See The Polar Bear Migration
Still to do
Ride a tundra vehicle along the Hudson Bay shore as polar bears gather, spar and wait for the sea to freeze.
The adventure
Every autumn the polar bears of western Hudson Bay drift towards Churchill, a tiny town with no road in, to wait for the sea ice to return. They have barely eaten since the ice melted in summer, and until it freezes they doze in kelp beds, roam the shoreline and wander past the town's houses.
You head out on a tundra vehicle, a giant high-wheeled bus built to roll over the snow and rocks of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Then a bear walks right up, rears onto its hind legs and sniffs at the grated platform a few feet below you. Further along, two young males stand and wrestle in slow motion, practising for the hunting season ahead. Arctic foxes trot past, the light is low and golden, and on clear nights the northern lights ripple over the bay.
Why it’s epic
- Churchill calls itself the polar bear capital of the world, and the western Hudson Bay population numbers several hundred bears.
- Young males often spar on their hind legs in October and November, a sight rarely seen elsewhere.
- Tundra vehicles can get you within a few metres of bears in complete safety.
- Churchill's Polar Bear Holding Facility, or polar bear jail, holds bears that wander into town until they can be released.
What it is
Polar bears gather near Churchill each autumn, waiting for Hudson Bay to freeze.
How to do it
Book a tour with time on a tundra buggy. Churchill is reached by plane or train.
Top tip
Book well ahead; the season is short.
Need to know
- The season runs from about early October to mid-November, and tours sell out well over a year ahead.
- There's no road to Churchill, so you fly from Winnipeg or take the train, a journey of around two days.
- Expect temperatures well below freezing with wind chill; tour companies usually provide a kit list for Arctic clothing.
- British visitors need an eTA before flying to Canada.
Plan this trip
- Rough cost
- £5,000 or more per person, including flights from the UK
- Time needed
- 4 to 7 days
- Best time to go
- October to November
- Fly into
- YYQ airport
Short seasons, few beds and specialist vehicles make Churchill polar bear tours very expensive.
Make it happen
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Why it’s on my list
Frequently called “Lords of the Arctic”, these spectacular animals are huge. Male polar bears can grow to more than 600 kg (1,320 lbs) and stand 3.05 metres (10 feet) tall. But don’t let their massive size fool you – these white bears can move with surprising speed and agility.
Churchill is one of the few human settlements where polar bears can be observed in the wild. Thousands of visitors from around the world visit each fall for the excitement of seeing these magnificent animals. Churchill is known as the Polar Bear Capital Of The World.
Every year hundreds of polar bears stroll through Churchill, Manitoba on their annual migration back to Hudson Bay, where sea ice is reforming after months of summer melt.
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