Classic Polar Bear Adventure
Overview
The iconic polar bear experience, this small group adventure includes two full days and an evening excursion onto the Arctic tundra. Search for wildlife and hope for a display of the aurora borealis overhead. Travelling with a small group of just 16 passengers, enjoy unobstructed views over the Arctic tundra as you watch for polar bears and other wildlife including Arctic hare, Arctic fox and even snowy owls.
Highlights
- See the world’s greatest concentration of polar bears in the intimacy of a small group
- Travel on board the specially-designed Polar Rover for optimal viewing opportunities
- Chance to see the northern lights during an evening on the tundra
What's Included
- Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom
- All meals
- Dog sledding excursion
- Return flight from Winnipeg to Churchill
Full description
This itinerary includes two full days on the tundra, plus an evening excursion during which you may be lucky enough to witness the northern lights. During your stay in the frontier settlement of Churchill you will also take a guided tour of the town and its surroundings, and learn more about the area and its incredible wildlife during some informative evening presentations. The wilderness of the far north contrasts with the modern city of Winnipeg, where you should have some free time available to explore.
These groups are the smallest in Churchill, making for a more personal experience with unobstructed views and a window seat for everyone.
The Polar Rover
Permitted to travel right into the protected Churchill Wildlife Management Area, the fully heated Polar Rover is a specially designed vehicle offering unique steel mesh-floored viewing platforms, an elite suspension system and on-board flush toilet facilities. With a capacity of 35 passengers, this trip is limited to just 16 to ensure maximum comfort and a guaranteed window seat for all guests. All emissions from this package are 100% carbon-offset.
Responsible Travel
Since 2007 all Natural Habitat's trips and office operations have been completely carbon-neutral, making them the world's first 100% carbon-neutral travel company. Beginning in 2019 Natural Habitat are now offsetting all guests' flights to and from the starting point of their adventures.
To find our more about this project and Natural Habitat's commitment to responsible travel please see the 'Other Information' tab.
Prices & Dates *
Airfares start from around £550 per person and are quoted separately to the holiday price. When enquiring, our Travel Specialists will provide the best fare possible from your preferred airline / airport.
From prices per person based on 2 sharing a room with private bathroom
| Departure Dates | Duration | Twin Price (pp) |
|---|---|---|
| 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31 Oct 2019 | 5 nights | £5,851 |
| 02, 03, 05, 13, 14 Nov 2019 | 5 nights | £5,851 |
| 14*, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29 Oct 2019 | 6 nights | £6,235 |
| 01,02, 04, 05, 06, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13 Nov 2019 | 6 nights | £6,235 |
Note: The date marked with an asterisk (*) indicates a special expedition departure. Travel with special guests on an in-depth Arctic learning experience. Join Natural Habitat President Ben Bressler, Nobel Laureate Paul Romer and WWF global climate expert Brad Schallert on this 7-day Churchill field expedition exploring the changing world of the polar bear. Please contact us for further details.
What's Included
- Accommodation in rooms with private bathroom: 2 nights in Winnipeg, 3/4 nights in Churchill
- All meals
- Dog sledding excursion
- Services of a professional expedition leader
- Evening wildlife and cultural presentations
- Loan of cold-weather gear including parka and boots
- Permits and entrance fees
- Return flight from Winnipeg to Churchill
- All airport/hotel transfers
- Northern Lights Bradt Guide Book
- 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday
- No surcharge guarantee
- Full financial protection »
Group Size:
Minimum group size: 1
Maximum group size: 16
Itinerary & Accommodation
Itinerary & Accommodation
Day 1: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Arrive in Winnipeg, once a fur-trading post and boomtown for the Canadian Pacific Railway, today Manitoba’s cultural and commercial capital at the eastern edge of Canada’s vast prairies. Transfer to the historic Fort Garry Hotel, one of the city’s most prestigious landmarks. Meet your Expedition Leader at an orientation dinner this evening.
Day 2: Winnipeg - Churchill
Fly to Churchill on a private charter flight. Originally a fur-trading post, Churchill is home to just under a thousand people and, every autumn, to hundreds of polar bears that congregate at the edge of Hudson Bay. After dinner enjoy an evening presentation on the Arctic’s wildlife and landscapes.
Days 3-4: Polar Bears, Churchill
Spend two full days on the Arctic tundra, in search of the polar bears that gather here as they wait for the ice to solidify on Hudson Bay. You may see mothers with cubs, young males play-fighting, or a lone bear ambling over the tundra in solitary majesty. Your knowledgeable Expedition Leader will offer interpretation along the way, explaining the bears’ behavior and how they thrive in such a harsh environment. Each evening travel back to town for dinner and presentations on the wildlife or cultural aspects of life in the North.
Day 5: Town & Tundra, Churchill
Tour historic Churchill with your Expedition Leader, perhaps visiting local sled dogs en route to Cape Merry, where Arctic fox and Arctic hare are often spotted. Later, head out to the tundra for an evening of bear viewing, with dinner aboard the Polar Rover. If the skies are clear this nighttime tundra excursion might reveal another of nature’s most amazing sights – the aurora borealis.
Day 6: Churchill - Winnipeg
A highlight this morning is an authentic dog sled ride. Meet a local musher and his team and spend 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 last-minute locally made handicrafts, relax over a hot chocolate in a local cafe, or even take an optional helicopter tour over the tundra before you fly back to Winnipeg.
Day 7: Winnipeg
Transfer to the airport after breakfast.
Other Information
Read on to find out more about Natural Habitat's commitment to responsible travel.
Since 2007 all Natural Habitat's trips and office operations have been completely carbon-neutral, making them the world's first 100% carbon-neutral travel company. Natural Habitat embarked on this ambitious project in partnership with Sustainable Travel International, paying to offset the carbon emissions that result from all their office and trip related activities.
Beginning in 2019, Natural Habitat are now offsetting all guests' flights to and from the starting point of their adventures, increasing the total amount of their carbon offsetting by 300-400%! Here's how it works: Natural Habitat calculate the carbon emitted from activities on your adventure (the majority of these emissions result from burning fossil fuels for transportation). They then fund carbon reduction projects to balance emissions in an amount equal to that released on their trips. For example, they pay for the reforestation of native tree species in Zimbabwe and the provision of efficient, biomass-fuelled cook stoves in Rwanda to replace the burning of wood.
From the beginning of January 2007 through the end of 2018, Natural Habitat have offset 17,272 tons of carbon dioxide. According to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) this is equivalent to 3,648 cars not on the road for a year; 2,551 homes not using electricity for one year or 447,624 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.
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