Canada's Premier Polar Bear Adventure
Excellent land trip for polar bear viewing. See them while you still can! Great for photographers.
SPECIAL OFFER
9.2*
ECO SCORE
16
PASSENGERS
7
DAYS
3/5
ACTIVITY LEVEL
Churchill: Drink It In
When you're standing on the outdoor platform of our Polar Rover, the chill Arctic air feels invigorating. But not as much as the sight of the huge polar bear ambling toward us. Sometimes they are silhouetted against the horizon, slowly moving shadows on the vast expanse of tundra. Other times, one may wander up directly below. Out here among the bears, time stands still. It's nearly impossible to describe the feeling, but your photos will capture one of nature's most wondrous wildlife encounters!
Travel Curator’s Insights:
- • Meet the world’s greatest concentration of polar bears as they wait for Hudson Bay to freeze.
• Custom Polar Rovers get you safely up close to wild polar bears.
• Meet a local musher and his team on an authentic dog sled ride through the boreal forest.
SPECIAL OFFER
Rates:
From $7,795 per person
October to November is a prime time to see polar bears in Canada. Bears gather on the shores of Hudson Bay, waiting for the sea ice to form, making them highly visible. The colder temperatures enhance wildlife activity, providing excellent opportunities for observing bears.
Inquire for specific dates.
October – November;
Hover here for more information.
Departures:
Trip Sustainability Awards
Waste
Has eliminated use of single-use plastic bottles and straws
Conservation
Has contributed more than $4.5 million to the WWF
Carbon
Offsets all CO2 outputs from trips and office operations
Itinerary
Day 1: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Our Churchill polar bear tour begins in Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba. Once a center of fur trade and a Canadian Pacific Railway boomtown, Winnipeg today is a cultural and commercial center on the eastern edge of Canada’s vast prairies. Transfer to the historic Fort Garry Hotel, grande dame of Winnipeg hospitality and one of the city’s most prestigious landmarks. Meet your Expedition Leader at a welcome dinner this evening.
Accommodation: Fort Garry Hotel
Day 2: Winnipeg / Churchill
Fly by chartered plane to Churchill this morning. This hospitable frontier town, originally a Hudson's Bay Company fur trading post, is our base for adventure. On the 6-day trip we head to the tundra this evening for our first glimpse of the bears, although we often see them from the bus as we leave the airport, even before boarding our Polar Rover. The 7-day trip opens with an evening presentation on polar bears and the northern environment by our professional naturalist staff.
Accommodation: Polar Inn & Suites (or similar)
Days 3 & 4: Polar Bear Viewing
Custom-built Polar Rovers are our mobile means for spending time among the bears. Though they can accommodate up to 35 passengers, we take a maximum of 16, ensuring everyone has a window seat and plenty of space to move about. Our Expedition Leaders know the best places to observe polar bears, which congregate here each fall as they wait for Hudson Bay to freeze, signaling the start of the winter seal-hunting season. As we watch them interact, we're delighted by their antics and rugged beauty. We may see mothers with cubs, young males play-fighting, or a lone bear ambling over the silent tundra. Our Expedition Leader interprets all we observe, explaining the bears’ behavior and how they thrive in such a harsh environment. In the evenings, we gather for dinner and presentations on wildlife and local cultures.
Accommodation: Polar Inn & Suites (or similar)
Day 5: Exploring Churchill / Evening on the Tundra
On the 7-day trip, tour historic Churchill today, then head out to the tundra for evening bear viewing and dinner aboard the Polar Rover. During the day we follow the coastal road on a drive to Cape Merry, often spying Arctic fox and Arctic hare. Look closely for them, as their winter-white coats offer excellent camouflage later in the season when the ground is covered with snow.
If the skies are clear, our nighttime tundra excursion might reveal one of nature’s most exhilarating experiences—a chance to view the northern lights away from the glare of town. Though never predictable, the auroral display typically starts as a pale glow in the northern sky. The lights often begin to undulate and dance in shimmering curtains of color, most typically green but occasionally red or violet. On the 6-day trip (during which your nighttime tundra outing takes place on Day 2), there is free time in Churchill or choose an optional helicopter excursion over the vast expanse of frozen tundra before boarding our flight back to Winnipeg.
Accommodation: Polar Inn & Suites (or similar) (7 Day) - Or head home (6 Day)
Day 6: Churchill—Dog Sledding / Winnipeg
Our return flight to Winnipeg is scheduled to depart mid- to late afternoon, offering as much time as possible for exploring Churchill today. A highlight this morning is an authentic dog sled ride. We meet a local musher and his team, spending time with the lively and affectionate dogs before taking turns riding behind them on an exhilarating trot through the boreal forest. If time permits, you may be able to pick up some locally made handicrafts or take an optional helicopter tour over the tundra before we depart. We'll have a farewell lunch together before flying back to Winnipeg, where a final reception concludes our adventure together.
Day 7: Winnipeg / Depart
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home.
Please note: On the 6-day trip, our sled dog excursion takes place on Day 5 with a return to Winnipeg that afternoon, and flights home are scheduled for Day 6. On the 7-day trip, the nighttime tundra trip occasionally alternates between Day 4 and Day 5. Itineraries may vary slightly, but inclusions are the same.
An important note on polar bear viewing: Since 1989, we have operated approximately 1,500 departures to Churchill to view polar bears, and we’ve missed seeing them on only a handful of occasions. Some of our sightings are up close while others are from afar, or even from a helicopter. It’s important to remember that while there is no better opportunity to see polar bears in the wild than our Churchill trips offer, the experience is weather-dependent. That means viewing polar bears—and the distance at which we may see them—is unpredictable and not guaranteed.
Activity Level: Travelers must be able to walk up/down stairs. Our Polar Rover vehicles, designed to travel over the tundra for polar bear observation, can sometimes offer a bumpy ride. Travelers must be prepared for below-freezing temperatures and slippery surfaces.
Getting There & Getting Home: In case of flight or weather delays, we recommend that you arrive a day early and either participate in our Extra Day in Winnipeg program or stay on your own. Please schedule your flights to arrive by 5 pm in order to attend a 7 pm orientation dinner on Day 1 of your program. You are free to depart at any time on the final day.
Rates
Questions?
This operator has been in Churchill for two decades and their experience shows in every aspect of this program. A great way to see bears!
Joy Martinello, Founder
Questions?
What’s Included & Cancellation Policy:
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of professional Expedition Leader(s) and assistants, Polar Rover excursions, dog sledding excursion, evening wildlife and cultural presentations, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day, cold-weather gear including a parka and boots during your trip, most gratuities, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees. Internal air cost includes: Round-trip private charter flights from Winnipeg to Churchill (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).
NOT INCLUDED
Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees (if any), optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes (if any), optional travel protection and medical evacuation insurance.