February 15-27, 2024

This tour offers an experience of a lifetime observing polar bear cubs and their mothers in their natural environment.

This tour offers an experience of a lifetime: Observing polar bear cubs and their mothers in their natural environment. With a rare operating permit from Parks Canada, our indigenous guides bring us as close as 100 meters to the bears, and we’ll learn about various aspects of the bears’ dens, habits and life cycle. Other wildlife viewing opportunities include ptarmigan, arctic foxes, caribou herds and wolves. A bonus is the night time viewing of the aurora borealis!

Trip Overview

Tour Type: Photography/Wildlife

Difficulty: Moderate

Temp Range: 0° F / -35 ° F

Leader: Thomas Kokta

Group Size: Maximum 7 people

Price:  US $21,995

Included:

• All transportation from Churchill on

• 11 nights accommodation

• All meals as listed in itinerary

• Tour leader

• Photographic instruction

Not Included:

Airport departure taxes

• Flights to/from Churchill

• Travel insurance

• Gratuities

• Phone calls and personal items

• Alcoholic beverages

Previous Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Winnipeg

Arrive in Winnipeg. We have secured a rate of $125 from the Grand Hotel in Winnipeg which is located just across from the Winnipeg Airport main terminal. You will be responsible for booking a room there. The number for the Grand Hotel is 1-800-290-3581 or 204-505-0145.

Day 2: Arrive in Churchill (tour starts here)

Today we go to the airport in Winnipeg and fly to Churchill. We will be picked up, and half about half a day for shopping and sightseeing (and clothing rental, if necessary). In the evening, we will take you to the train station. After a 2 hour train ride, we will be picked up in the middle of nowhere, and get a Matt Track ride to the Lodge. Our accommodation is a wilderness lodge located 40 miles south of Churchill and adjacent to Wapusk National Park. It is owned and operated by expert guides indigenous to the area. The lodge and guides have an excellent track record of safety and we will be given a thorough polar bear safety precaution lesson which will make the adventure safe and fun for all. We arrive very late at night.

Days 3 –12: Polar bear viewing in Wapusk National Park

For the next 11 days we wake early in the morning for breakfast. We then bundle up to head out in search of polar bears. We travel by Mattrack vehicles, basically panel vans on snow tracks. Our guides will be on the lookout for polar bears and other wildlife, such as White Fox and Caribou. Once wildlife is spotted, we will stop and get out to photograph and observe the wildlife. Sometimes it can be tough to find the bears and it is not unheard of not to see bears for a couple of days. It is nature and it depends on a lot of different factors, none of which the least is weather patterns. We break for lunch and after warming up, once again head out in search of polar bears until sunset. For those interested, there will also be opportunities to observe and photograph the aurora borealis in the evenings. (BLD)

Day 13: Return to Churchill and Winnipeg

We get up very early in the morning and catch the train back to Churchill, with a scheduled arrival time of mid-morning. You will catch your home flights from here, via Winnipeg.