Belugas and Polar Bears

Individual arrival in Winnipeg (flight optional), the capital of the Canadian province of Manitoba. The seventh largest city in the country was named after Lake Winnipeg, which lies about 55 km to the north. Transfer to your accommodation near the airport. 1 night in Winnipeg at the Hotel Inn at the Forks.

Onward flight to Churchill, approx. 1,700 km away (flight duration approx. 2.5 hrs.). There is no road to this remote town on the southwest coast of Hudson Bay, also in the province of Manitoba. Reception by your naturalist guide and transfer to the lodge, a rustic log cabin hotel. Churchill is often referred to as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.” The town of barely 800 inhabitants lies on the migration route of the white bears. Polar bears regularly come here on their way to the coast. Animals that enter the town are captured and spend some time in custody before being flown out by helicopter back into the wild. Not far from Churchill, Wapusk National Park begins. Wapusk is the Cree word for “white bear.” The Lazy Bear Lodge has 33 cozy guest rooms with private baths, TVs and wi-fi access. Not a single tree was felled for the construction, as only recycled wood was used. Today you will take a 3-hour tour through the region around Churchill along the coast of Hudson Bay. You will see the legendary Polar Bear Prison as well as the Cape Merry headland, which is enclosed by Hudson Bay and the Churchill River. 4 nights at the Lazy Bear Lodge.

After breakfast we will go to the jetty. The boat tour starts when the water level is sufficient. Then you will go by boat on a full day boat tour (about 6 – 8 hours) along the coast to the more remote areas of Western Hudson Bay. During this trip you will look for the king of the Arctic in their typical summer fur, which come to the coast to cool down, as well as belugas and other interesting animals of the north.

After breakfast you will drive to the mouth of the Churchill River in Hudson Bay. Here you will take the whale-watching boat tour (duration approx. 3 hrs.) to the belugas. In the arctic summer the white whales, up to 6 m long, cavort in the estuary. They are attracted annually between mid-July and mid-August by the enormous abundance of food in this region. Usually belugas are found further north around the North Pole. They raise their newborn young in the warmer, shallower waters. A visit to Princes of Wales Fort, an 18th-century fur trader’s fortification completes the program. In the afternoon you will have the opportunity to observe the belugas on an optional kayak tour (duration approx. 3 hrs, weather permitting). The equipment (wetsuit, neoprene shoes and life jacket) is provided. At low tide you will paddle a single or double kayak in the Churchill River.

Today, after breakfast, you will go on a half-day tour into the tundra by four-wheel drive tundra vehicle (duration approx. 3 – 4 hrs.) to explore the vast landscape. Mosses, lichens and grasses dominate the picture. You will be on the lookout for the various tundra inhabitants. Caribou, Arctic foxes, snow hares and lemmings live here. Bird species include ptarmigan, banded sandpiper, Hudsonian snipe, snowy owl and Odin’s grouse.

In the morning you will check out from your room. Afterwards you will have some free time. If you have enough time, you can visit the Parks Canada Visitor Centre at the Churchill train station and learn interesting facts about the region. Or learn about Inuit times at the Itsanitaq Museum (note opening hours) (both optional) before your transfer to the airport. Return flight to Winnipeg, where you will spend your last night at the hotel. 1 night in Winnipeg at the Hotel Inn at the Forks.

Come back soon! After your last breakfast, make sure you save some time to buy your last-minute souvenirs and/or photos. At the scheduled time, you’ll be picked up from your hotel for your outbound transfer.