Classic Polar Bear Adventure

Limited to 16 Travelers
An important feature of our Churchill polar bear expeditions is the limited group size. Nature is always best experienced in smaller groups, and it is particularly important on this expedition to ensure that our guests have plenty of room on board the tundra vehicles, for comfort and easy access for photos.

Take this trip on a private basis, traveling exclusively with your immediate family, multi-generational family or group of friends. Click here for details and pricing.

• Trip price includes: Accommodations, services of Nat Hab's professional Expedition Leader(s) and assistants, Polar Rover excursions, dog sledding excursion, evening wildlife and cultural presentations, all meals from dinner on Day 1 through breakfast on final day, cold-weather gear including a parka and boots during your trip, most gratuities, airport transfers on Day 1 and final day, all activities and entrance fees, all taxes, permits and service fees.
• Internal air cost includes: Round-trip private charter flights from Winnipeg to Churchill (this will be listed separately on our invoicing).

Travel to and from the start and end point of your trip, alcoholic beverages, some gratuities, passport and visa fees (if any), optional activities, items of a personal nature (phone calls, laundry and internet, etc.), airline baggage fees, airport and departure taxes (if any), optional travel protection and medical evacuation insurance.

Easy
A polar bear tour with Natural Habitat Adventures requires very little walking. Travelers must be able to walk up/down stairs. Our Polar Rover vehicles, designed to travel over the tundra for polar bear observation, can sometimes offer a bumpy ride. Travelers must be prepared for below-freezing temperatures and slippery surfaces.

On custom or private departures with smaller groups, our ability to accommodate varying levels of physical abilities or interests is limited, since these trips are staffed with a single Expedition Leader who may be assisted, pending availability, by local guides.

This flagship polar bear tour has been our most popular adventure for more than two decades. Its longstanding success is due to the outstanding bear viewing opportunities Churchill offers, as well as the appeal of our subarctic environs and broad introduction to the natural and cultural history of the Hudson Bay region and daily life in the Canadian North that this trip provides. Two Polar Rover day trips and a night excursion are complemented by time spent exploring the frontier outpost town of Churchill, with expert interpretation from our naturalist Expedition Leaders.

Our special photo departures include three full days on the tundra and evenings in town, when our photography guides will share their knowledge of the tundra ecosystem, its wildlife, and how to best capture these elements in photographs.

Regarding polar bears: They are typically in the Churchill area year-round. The highest concentration occurs in October and November as the bears gather to await freeze-up on Hudson Bay and the beginning of their winter hunting season. But bear viewing is never predictable. Sometimes the best viewing happens at the beginning of the season, sometimes it occurs in the middle, and sometimes it's at the end—we never know for sure. Once the bay freezes, many of them depart. Historically, this has happened in early December, but an unusually early cold spell can sometimes occur, hastening their departure to the ice. Please be aware that conditions vary, and polar bears here live wild and free: we can never guarantee that you will see them, or promise exactly what your experience will be.

Meals
Please understand that the meals in Churchill are specially planned and prepared for well in advance. With ample notice, dietary requirements due to serious medical conditions or strict personal restrictions can be met, but must be adhered to while on the adventure. If you have a very restricted diet, we recommend bringing some of your preferred snacks along with the appreciation that certain foods are limited in this part of the world.

In case of flight or weather delays, we recommend that you arrive a day early and either participate in our Extra Day in Winnipeg program or stay on your own. Please schedule your flights to arrive by 5 pm in order to attend a 7 pm orientation dinner on Day 1 of your program. You are free to depart at any time on the final day.