Classic Churchill Polar Bear Adventure
- Duration
- 6 Days
- Prices From:
- AU$ 8,483
MODERATE|SMALL GROUP TOURING: Getting up close to polar bears and live to tell the story must be on many a bucket list. The experience offered on this trip is simply extraordinary. Churchill is a remote place in Northern Manitoba and travelling through the tundra, far from the lights of town, in a specially designed Tundra Buggy® makes it appear even more remote. The Churchill Wildlife Management Area is home to a lot of unique Arctic wildlife, but in the very center of it, during the autumn months, you can view polar bears all day long.
This 5-day small-group Northern itinerary takes you to remote Churchill, Manitoba, your launching pad for some of the world’s most unusual adventures, including dog sledding and wildlife and polar bear habitat tour aboard one of the world’s biggest – and arguably oddest – vehicles: the official Tundra Buggy.®
Start in the city of Winnipeg, allowing some time to explore the city, followed by a get-together with a Frontiers North Adventures Interpretive Guide who will outline what to expect upon arrival in Churchill. Overnight at Lakeview Signature Airport Hotel, so you’re ready to board your plane on time the next morning. Don’t worry about dinner arrangements: this tour is full board, beginning with breakfast on day two and ending with dinner on board the plane on day five.
Depart on an early flight to remote Churchill, then plunge right into an action-packed day. Your small group will tour Churchill and its remote setting on the western shore of Hudson Bay, visit the Parks Canada Visitor Centre, and make a stop at Polar Bears International House, home to the world’s leading polar bear conservation group.
The next day, clamber aboard the famed Tundra Buggy® – a specially constructed 13-foot tall sturdy heated vehicle with their signature outsized tires. Your insulated parka will come in handy when you step out onto the Tundra Buggy® viewing platform to take photos.
A full-day guided adventure takes you along a network of trails across the Arctic tundra and into the heart of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, where wildlife roam free, including polar bears, arctic foxes, ptarmigan, and other arctic wildlife. In the fall your chances of seeing polar bears are excellent. In summer, the tundra teems with smaller wildlife and the ground may be carpeted in brightly-coloured fireweed and cloudberries.
With limited passengers on this exclusive tour, you’ll experience the vast and dramatic tundra in peace. Knowledgeable guides will ensure you have a good understanding of the distinctive nature of this protected management area, its animal inhabitants, and the delicate ecosystem of the tundra itself.
A 1.5-kilometre dog sledding excursion with a local musher is top of the list on your fourth day in the North. Superbly-trained dog sled teams will take you on a bracing sled ride through the boreal forests. So invigorating is this excursion you might even count it among the unexpected highlights of your trip.
Follow up with a visit to the deceptively small Itsanitaq Museum, home to a collection of Inuit carvings and artifacts that are among the finest and oldest in the world. Breakfast and a picnic-style lunch and refreshments are provided on this busy day, so you can focus on your travel adventures.
On your final day in Churchill, enjoy the thrill of another short outing on the Tundra Buggy® before your return flight to Winnipeg. Check out of the airport hotel the next day – unless you plan to extend your trip – and depart for home, filled with special memories of Canada’s rugged North.
- Duration
- 6 Days
- Prices From:
- AU$ 8,483
Itinerary View Trip Map
Arrive Winnipeg
After arrival at Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport, make your own way to the Lakeview Signature Airport Hotel and check-in. Depending on your time of arrival you might have time to explore downtown Winnipeg, which is 25 minutes away, on your own. In the evening, a Frontiers North Adventures Interpretive Guide, conducts a brief orientation of what to expect once you arrive in Churchill.
Overnight at Lakeview Signature Airport Hotel.
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Winnipeg to Churchill
In the morning you depart from Winnipeg on an early flight to the remote town of Churchill. After arrival, join the transfer to your hotel, followed by an enjoyable Churchill and area tour, a visit to the Parks Canada Visitor Centre and PBI House. Includes Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Overnight in Churchill.
| Duration | 3 Nights |
|---|
Churchill
On Day 3, you board an official Tundra Buggy® - a specially constructed vehicle that travels across the tundra to explore polar bear habitat. Enjoy a full-day Tundra Buggy® Adventure in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, home of polar bears, arctic foxes, ptarmigan, and other unique arctic wildlife. Wear comfortable, layered clothing. Each Tundra Buggy® is heated and equipped with washroom facilities and an external viewing platform. Return to town around 17:00, followed by an evening cultural presentation by a local resident. Day 4 begins with a dog sledding excursion with a local musher. The 1.5 km dog sled ride is followed by a visit to the Itsanitaq Museum. Breakfast and a picnic style lunch and refreshments are provided.
Overnight in Churchill.
Churchill
On the final day in Churchill, you can enjoy the thrill of another outing on the Tundra Buggy®. Late in the afternoon, join a transfer back to Churchill airport for your return flight to Winnipeg. Breakfast, lunch, and light meal on board the plane included.
Overnight at Lakeview Signature Airport Hotel
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
End of Package
Check out of the airport hotel and depart for home unless you plan to extend your stay in the area.
Other Information
DEPARTURES:
2023
October 21, 30
November 7
2024
October 11, 14, 20, 24, 25, 27, 28
November 3, 6, 9, 12
PRICE INCLUDES:
- Accommodation: 2 nights (first and last) at a Winnipeg airport hotel and 3 nights in Churchill
- Roundtrip flights between Winnipeg and Churchill
- Transfers between Churchill airport and hotel
- Churchill and area tour, Churchill Itsanitaq Museum, and evening cultural presentation
- Polar Bears International House visit
- Tundra Buggy® bear watching excursions on day three and day four with a maximum of twenty-two guests on a forty passenger Tundra Buggy®
- Dog sled program: Parks Canada Visitor Centre visit to learn about the historical significance of Churchill on day two or day four
- Full board beginning with breakfast on Day 2 and ending with dinner on board the plane on Day 5
- Frontiers North Interpretive Guide
- Baggage handling
- Provincial Taxes and Federal GST
PRICE EXCLUDES:
- Transportation between Winnipeg and other gateway cities
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- International and domestic airfare & airfare taxes
- Entrance fees to sites not explicitly listed as included
- Meals and beverages not mentioned
- Gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
- Visa fees if applicable
SPECIAL NOTES:
- Proof of Travel Insurance is mandatory and is due 120 days prior to departure.
- Daily activities might be modified depending on weather conditions.
- Bring an insulated parka (with hood), warm sweaters, nylon outer pants (ski warm-up pants), insulated boots, insulated hats, insulated mitts, scarf, quality socks, light cotton/silk gloves (to protect hands while handling optics), pants, long shirts, long underwear, turtleneck pullovers, wool slacks. Please be prepared for extremely windy conditions by dressing in layers.
- Winter gear rentals (Canada Goose parkas, snow pants and Baffin boots) are available for pre-booking and may be picked up on the evening prior to the northbound flight to Churchill. Please contact us for additional details and pricing.
- To protect the lenses on your photographic equipment from “frosting” keep your camera cold and cover it with a plastic bag before bringing it into a warmer environment. Once the equipment has warmed to room temperature, it is safe to remove the plastic bag. Should frosting occur on your lenses, you must warm the equipment up thoroughly before you try to take it out in the cold again.
HOW TO GET TO THE WINNIPEG AIRPORT HOTEL:
Upon arrival at the airport in Winnipeg, take the complimentary shuttle available from the airport to the Lakeview Signature Airport Hotel, or make the 2-minute walk to the hotel. To make arrangements for the shuttle, please see the terminal’s information desk located in the airport arrival area.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in the low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travellers are available on request - please inquire.
7 Nov 2023
