Know Before You Go | Churchill Polar Bears

Travel Tips

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about Churchill? We've got answers! We've compiled a list of our most frequently asked questions about polar bears, Churchill wildlife, hotels, transportation, weather and more. 

Wildlife Guide

Wildlife Guide

Learn about the King of the Arctic and the other wildlife you may encounter on your Churchill polar bear adventure. 

Polar Bear Trivia

Polar Bear Trivia

Take our polar bear quiz below to put your knowledge to the test, then share it with your family and friends to see who knows the most about the King of the Arctic!

Conservation & Community Initiatives

Conservation & Community Initiatives

Through operating environmentally sensitive adventures for hundreds of visitors each year, we contribute financially to local communities while using travel as a means to spearhead conservation efforts.

Weather & Climate

Weather & Climate

Find out what the weather conditions are typically like in Winnipeg and farther north in Churchill during polar bear season.

Cold Weather Tips

Cold Weather Tips

It's no secret that subarctic Churchill tends to be cold! We've got some helpful tips to keep you comfortable in the chilly temperatures.

Packing List

Packing List

We’ve made a comprehensive list of all the clothing and gear you’ll want to pack so you'll be well prepared for your Churchill adventure.

Best Time to See Polar Bears

Best Time to See Polar Bears

Learn about the "ebbs and flows" of polar bear migration patterns in Churchill, gleaned from our three decades of operating polar bear trips in the region. 

Why Choose Nat Hab For Your Polar Bear Trip?

Why Choose Nat Hab For Your Polar Bear Trip?

Read about the Natural Habitat Polar Bear difference to find out what makes our polar bear adventures so exceptional.

Travel Stories & Articles

Traveler Story: Up Close with Polar Bears

Traveler Story: Up Close with Polar Bears

—By Melissa Nelson
On our first full day out on the Polar Rover, a polar bear walked over to another vehicle in the distance, and we watched it jump up and reach all the way to...

Traveler Story: Close Encounters with Polar Bears

Traveler Story: Close Encounters with Polar Bears

—By Margaret Yang
I absolutely loved the process of looking for polar bears in the snow. I would sit next to our Polar Rover driver, Bill, and work really hard to look for bears in...

The Time to See—and Save—Polar Bears is Now

The Time to See—and Save—Polar Bears is Now

—By Peter Davis Krahenbuhl
Ursus maritimus (the polar bear) is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species—one step away from the list's official...

The Importance of Seeing Polar Bears in the Wild

The Importance of Seeing Polar Bears in the Wild

—By Ryan Bartlett
I never truly appreciated the importance of the polar bear as a mascot for climate change until I saw these magnificent creatures up close and personal on a...

Polar Bears Are My Spirit Animal

Polar Bears Are My Spirit Animal

—By Sharon Dreyfuss
All the wildlife on the tundra will stay with me always, but polar bears have won a very special place in my heart—the polar bear is now my spirit animal...

Pinch Me: Polar Bears & Northern Lights

Pinch Me: Polar Bears & Northern Lights

—By Jennie Lay
"Pinch me," I kept thinking. That’s a polar bear underneath my nose. There’s another bear settling in for a snooze in front of our tire. A mama bear and...

Photos From a Polar Bear Travel Season

Photos From a Polar Bear Travel Season

—By Candice Gaukel Andrews
If you like to travel, there’s probably one particular place away from home that just seems to stick in your heart, the one spot where your wanderlust was first...

Know Before You Go