Itinerary

Day 1: Winnipeg, Manitoba

Arrive in Winnipeg and enjoy an orientation dinner.

Day 2: Winnipeg / Churchill

Fly to Churchill this morning. This hospitable outpost town, originally a fur-trading post, is our base for adventure. On the 6-day trip we head to the tundra this evening for our first glimpse of the bears, though we often see them from the bus leaving the airport, even before we board our polar rover. On the 7-day trip, we have an evening presentation on polar bears and the northern environs by a professional staff of naturalists and scientists.

Days 3 & 4: Polar Bear Viewing

Unique polar rovers are the mobile means for spending time among the polar bears. Although they accommodate an average of 35 passengers, we take just 15, ensuring everyone a window seat. Our Expedition Leaders know the best places to view bears, which are waiting for the ice to solidify on Hudson Bay so they may begin the winter seal-hunting season. As we watch them interact, we're delighted by their antics and rugged beauty. From the warmth of our rover, we may see mothers with cubs and young adult males play-fighting. The knowledgeable Expedition Leader offers interpretation along the way, explaining the bears’ behaviour and how they thrive in such a harsh environment. In the evenings, we meet for dinner, followed by presentations on wildlife or local cultures.

Day 5: Evening on the Tundra

On the 7-day trip we tour historic Churchill, then head out to the tundra for evening bear viewing and dinner aboard the vehicle. During our daytime exploration, we may visit local sled dogs en route to Cape Merry, where we often see Arctic fox and Arctic hare. If the skies are clear, our nighttime tundra excursion might provide one of nature’s most exhilarating experiences – a chance to view the Northern Lights away from the glare of town. Though they are never predictable, sometimes amidst the darkness of the sub-arctic tundra, the lights begin as a white glow in the northern sky, then begin to flicker and dance in shimmering curtains of color. On the 6-day trip (your nighttime tundra journey takes place on Day 2), there’s free time in Churchill or an opportunity for an optional helicopter excursion over the frozen tundra before boarding our flight back to Winnipeg.

Day 6: Churchill / Winnipeg

Our return flights are scheduled to depart in the mid - late afternoon, to offer as much time as possible to explore Churchill. Pick up last-minute native handcrafts and souvenirs or, if time permits, take an optional helicopter journey over the tundra or an authentic dog-sledding excursion.

Day 7: Return Home

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home.

On the 6-day trip we return to Winnipeg on Day 5 and return home on Day 6.

Occasionally, on our 7-day trip, the schedule for the night tundra trip alternates between Day 4 and Day 5. Itineraries may vary slightly, but inclusions are the same.

Note: We have had, historically, a 60% chance of seeing the Northern Lights on our nighttime trip to the tundra.

On some occasions they are more brilliant than others but they are always quite a thrill!