A Total Northern Immersion! Scout for Bears, Go Dog Sledding & Helicopter in to a Polar Bear Den

This expedition offers our most comprehensive encounter with the world of the polar bear and the Canadian North. Heated Polar Rovers take us onto the tundra in search of bears, and we watch them roam, play and interact, sometimes entertaining us at close range through large picture windows or from our thrilling perch on the outdoor viewing platform. But this epic adventure doesn't end there: we also helicopter in to a vacant polar bear den, take an authentic dog sled ride through the boreal forest, and explore the historic town of Churchill, enjoying cultural activities with local residents as we learn about life on the Arctic frontier. When night falls, watch for the northern lights—though never guaranteed, the mystical aurora is as frequent and vivid in Churchill as any place on Earth. "Ultimate Churchill" is the ultimate North!

A Natural Habitat Adventures traveler boards a helicopter for a tour of the tundra outside of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

A polar bear sniffs the deck of a Polar Rover while Natural Habitat Adventures travelers photograph it, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Natural Habitat Adventures travelers visit the Prince of Wales Fort National Historic Site on the Hudson Bay, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

A polar bear stands on the edge of a frozen Hudson Bay, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

A snowy owl perches on a rock on the tundra, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Two polar bears greet each other on the frozen tundra, Hudson Bay, Churchill, Manitoba, Canda

An aerial view of a bull moose standing on the snowy tundra, Churchill, Canada

A traveler poses in an abandoned bear den, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Natural Habitat Adventures travelers go for a ride in a dogsled, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

A polar bear walks along the edge of the Hudson Bay, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Natural Habitat Adventures travelers in a Polar Rover photograph the tundra from the windows, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

A young polar bear walks along the red tundra in early winter, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

A snowy owl comes in for a landing on the tundra, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Sunset over the tundra, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Trip Highlights

Explore by Polar Rover, Helicopter & Dog SledEncounter the northern wilds by Polar Rover tundra vehicle, aerial flightseeing, and classic dog team on Churchill's most comprehensive polar bear adventure!
The Best Bear-Viewing VehiclesOur custom-built Polar Rovers are the most advanced tundra expedition vehicles, safely providing the closest and most exhilarating polar bear encounters
Search for the Northern Lights in ComfortHead outside town into total darkness to look for the aurora borealis from heated Aurora Domes offering a 360° view on the night sky

WWF In Action

Click here for more information about the conservation work WWF is doing to help protect polar bears in their Arctic habitat.

Close Encounters with Polar Bears in Churchill

A Conservation Travel Experience

What Makes Our Ultimate Churchill Trip So Special?

If you're coming all the way to the Polar Bear Capital of the World, why not take in the entire Northland experience? You'll find no more comprehensive Churchill adventure. Find out why Ultimate Churchill offers the ultimate polar bear experience:

The Full Arctic Experience
In addition to multiple bear-viewing opportunities, this trip includes an array of activities for in-depth exploration of the nature, culture and history of Churchill. In addition to dog sledding and opportunities to meet local Churchill residents and enjoy presentations on indigenous cultures, we add a helicopter flight over the tundra, a landing to view (and crawl inside!) a vacant polar bear den, and an evening inside heated Aurora Domes to watch for the northern lights, if skies are clear.
Exclusive Permits to Access the Best Polar Bear Viewing Area
There are just two polar bear tour operators in Churchill that hold permits for the full range of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area where the best—and often only—polar bear viewing happens. Naturally, in our commitment to running the world’s greatest nature journeys, the Natural Habitat/Great White Bear team possesses this critical permit. Operators without it must turn back along the road at Halfway Point, which, as you might guess, is just halfway to the best polar bear viewing area.
Polar Rovers: No Better Bear-Viewing Vehicles
The original "tundra buggy" designed for polar bear viewing was invented in the 1980s. Since then, our partner in Manitoba, a world-renowned specialty vehicle designer, has substantially improved upon the concept by creating the world's most comfortable tundra vehicle—the Polar Rover—which we operate exclusively in Churchill. Its innovative drive train allows us to traverse the tundra with virtually no chance of a breakdown. With an advanced suspension system that smooths the ride, and onboard flush toilets (rather than smelly drop buckets), our guests enjoy the highest level of comfort and safety.
Steel-Mesh Observation Platform for Close-Up Viewing
Every Polar Rover has an elevated outdoor rear observation platform, with a feature we pioneered for optimal bear viewing—a grated steel-mesh floor that allow us to witness—sometimes mere inches away—curious bears that occasionally wander beneath our vehicles!
The Smallest Groups for the Best Nature Experience
An essential element of our nature expeditions is a small group. While it costs us more to operate trips with fewer travelers, the experience is far superior, and that's why we insist on it. By limiting our Ultimate Churchill group to a maximum 15 guests (even though our Polar Rovers can hold well over 30), we ensure that everyone gets a window seat and plenty of room to spread out, angle for photos and enjoy a personal experience with the polar bears without too much intrusion from other guests.
Private Chartered Flights Give Us More Time with the Bears
So we don't waste precious time coordinating with airline schedules or navigating long lines through airport security, we charter our own private aircraft, flying directly from Winnipeg to Churchill at a time most convenient for us. We’d rather maximize your time on the tundra, instead of sitting around airports.
The Finest Naturalist Guides on the Planet
Natural Habitat Adventures is known worldwide for the highest-quality guides in the industry. Our Expedition Leaders have been guiding tours in Churchill for an average of 10-plus years, and they receive additional training resources from WWF’s top scientists. This means that our guests enjoy the best interpretive experience available! Expedition Leaders meet each guest in Winnipeg and travel with the group the entire way, sharing their wealth of knowledge at every turn. Our philosophy is simple: a nature adventure is only as good as the guide, so we simply must provide the best! See Expedition Leader bios with traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders.
Our Quality-Value Guarantee Ensures Your Ultimate Polar Bear Experience
Natural Habitat Adventures offers an exclusive guarantee, clearly stating that we will meet the lofty expectations we set in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company. Read our important promise.
Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey
We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you travel with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset—including your round-trip flights from home. Natural Habitat Adventures has been the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company since 2007.
Natural Habitat Adventures is WWF's Travel Partner
Because of our commitment to environmentally friendly travel, as well as the exceptional quality of our adventures, World Wildlife Fund, the world's leading environmental conservation organization, has named Natural Habitat Adventures as its worldwide travel partner, a designation that makes us exceedingly proud!