Nestled in the province of Manitoba, in the heart of Canada, the sub-Arctic town of Churchill is renowned to be the polar bear capital of the world, and the most accessible place to view polar bears in the wild.
While visitors can see polars bears anytime from July through to November, it’s in autumn (Southern Hemisphere Spring) predominantly October and November, when the these lords of the arctic, migrate to the frozen shores of the Hudson Bay, providing unparalleled accessibility for visitors to observe these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
Travel Manitoba shares three ways to view the polar bears on the frozen tundra:
1) Town Based Expeditions
2) Custom Tundra Lodge Expeditions
3) Fly in-Fly-Out Lodge Expeditions
Town Based Expeditions
Choose from a multi day Churchill town-based operator including Frontiers North Adventures, Lazy Bear Expeditions and Natural Habitat Adventures. The framework of these classic polar bear tours are somewhat similar no matter the operator: guests overnight at a hotel or lodge in town, and spend multiple days out on the tundra aboard customised vehicles to view the polar bears. Each operator has their own unique tundra vehicles providing ultimate comfort, with bears been renowned to come right up alongside the vehicles to get a sneak peak of their visitors.
Custom Tundra Lodge Expeditions
For the hardcore naturalist the other option is to stay in an exclusive custom tundra lodge, transported and stationed on the subarctic plains throughout October and November. These all terrain stationed lodges stand over 13 feet tall and are best described as a train-like dwelling of conjoined tundra vehicles. Two operators offer this experience Frontiers North and Natural Habitat Adventures.
The lodges are made up of a viewing car, dining car and sleeping car, and each day guests load into a mobile tundra buggies or polar rovers in search bears. The close quarters and berth-like sleeping arrangements are conducive to bonding with your fellow adventurers who come from around the world. Together you get to sleep and dine with polar bears just out the window for multiple nights.
Fly-in, Fly-Out Lodge Expeditions
For the eco naturalist Churchill Wild owns and operates three remote eco-lodges on Canada’s Hudson Bay coast. Just a short prop plane flight from town, guests can land in remote wilderness at Dymond Lake Lodge, Seal River Heritage Lodge or Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge (the latter two designated National Geographic’s Unique Lodges of the World). Every lodge stay is slightly different, but the defining characteristic of this premium Churchill Wild experience is that guests go on daily tundra treks, led by experienced polar bear ‘whisperer’ guides (who are armed for safety), and view polar bears from the ground, without any barriers.
TOUR OPERATOR PACKAGES FOR VIEWING OPTIONS
Town Based Expeditions
Stay in a Churchill hotel with polar bear-watching aboard the Tundra Buggy by day with Natural Focus Safari’s Churchill Polar Bear Adventure package from $10,876AUD per person, twin share for five nights and six days. The package includes return airfares between Winnipeg and Churchill, plus transfer in Churchill, two nights accommodation in Winnipeg, full board on nights two to five in Churchill, and two days polar bear viewing aboard the Tundra Buggy, then returning to the hotel. For bookings call 1300 363 302 or email info@awsnfs.com
Custom Tundra Lodge Expeditions
Explore polar bears with a stay at Tundra Buggy Lodge through Adventure World from $17,229AUD per person, for seven days and six nights including round trip flights between Winnipeg and Churchill, all ground transfers in Churchill, three nights hotel accommodation in Winnipeg, and three nights on the Tundra Buggy Lodge. Four breakfasts, lunches and dinners are also included along with town excursions, and a dog sledding program. For bookings call 1300 363 055 or see www.adventureworld.com.
Fly-in, Fly-Out Lodge Expeditions
Churchill Wild, fly-in, fly-out expeditions for seven days start from $20,503AUD per person with Entire Travel Group on a Great Ice Bear Adventure. The package includes return airfares from Winnipeg to Churchill, plus flights to Dymond Lake EcoLodge, two nights in Winnipeg, three nights at Dymond Lake EcoLodge, one night in Churchill, all meals in Churchill while at the lodge, plus all polar bear viewing excursions, and winter clothing rental. Travel period is for 20 Oct to 10 Nov, 2024. For enquiries call Entire Travel Group on +61 2 9094 3322 or see www.entiretravel.com.au
GETTING THERE
Air Canada offers daily direct flights to Vancouver from Sydney, whilst flying six times per week from Brisbane, until 26 October when they will fly daily from Brisbane. Direct flights from Sydney to Vancouver are also available on Qantas. Once in Vancouver, daily connecting flights are available from Vancouver to Winnipeg on Air Canada or Westjet. Westjet also flys direct from LAX to Winnipeg 2-4x/week depending on the season. For travellers with additional time the VIA Rail train service from Vancouver is an option.
For further information on visiting Manitoba contact your preferred travel agent or visit www.travelmanitoba.com
