The Ultimate Churchill Polar Bear Photography Tour

DAY 1

Your adventure begins the moment your plane lands at Churchill Airport, where we meet you for an immediate transfer to our tundra lodge. Keep your cameras ready! The drive often offers a high chance of spotting your first polar bear.
If your flight arrives in the morning, we will conduct a brief orientation on lodge amenities and bear safety before heading out onto the tundra in a cozy 4WD vehicle to begin searching for bears. As the sun sets, we will return to the lodge before driving into town for a well-deserved dinner. Back at the lodge, you can relax in the grand room, review your images, or step outside. Since the lodge is situated away from the town’s light pollution, clear skies offer an excellent opportunity to watch for the Aurora Borealis.

DAYS 2-6

A typical day begins at sunrise. Since all rooms face the tundra, you can start surveying the landscape for activity the moment you wake up. After enjoying a buffet breakfast, its time to prepare your gear, dress warmly, and head out onto the tundra to look for bears.
We generally remain on the tundra all day. Don’t worry, there are a handful of strategically positioned bathrooms we can stop by when nature calls! When needed, we will make a quick run into town for everyone to stock up on lunch supplies, so that we can maximize our daylight hours with the polar bears instead of sitting in a busy restaurant.
Once the sun sets, we’ll head back to lodge to relax, download images, and prepare for dinner.

As evening approaches, we typically head into town for dinner as a small group. We return to the lodge with plenty of time for a relaxing nightcap, reviewing the day’s images, or utilizing our secluded location for potential Aurora Borealis gazing.
Then, it’s time to sleep, dream of polar bears, and prepare to repeat this incredible cycle

DAY 7

Departure Day. After enjoying a final breakfast at the lodge and checking out, we will transfer you to Churchill where you’ll have time for some souvenir shopping before we bring you to the Churchill Airport or the train station for your journey home.

MORE DAYS WITH POLAR BEARS

Google ‘Churchill Polar Bear Tours’ and you’ll find companies offering similarly priced polar bear tours. But if you read the fine print, you’ll notice that their tours include days spent touring Winnipeg or waiting in Churchill.

When we pick you up at the airport on day one, we head straight to the bears! After a seamless transfer to our lodge to change into warm gear, we will take you directly onto the tundra. From that point on, we dedicate every day, all day, to world-class polar bear viewing until your flight home.

If you want a genuine, bear-focused experience with no fluff, this is your expedition.

WE FIND THE BEST BEAR ENCOUNTERS

Rather than wasting time sitting in a wobbly ‘tundra hotel on wheels’, we spend our days actively driving and scouting the tundra to ensure you see the most exciting bear activity.

By utilizing small 4WD vans  with a maximum of 6 guests, we gain access to off-the-beaten-path trails where larger, slower vehicles can’t go. This agility allows us to quickly find bears, foxes, and other animals, and instantly maneuver for intimate, high-quality encounters.

Our lodge is also perfectly positioned in the heart of the tundra and is a favorite spot for visiting bears!

WE DELIVER EYE LEVEL ENCOUNTERS WITH POLAR BEARS

Looking down on polar bears from a high-sided tundra vehicle simply doesn’t do justice to their magnificence. When we find bears, our armed guides safely assess the situation, allowing us to leave the vehicle for unforgettable eye-level encounters on foot.

Our guests can set up tripods on the snow for pin-sharp images or even hunker down, shooting upward to make the bears look even more impressive.

Our small footprint also allows us to get closer to arctic foxes, snow hares, ptarmigan, and other shy tundra animals that avoid large vehicles, adding to your authentic tundra experience.

EXPERT GUIDANCE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

On the tundra, positioning is everything. Understanding where to place our small group to take full advantage of the available light while predicting the polar bears’ movements, is a skill learned over time. Your trip leader, Andy Murch, is a professional wildlife photographer with decades of experience in making the right decisions to help you bring home dramatic and compelling images.

OUR GUESTS STAY AT WHITE WHALE LODGE

Trade overcrowded Churchill for the tranquility of our purpose-built lodge deep in the tundra, overlooking Hudson Bay where polar bears and foxes regularly visit the fence line.
Our prime location puts you directly next to Polar Bear Alley and other wildlife hotspots, dramatically increasing your bear viewing time.
Plus, there is no light pollution when the Northern Lights appear! Learn more!

ENJOY OUR CORPORATE FLIGHT DISCOUNTS

We will help you organize your flights between Winnipeg and Churchill to ensure that you arrive and depart on the correct days even if Calm Air shows those days are fully booked. That way, you won’t have to waste time and money overnighting in Churchill before or after your polar bear photography tour.

Plus, we are able to extend our special corporate rate, which is approximately 60-70% of the high season full fare.

ACCOMMODATION

White Whale Lodge offers a truly superior alternative to accommodations in town. Our comfortable, purpose-built lodge is situated deep in the tundra, providing guests with opportunities to spot polar bears, foxes, and other wildlife right outside the compound, even on downtime.
At night, the White Whale Lodge’s deck becomes a prime location for watching the Aurora Borealis, completely free from the light pollution of Churchill.

FITNESS LEVEL

Expect brief periods of minor walking on snow, primarily when leaving the vehicle to set up for photographic opportunities on the tundra.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Six nights at White Whale Lodge, where polar bears sometimes approach right up to the fence line.

Six full days on the tundra viewing polar bears (after arrival on day one). Our VIP small group tours last from sunrise to sunset each day.

The most experienced, armed polar bear guides in the industry, who possess deep expertise in bear behavior and ensure your safety at all times.

Exclusive group use of a tundra-ready 4WD passenger van that comfortably seats 6 guests / photographers and one driver guide.

Exclusive access to restricted areas of the tundra where polar bears are especially abundant.

NOT INCLUDED

Flights

Lunches and dinners

Drinks

Warm and cozy White Whale Lodge is strategically positioned in the heart of the Canadian Tundra, offering unparalleled proximity to Polar Bear Alley and maximizing your time with the bears.
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