Churchill, nicknamed 'the polar bear capital of the world,' is the most accessible place on the planet to view polar bears in the wild, and while bears can be seen any time from July through to November, it's the autumn months that are traditionally considered prime viewing.
During October and November in Manitoba, all eyes turn north to Churchill. The sleepy frontier town (pop. 900) along the shores of Hudson Bay swells in population, transforming into a hot spot for wildlife-seeking travellers geared up to witness the annual migration of polar bears onto the sea ice. The normally solitary polar bears, who have been lazing about all summer long, start to socialize along the shoreline as the cold weather descends, eager for the sea ice to form so they can resume hunting for seals until the spring thaw in June.
There are a variety tours for viewing polar bears in Churchill in October and November, and deciding on which one is best for you all depends on your level of adventure, your desire for exclusivity....and (let's be honest) your budget.
Here's a guide to help breakdown the ways that you can join the polar bear party:
For the bucket-lister: a tundra day trip
The majority of visitors to Churchill during polar bear season are there on a multi-day, guided package experience with a local tour company. For those who prefer a bit more independence in their travels, there are a few options for the DIY traveller, but first you've got to get yourself to Churchill. Calm Air International offers daily, 2-hr flights between Winnipeg and Churchill. VIA Rail's Winnipeg-Churchill route operates twice weekly, traversing over 1,500 kms from the prairies to the tundra, and offers a range of options for the 2-night journey ranging from economy seats to multi-person sleeper cabins. Those with access to a vehicle while in Manitoba will sometimes drive 8 hours north from Winnipeg to the city of Thompson, where they store their vehicle before hopping aboard VIA Rail for a shorter train journey to Churchill.
Upon arriving in Churchill, guests can sign up for one-day polar bear tours aboard a massive tundra vehicle with one of two tour companies: Frontiers North Adventures or Great White Bear tours. Day tours generally run from sun up to sun down, 7 am to 5 pm, with a light lunch aboard the vehicle. Prices are around $500 per person. For more information on Great White Bear day tours click here. For more information on Tundra Buggy autumn day tours click here.
The struggle for DIY travellers arriving in Churchill during polar bear season is finding accommodation. The few hotel and motels around town can be pretty full with all the visitors on the guided package tours. Be sure to plan ahead. Some Churchill accommodations include: Churchill Hotel, Iceberg Inn, and Polar Inn & Suites and nightly rates during polar bear season can be up to $300 per night for a basic room.
Or forgo overnighting in Churchill, but still enjoy a day out on the tundra with polar bears by joining Heartland International Travel & Tours' Churchill Polar Bear Day Tours from Winnipeg. Prices are around $1600 and include round trip airfare between Winnipeg-Churchill flights, a seat aboard the Tundra Buggy, lunch and a knowledgeable guide.
For the soft adventurer: Churchill and tundra experience
ravellers who want more than one day on the tundra communing with polar bears, and also have time to get to explore the town of Churchill, are best suited for a multi-day, town-based experience. There are a few key tour operators in town who offer this package: Frontiers North Adventures, Lazy Bear Expeditions, and Great White Bear Adventures. The framework of these classic polar bear tours are somewhat similar no matter the operator: guests overnight at a hotel in town and spend at minimum two days out on the tundra aboard customized vehicles viewing polar bears (sidenote: each company has its own name for the vehicle be it Tundra Buggy, Polar Rover, or Arctic Crawler).
On these tours, there normally an extra day spent in town when guides will take you around town general tour of Churchill's natural and cultural history attractions, and an introductory dog sledding tour at one of the town's sled dog kennels: Bluesky Bed & Sled or Wapusk Adventures. It also allows you free time to visit town sites like the Itsanitaq Museum, the Parks Canada Visitor Centre at the VIA Rail station, and the many souvenir shops along the town's main street Kelsey Boulevard. A worthy add-on to your package (at an extra cost) is a helicopter tour with either Hudson Bay Helicopters or Custom Helicopters for a birds' eye view of the magnificent barren landscapes of the tundra speckled with bears.
For a bit of a twist on the town tour, Churchill Northern Studies Centre offers learning vacations that match eager vacationers with scientists conducting active Arctic research projects. Guests stay just outside of Churchill town limits in an eco-friendly building with dorm-style accommodation and activities include polar bear viewing from one of the tundra vehicles mentioned above.
For the hardcore naturalist: an exclusive tundra lodge stay
For travelers who want to up the adventure level and fully experience the rawness of Mother Nature and life on the tundra, a tundra lodge stay is the best way to maximize their time viewing polar bears. Both Great White Bear Tours and Frontiers North Adventures offer their own version of a lodge stay, which is best described as a train-like dwelling of conjoined tundra vehicles parked deep on the tundra in the heart of polar bear country. The lodges are made up of a viewing car, dining car and sleeping car, and each day guests load into a mobile tundra vehicle in search of more 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.
For the thrill seeker: the fly-in wilderness lodge adventure
