlife. We were still hoping to find a fox, and perhaps one last polar bear, but today the tundra had different plans.

No bears.

No foxes.

Instead, we were treated to a beautiful pair of Sandhill Cranes.

The two birds remained close together as they moved across the tundra, a reminder that even on quieter wildlife days, Churchill always has something to offer for those willing to look.

After a nice morning exploring the landscape, we returned to prepare for one final afternoon with the belugas.

By 5:00 p.m. we were back on the river.

Earlier in the day the sky had been brilliant blue, dotted with soft white clouds.

Unfortunately, by the time we launched, thick gray clouds had rolled overhead.

So much for the sunshine.

Fortunately, the air was warmer than it had been the previous afternoon, and the belugas were already showing signs of curiosity around the boats.

The whales were feeding again.

Hundreds of belugas were chasing enormous schools of capelin, surfacing everywhere around us in an incredible feeding event.

The underwater story, however, was different.

The visibility had deteriorated once again. The river had become cloudy and murky, making photography difficult, and the whales were far less interested in interacting with us than they had been a day earlier.

They had one thing on their minds.

Food.

Brad and Reese were fortunate enough to enjoy a fantastic encounter early in the session while riding the beluga board. But as the afternoon progressed, the whales became completely focused on feeding, and the novelty of the boats seemed to wear off.

Sometimes that's simply how wildlife works.

You don't get to decide the story.

The animals do.

As the afternoon drew to a close, something unexpected happened.

A group of male belugas finished feeding and began socializing.

Then...

they started fighting.

Powerful tail slaps echoed across the water as the males pushed, bit, and wrestled with one another. It was intense, energetic, and completely mesmerizing to watch.

Then the pod swam directly toward our boat.

For several unforgettable minutes they swam around us, beneath us, continuing their underwater wrestling match just below the hull, giving us front-row seats to one of the most fascinating displays of beluga behavior we've ever witnessed.

It was the perfect ending.

But because nature gave us something completely unexpected.

That's what Churchill has always been about.

You don't chase moments like these.

You meet them when they come.

To our friends who joined us this week, thank you for sharing an unforgettable Arctic adventure. It was a privilege to explore this incredible place together.

What a trip… Just WOW, WOW, WOW!

Want to learn more about next season’s Beluga and Polar Bear Expedition… CLICK HERE.