Spend a week on this thrilling safari at the strategically positioned Arviat Polar Bear Cabins situated in the heart of Polar Bear Alley. Your journey begins in Winnipeg, where you'll catch a connecting private charter flight to Churchill before venturing deeper into the wilderness for 40 minutes to reach the extraordinary Arviat Polar Bear Cabins. Positioned at the epicentre of wildlife activity, these cosy lodgings offer an unparalleled vantage point as polar bears gracefully traverse through Polar Bear Alley just steps away from your doorstep.
Witness wolves, arctic foxes, beavers, pine marten and numerous bird species as you traverse the icy terrain. The Arctic waters are home to a variety of whale species, including belugas, bowheads and the fantastical-looking narwhals, the ‘unicorns of the sea’.
Read more
Day 1: Arrive Winnipeg
Today you will fly into Winnipeg, the capital and largest city of the Canadian province of Manitoba. Spend the night in a hotel by the airport, ready for your flight to Churchill the next day.
Witness wolves, arctic foxes, beavers, pine marten and numerous bird species as you traverse the icy terrain. The Arctic waters are home to a variety of whale species, including belugas, bowheads and the fantastical-looking narwhals, the ‘unicorns of the sea’.
Read moreDay 2: Churchill - Arviat Polar Cabins
Transfer to a waiting private charter aircraft for a 40 min flight to the Arviat Polar Bear Cabins. Cabins have been strategically placed in ‘Polar Bear Alley’ for reliable polar bear encounters and amazing photography opportunities.
On the shores of Hudson Bay, Manitoba, sits the small outpost town of Churchill, a frozen frontier with a population of about 1,000, at the top of many wildlife enthusiasts’ lists.
Read more about ChurchillDays 3 - 5: Arviat Polar Bear Cabins
During October and November the river is still flowing so polar bears can no longer travel north due to the river’s 5km width. You live with them, observe them and photograph them as they patiently wait for the Hudson Bay Coast and the river to freeze up.
Every year Hudson Bay freezes up and the polar bears head out to start their annual seal hunt on the pan ice. As they patiently wait for the ‘Big Freeze’, occasionally testing the waters, watch these magnificent mammals as they gather in Polar Bear Alley from the safety and comfort of the Arviat cabins. With space for just 8 guests at a time, photograph and live with the bears in their natural environment. Accompanied by trained and knowledgeable Inuit guides, you can get literally nose to nose – an incredible, once in a lifetime experience. These cabins are used on our Polar Bear Migrations Safari; enjoy close encounters with the bears with your trained and knowledgeable Inuit guide, trek through the icy wilderness or observe them from the comfort and warmth of the cabins. On you last day you check the coordinates of the local, 400 strong, Quamirjuag Caribou herd, before heading off for some aerial flight-seeing. The Northern Lights sightings are pretty reliable and you can watch the incredible red and green hues of this natural phenomenon from your warm cabin with a glass of wine or warm drink.
Read moreDay 6: Arviat Polar Cabins - Churchill
After a morning spent observing and photographing Arctic wildlife, it’s time to fly back to Churchill where you will spend the night in a local hotel. Following check-in, it's time for a town tour followed by a group dinner at a local restaurant.
It is tricky to say when specifically it is best to see polar bears in Svalbard. Early in the season – during the month of May – conditions can be perfect, as the ice has not yet melted and thus the snowy white backdrops can make for a photographer's dream.
Later in the season however – between June and August – the pack ice begins to melt, meaning you can push further north, cover more ground, and the polar bears are often more concentrated in the remaining icy areas.
Day 7: Churchill - Winnipeg
After breakfast, there is time for a half-day guided polar bear tour in the area, before departing Churchill and arriving into Winnipeg either later afternoon or evening. The city's history is deeply intertwined with indigenous cultures and its development as a trading post in the 18th century.
On the shores of Hudson Bay, Manitoba, sits the small outpost town of Churchill, a frozen frontier with a population of about 1,000, at the top of many wildlife enthusiasts’ lists.
Read more about ChurchillDay 8: Winnipeg - Home
Time to continue your journey home. For those of you who have not had quite enough bear action for on lifetime, then please do let us know!
Find out the best place and time for polar bear tracking in this detailed and free guide.
Download the Guide
Knowing that your guides will keep you safe, you’ll be able to approach polar bears from the ground for up-close photographic opportunities. In many instances, the polar bears are friendly, in good spirits and will not approach. At times there will be a curious polar bear who will come towards you but your expert guides will keep you at a safe distance at all times. Churchill is situated directly in the prime Northern Lights viewing band where the most intense and reliable sightings occur. Eagerly await sunset each evening looking out for the first hints of the Northern Lights to appear in the darkening night sky.
Every year Hudson Bay freezes up and the polar bears head out to start their annual seal hunt on the pan ice. As they patiently wait for the ‘Big Freeze’, occasionally testing the waters, watch these magnificent mammals as they gather in Polar Bear Alley from the safety and comfort of the Arviat cabins. With space for just 8 guests at a time, photograph and live with the bears in their natural environment. Accompanied by trained and knowledgeable Inuit guides, you can get literally nose to nose – an incredible, once in a lifetime experience. These cabins are used on our Polar Bear Migrations Safari; enjoy close encounters with the bears with your trained and knowledgeable Inuit guide, trek through the icy wilderness or observe them from the comfort and warmth of the cabins. On you last day you check the coordinates of the local, 400 strong, Quamirjuag Caribou herd, before heading off for some aerial flight-seeing. The Northern Lights sightings are pretty reliable and you can watch the incredible red and green hues of this natural phenomenon from your warm cabin with a glass of wine or warm drink.
| Date | Guests | Trip Length | Trip Style | Prices from | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 18 - 25 2024 | 7 Days | Small Group | 16000 | ||
| Oct 22 - 29 2024 | 8 Days | Small Group | 16000 | ||
| Oct 26 - 02 2024 | 8 Days | Small Group | 16000 | ||
| Oct 30 - 06 2024 | 8 Days | Small Group | 16000 | ||
| Nov 3 - 10 2024 | 8 Days | Small Group | 16000 | ||
| Nov 07 - 14 2024 | 8 Days | Small Group | 16000 |
