Know Before You Go: Polar Bear Tours
Where will I Stay on a Polar Bear Tour?
Your polar bear adventure in Churchill includes lodging designed to keep you close to the action. Whether you stay in a hotel in town, overnight on the tundra in Nat Hab’s mobile Tundra Lodge or split your time between both, each option offers a unique way to experience this remote subarctic outpost.
What are the accommodations like?
Tundra Lodge: A custom-designed lodge on wheels stationed in prime polar bear habitat. Offers round-the-clock wildlife immersion, heated cabins, flush toilets and panoramic viewing decks just steps from the bears.
Churchill hotels: Modest, cozy hotels in the heart of town with warm hospitality. comfortable rooms. Ideal for those who want to be in close proximity to cultural sites, with easy access to daily tundra excursions.
What is the Tundra Lodge like?
Nat Hab’s private custom-built Tundra Lodge is a rolling hotel set near the shore of Hudson Bay where polar bear density is highest. Our custom lodge on wheels features train-style “cars” of individual bedrooms, a dining room and an observation lounge. Large sliding windows offer quick access for photography. Spend your days immersed in the landscape, with bears often just outside the window. View bears safely from inside or from the elevated outdoor observation platform.
Ideal for: Wildlife enthusiasts and photographers who want to wake up and fall asleep in polar bear country.
In Churchill, Canada, you can watch the lights dance over a family of polar bears from the comfort of your sleeper car. The Manitoba town, which experiences auroral activity more than 300 nights a year, is a top destination for seeing the majestic animals in the wild. Operated by Natural Habitat Adventures, a conservation-focused travel partner of the World Wildlife Fund, the Tundra Lodge offers accommodations inspired by train cars in prime bear-spotting territory. —Travel + Leisure
Should I stay at the Tundra Lodge or in town?
Both offer exceptional bear viewing—your choice depends on your travel style. The Tundra Lodge is one of the world’s truly unique lodges and is perfect if you want 24/7 immersion among polar bears. Town-based stays offer more amenities and cultural tours. Both Tundra Lodge and town stays include guided daily trips onto the tundra via Polar Rover.
Feature | Tundra Lodge | Churchill Hotels |
|---|---|---|
Immersion | High – bears all day | Medium – day tours |
Comfort | Cozy and purpose-built for wildlife immersion | Simple, clean and centrally located |
Cultural Access | Limited | High (town tours, museum, dog sledding) |
Aurora Viewing | Excellent | Good |
Accessibility | Less (stairs, no kids) | More |
Churchill Accommodations
Tundra Lodge
For the exclusive use of Nat Hab guests, the Tundra Lodge enjoys a prime location on the subarctic plain near the edge of Hudson Bay outside the small town of Churchill, Manitoba on Canada's northern frontier. This one-of-a-kind custom-built hotel is stationed in an area of high polar bear density, offering the best viewing during the season which runs from October through November. Each of the lodge's 32 rooms is a single compartment similar to sleeping quarters on a train, with either an upper or lower berth. With six shared toilets and four showers, as well as a lounge area for viewing bears and a dining car with sliding windows for easy photography access, the Tundra Lodge offers an immersive and personalized Arctic wilderness experience without sacrificing comfort. While safety concerns prohibit guests from walking around the grounds outside the lodge, outdoor viewing platforms facilitate close-up polar bear observation and photography opportunities, as well as aurora watching when the northern lights are visible. There's no opportunity anywhere else on the planet that affords the chance to be in prime polar bear habitat around the clock!
Winnipeg & Churchill Hotels
In Winnipeg, we stay at the Fort Garry Hotel, one of Canada's elegant railway hotels built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway in 1913 and long a symbol of this prairie city's importance as a transportation, commerce and culture hub. Located downtown just one block from Union Station, this historic landmark built in French chateau style is Winnipeg's finest hotel, retaining the air of gracious opulence of an earlier era. Relax in the lounge, enjoy a drink in the antique bar, or indulge in a sumptuous treatment at Ten Spa, an authentic Turkish-style bath and spa located on the top floor of the hotel.
In the subarctic frontier outpost of Churchill, with a population just under 1,000, hotels are small and basic. While none could be considered fancy by any means, they are clean, comfortable and conveniently located in the center of town. Every room has an en suite bathroom with a shower. Please be aware that hotel space in Churchill is scarce, and to accommodate demand we must use a variety of local properties. Room size, amenities and range of services vary among hotels despite comparable pricing.
Accommodation FAQs
Can I combine stays between the Tundra Lodge and town?
Yes. Some polar bear trips combine nights on the tundra with hotel stays in Churchill, offering the best of both worlds. Wake to bears outside your bunk at the Tundra Lodge, then enjoy cultural tours in town. It’s a great way to maximize wildlife immersion and connect with the local community.
Are lodges family-friendly?
• Churchill hotels are more suitable for families, with private rooms and easy access to town
• The Tundra Lodge has shared facilities and limited space—better for older kids and teens
• Age minimums vary—check with your operator before booking
Do rooms have private bathrooms?
• Town hotels include private en suite bathrooms with shower
• The Tundra Lodge has shared toilets and showers, like a train sleeper car
• Both are warm and well-heated
What are the dining options?
Dining in town: Meals at local restaurants feature basic, hearty fare—simple dishes served warm and satisfying after a day on the tundra.
Dining at the Tundra Lodge: Gourmet, freshly prepared meals are served in the dining car. Expect warm soups, baked entrees and house-made desserts
Meals on the Polar Rovers: Packed lunches are served aboard Polar Rovers—typically homemade soups, sandwiches and cookies
• Dietary needs can be accommodated with advanced notice
How will we look for polar bears from our accommodations?
In town, you'll head out daily on Polar Rovers with heated interiors and rooftop viewing platforms.
From the Tundra Lodge, watch bears from viewing decks or lounge windows—they often walk right past. You’ll look for polar bears beyond the lodge aboard our custom Polar Rovers.
Nat Hab's Churchill Polar Bear Tours
Canada's Premier Polar Bear Adventure
Meet the King of the Arctic! Our flagship polar bear tour is an expertly guided small-group adventure to see the world's largest concentration of polar bears in their wild tundra home on Hudson Bay.
Polar Bear Quest & Helicopter Safari
A total immersion in the world of the polar bear! View bears from our custom Polar Rover, visit a polar bear den, survey the tundra by helicopter, and learn about the history and culture of the Canadian North.
Ultimate Churchill: Tundra Lodge & Town
Stay at our exclusive Tundra Lodge, situated for unparalleled proximity to roving polar bears—then add two nights in the frontier town of Churchill to experience the culture of the Canadian North.
Tundra Lodge Adventure
Watch polar bears around the clock from our private Tundra Lodge, stationed in an area of high bear density. This is arguably the most extraordinary polar bear encounter in the world!
Churchill’s Belugas, Polar Bears & Arctic Wildlife
Meet hundreds of friendly beluga whales up close via Zodiac and kayak, and look for caribou, polar bears, Arctic fox and more on this exhilarating summer adventure in the Canadian subarctic.
Churchill Polar Bear Photo Expedition
Our flagship polar bear photo safari is an exhilarating small-group adventure among the world's largest concentration of polar bears along Hudson Bay, guided by top naturalists who are photography pros.
Tundra Lodge Photo Expedition
The ultimate polar bear photography adventure! Stay at our private lodge in the bears’ domain 24/7 on this immersive Arctic photo safari, led by top photographers who are also expert naturalists.
Beluga Whales & Polar Bears: Churchill Summer Photo Expedition
Photograph hundreds of beluga whales in the Churchill River, take a private helicopter flight for aerial shots of roving polar bears, look for Arctic fox and hare, and capture close-ups of brilliant tundra wildflowers.
