Classic Churchill Polar Bear Safari - 6/7 Days - $7,995
Trip Summary and Itinerary Map
- Choice of 6- or 7-day trips
- Wide choice of departures in October and November
- Maximum group size of 16 people
- Bear viewing from specially designed vehicles with an outdoor observation platform
- Dog-sledding with a local musher and his team included
- Hassle-free charter flights - transfer from hotel direct to private hanger
- Full-board hotel accommodation
- Loan of cold-weather gear and boots during your trip
Operator's Itinerary
Day 1: Winnipeg, Manitoba
The Churchill polar bear tour begins in Winnipeg. Once a fur-trading post and boomtown for the Canadian Pacific Railway, today Manitoba's capital is its cultural and commercial centre at the eastern edge of Canada's vast prairies.
Transfer to the historic Fort Garry Hotel, grande dame of Winnipeg hospitality and one of the city's most prestigious landmarks. Meet your Expedition Leader at a welcome dinner and orientation this evening.
Day 2: Winnipeg; Churchill
Fly by chartered plane to Churchill this morning. This hospitable frontier town, originally a Hudson Bay Company fur-trading post, is your base for adventure.
• On the 6-day trip you head to the tundra this evening for your first glimpse of the bears, though you may see them from the bus as you leave the airport, even before boarding the Polar Rover.
• The 7-day trip opens with an evening presentation on polar bears and the northern environs by the professional staff of naturalists and scientists.
Days 3-4: Polar Bear Viewing
Uniquely designed Polar Rovers are your mobile means for spending time among the bears. Though they are built to accommodate up to 35 passengers, there will be a maximum of just 16, ensuring everyone a window seat.
The Expedition Leaders know the best places to observe polar bears, which congregate in the region each fall as they wait for Hudson Bay to freeze, signalling the start of the winter seal-hunting season. As you watch them interact, you'll be delighted by their antics and rugged beauty.
From the warmth of the vehicle, you may see mothers with cubs, young males play-fighting, or a lone bear ambling over the tundra in solitary majesty.
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, you'll meet for dinner and presentations on wildlife or local culture.
Day 5: Explore Churchill; Evening on the Tundra
On the 6-day trip (your night time tundra journey takes place on Day 2), there's time for a dog sled ride and then free time in Churchill or an opportunity for an optional helicopter excursion over the vast expanse of frozen tundra before boarding your flight back to Winnipeg.
On the 7-day trip you tour historic Churchill, then head out to the tundra for evening bear viewing and dinner aboard the vehicle. During the day you may explore the coast road en route to Cape Merry, where Arctic fox and Arctic hare are often seen.
If the skies are clear, the nighttime tundra excursion might reveal 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 or promised, the auroral display often starts as a white glow in the northern sky, then begins to flicker and dance in shimmering curtains of colour.
Day 6: Churchill; Winnipeg
The return flights are scheduled to depart in the mid- to late afternoon, to offer as much time as possible for exploring Churchill today.
A highlight this morning is an authentic dog sled ride. We meet a local musher and his team, spending time with the lively and affectionate dogs before taking turns riding behind them on an exhilarating trot through the boreal forest.
If time permits, you may be able to pick up some locally made handicrafts or take an optional helicopter tour over the tundra before we depart. We'll have a farewell lunch together before flying back to Winnipeg, where a final reception concludes our adventure together.
Day 7: Depart from Winnipeg
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home.
Prices, Departures and Inclusions
Departures are almost daily between 2nd October and 22nd November 2025
-
Six-day trips: US$7,995 per person
Seven-day trips: US$8,995 per person
Special departures: US$9,995 per person
-
Departures in 2026 will run between 29th September and 20th November. Pricing to be confirmed.
Departures in 2027 will run between 4th October and 16th November. Pricing to be confirmed.
Additional Notes
Return charter flights
Return charter flights between Winnipeg and Churchill are an additional cost of US$1,497 per person.
Departure dates are confirmed approximately 10 months in advance. They could move by a few days in either direction. To secure your place(s) we strongly recommend that you book ahead, but that no concrete pre- and post-arrangements involving flights, hotels or other adjacent plans are booked until we confirm the exact dates.
Special departures
Photo Expedition – Spend three full days photographing polar bears in their wild tundra habitat with an intensive focus on helping you make outstanding images. Travel with an expert naturalist-photographer for hands-on daytime coaching followed by evening lectures about how to capture northern light and Arctic wildlife. Departures: 26th, 27th & 28th October and 9th, 10th & 12th November 2025.
Climate Change Trip – On this exclusive expedition, you'll explore a fragile northern ecosystem that is heating up faster than most other places on Earth. This foray into the Canadian subarctic coincides with the time when polar bears are converging at the edge of Hudson Bay, waiting for the sea ice to form and seal hunting season to begin. Departs 8th November 2025.
Women's Journey – Join this all-female fleet to witness the Queen of the Arctic – a powerful symbol of strength and endurance – on our flagship polar bear tour! You’ll come away awed by encounters with these magnificent marine mammals and empowered by the exploits of women who have made crucial contributions in the Canadian North. Departures 6th, 15th & 17th October and 12th, 13th & 14th November 2025.
Physical Requirements
The physical requirements for this trip are very easy and there is little walking required, although travellers must be able to walk up and down short flights of stairs to get on and off the Polar Rover.
Travellers must be prepared for below-freezing temperatures and slippery surfaces.
Single Supplement And Child Policy
Single travellers may choose to share with others. If you would like a room to yourself, this adds US$995 on 6-day trips or US$1295 on 7-day trips. Single rooms are limited however so early booking is essential.
There is a lower age limit for this trip of 12 for this trip. If you are looking to travel with younger children please ask us as there are specific family departures with specially designed excursions.
Includes
- Hotel accommodation as per itinerary
- All meals as per itinerary
- Airport transfers on Day 1 and final day
- Dog-sledding excursion
- Most gratuities
- Loan of cold-weather gear and boots
- Guided by Expedition Leaders & assistants
- All activities and entrance fees
- Evening presentations
- All taxes & service charges
Excludes
- Charter return flights between Winnipeg and Churchill
- Air travel to and from Winnipeg
- Any trip pre or post extensions
- Alcoholic beverages
- Items of a personal nature (laundry, beverages, etc.)
- Some gratuities
- Travel insurance
- Optional activities
- Airport arrival or departure taxes
- Any visa, passport and vaccination expenses
