For well over a decade a trip to Churchill, Manitoba – the “Polar Bear Capital of the World” has been on my radar. It took a conversation with my friend Scot – a seasoned adventurer who has been on some of my most epic trips including a hike around Manaslu in Nepal, the O Circuit in Patagonia, and summiting Kilimanjaro, to commit to booking a Churchill, Manitoba polar bear viewing experience.
However, in the back of my mind, I wondered if polar bear viewing would live up to its hype and deliver a bucket list experience. I’m not one for inactive vacations. I didn’t know if the confines of a tundra buggy would really do it for me. And truth be told, the price tag made my eyes water.
If you’re a wildlife enthusiast – and I am, a photographer (I try) and you love adventure (I do) then count on goosebumps just thinking about your trip when you’re home again. I look at my pictures replaying the up-close encounters with Churchill polar bears, and still can’t believe I was there.
Despite three days of inactivity, the trip to Churchill exceeded all expectations on so many levels: face to face polar bear viewing, the tundra buggy experience, and seeing both Hudson’s Bay and Churchill, two places I’ve heard about since I was a kid.
Keep reading to learn what makes the polar bear viewing experience so special – and why I think it merits a spot on your bucket list.
You might also like this Instagram reel showing two polar bears sparring.
Why Churchill is the polar bear capital of the world
Two factors collide to make Churchill the polar bear capital of the world: its unique location at the closest point to the sea ice on Hudson Bay – the polar bear’s platform for hunting ringed seals, and the fact that polar bears cluster here every year as the temperatures drop.
Polar bears in the Churchill area are most active and therefore best seen between mid-October and about the third week of November. In 2024, the polar bear population in the Churchill area was about 600, down by half of what it was 40 years ago. Even so, the chances of seeing a lot of polar bears are very high. (We saw 35+ Western Hudson Bay polar bears over two days.)
What makes polar bear viewing in Churchill unique?
Proximity to polar bears
There are very few places in the world where you find polar bears, let alone see them up close. We had a polar bear safety talk before backpacking in Auyutttiq National Park even though sightings are very rare.
You might see polar bears in Torngat Mountains National Park in Labrador. Other options include Ungava in northern Quebec, in Alaska, in remote parts of Greenland and in Svalbard, Norway
Churchill polar bears
In contrast, you can see polar bears very close to Churchill on a consistent basis. The first polar bear our group spotted occurred just 15 minutes after landing in Churchill. It had been a problem bear in town. After a few weeks in the Polar Bear Jail, it was drugged before relocating it by helicopter.
Outside of that, we saw females with year old cubs just a few kilometres outside of town. On one day alone, we saw 25 polar bears from the tundra buggy.
Tundra buggies
Tundra buggies are specially designed vehicles that can maneuver through the icy terrain to get to the best locations for polar bear viewing. An outdoor elevated platform off the back lets you get some fresh air and safely see the polar bears without a pane of glass between the two of you. It’s an exceptional way to experience the power and majesty of these Arctic animals – face to face.
I loved the fact that our $300,000 tundra buggy had been retrofitted, so it’s now electric rather than diesel. Not only is it quieter and cleaner, but it also has more torque which makes it easier to get out of some of the monster big pot holes we encountered.
Even though the tundra buggy is heated, the temperature can drop quickly for a short while when everybody throws open their windows for better polar bear viewing. A washroom is onboard at the back and lunch is picnic style on your lap.
On the Frontiers North Adventures polar bear viewing tour John and I did, we all had our own seat. I saw a bus with day trippers packed two to a seat, so any time there was a polar bear, numerous people couldn’t get close enough to see it.
Eco tourism focus in Churchill
If you sign up for a polar bear viewing experience in Churchill, you can rest assured that companies offering tours adhere to strict Manitoba Conservation guidelines. The number of both tour operators and vehicles using the restricted roads east of Churchill is also limited.
Tours out of Churchill stress conservation and education, not only on the tundra buggies – but beforehand via a presentation at Polar Bears International House. Our group spent a fascinating hour learning about the plight of the polar bears – thanks to sea ice forming later and leaving earlier every year. Even their major food source, the ringed seal, is thought to be in decline.
Before I visited Polar Bears International, I hadn’t appreciated just what a rich source of calories the ringed seals are. Check out the photo below showing how much fat they have beneath their skin. From late spring until early summer, polar bears may accumulate up to two thirds of their energy reserves that they need for the entire year from eating ringed seals!!
Best time to visit Churchill for polar bears
If you visit the Frontiers North website, you can already see the dates of their 2025 polar bear tours. The first one starts on October 8th and the last one ends on November 20th. That window is going to be your best time for polar bear viewing in Churchill.
Most polar bear tours run out of Winnipeg with one exception – a charter flight from Calgary to Churchill. What a treat that was! In 2025, it will be October 31 – November 5th.
How to experience polar bears safely and responsibly
We booked our polar bear viewing tour with Frontiers North Adventures out of Winnipeg. They are one of the companies where the guides are trained to put safety and the well-being of the animals first. We maintained a respectful distance in the tundra buggy – and let the bears come to us.
They don’t mince words when it comes to human safety around polar bears either. We were under stern orders from our guide, Heather, to explore Churchill on foot with a large group, but only before it got dark. Then we had to take the shuttle, even if it was only a block to a shop or a restaurant.
There are very strict rules regarding food and drink as they don’t want to interfere with the polar bears’ natural behaviour. On the tundra buggy no food or drinks are allowed outside.
How our guided polar bear tour unfolds
Day one in Calgary
Meet and greet with our guide Heather at a hotel in Calgary. Everyone introduces themselves and explains why they signed up for a trip to Churchill, Manitoba. The word bucket list experience is used by over half of the participants.
Day two in Churchill
Meet in the lobby at 4:50 AM for a shuttle to a private airport terminal in Calgary. Catch a charter flight on Summit Air to Churchill. Arrive by 9:30 AM.
Spend a full day exploring Churchill and the area. Watch the problem bear get airlifted, check out the Miss Piggy Plane Wreck, visit the Cape Merry National Historic Site, photo ops by the Churchill Inukshuk and Hudson’s Bay, a trip out to an old radar station covered with murals, a visit to Polar Bears International House, and the Parks Canada Visitor Centre, and a stop to see red foxes on the tundra.
We also squeezed in a lunch at the Tundra Pub, a visit to a local craft show in the Town Complex and dinner at the Ptarmigan.
Day three in Churchill
After a 7 AM breakfast at the Tundra Pub, we transfer out to the Tundra Buggy Dock. We are out exploring the Churchill Wildlife Management Area until the light starts to fade at about 4:30 PM. We see 25 polar bears and about 10 ptarmigans.
On the way back we make a quick stop to see the mural at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. Then free time – and most of us go shopping before dinner at the Tundra Pub.
Day four in Churchill and back to Calgary
Breakfast again at 7 AM at the Tundra Pub. Transfer again to the Churchill Wildlife Management Area but stop to observe a female polar bear and her cub. Spend a full day again on the tundra with 14 polar bears seen in total. Check out the Churchill Rocket Research Range on the way back to the airport.
Take a charter flight to Calgary to arrive at around 7 PM. Home by 8 PM though most guests spend another night in the hotel.
What to pack for an October or November trip to Churchill
We visited Churchill in early November over three days and two nights. There was a bit of snow and ice on the ground, but it wasn’t very cold. I had expected frigid temperatures – which is what they need for the formation of sea ice, but I found I rarely needed a hat or mitts to go outside on the tundra buggy.
However, the weather in Churchill can be extreme, particularly during the fall months. It was windy and very cold at the Prince of Wales Fort in Churchill, but I understand the wind was a fraction of what they normally get.
The bottom line – our group got very lucky with the weather. Still, don’t overpack as dining in Churchill is casual, and you can wear the same clothes on the tundra buggy a couple of days running.
Here’s what to bring on your polar bear viewing trip.
Note: Frontiers North Adventures can rent you warm clothes and boots, so you don’t have to pack much at all.
Warm layers: Include a down jacket, preferably one that goes to your hips or longer, thermal underwear on the bottom and top, a fleece or sweater, warm socks, a neck warmer and a warm hat.
Winter Boots: Bring one warm pair of winter boots. If you’re visiting Churchill in October and November, you won’t be walking around Churchill once dusk hits because of the risk of polar bears. I wore shoes to dinner every night since we we driven to restaurants – even if they were only a block away. I didn’t need my warm boots on the tundra buggy either. It it’s bitterly cold and you spend a lot of time outside, then that’s a different story.
Photography Gear: If you’re a serious photographer pack your telephoto lens and be sure to carry extra batteries. I took photos with both my Samsung phone and my Nikon Z6 with a 24-200 lens. I wish I’d had a bigger lens, but fortunately we got close enough to the polar bears that I got some great shots.
Binoculars: Your guide will likely have a pair of binoculars that will get passed around. But if you’ve got a good pair you love, pack them.
Other wildlife and attractions in Churchill, Manitoba
Beluga whales and wildflowers
A visit to Churchill, Manitoba in August has always appealed to me. It’s a time when the wildflowers are in full bloom and thousands of beluga whales congregate between the Churchill River and Hudson’s Bay. Once on a flight to Herschel Island out of Inuvik, I saw beluga whales from above – and even that was a sight. But what a thrill I think it would be to see them up close by kayak or a Zodiac inflatable boat!
Although viewing polar bears in Churchill is never guaranteed in summer, there’s still a good chance you’ll see at least one. However, if your focus is strictly polar bear viewing, then you must visit in October or November.
You can check out Frontiers North summer itinerary that includes beluga whales.
Northern Lights
We did not have Lady Luck on our side for Northern Lights viewing as it was cloudy every night. But with clear skies you can enjoy incredible aurora borealis light displays out on the tundra near Churchill – where there is no light pollution.
Interestingly, there is a rocket launch area outside of Churchill. Over 3,500 sub-orbital flights were launched into the aurora borealis to study its behaviour via the Churchill Rocket Research Range that opened in 1956. It hasn’t been operational for years, but it’s still an interesting site to see.
How much does a trip to see the Churchill polar bears cost?
Prices are all over the map for polar bear viewing in Churchill, depending on how many days you’re in town, whether you sleep out on the tundra or in a Churchill hotel, and your mode of transportation. You might get a case of sticker shock – but once you’ve been up to Churchill, you can totally appreciate the costs involved in running the operation. For most people, polar bear viewing in Churchill is a bucket list item and a once-off trip.
If you’re on a tight budget, you can take a two-day train trip from Winnipeg to Churchill (roughly $500 return in economy) and then do a day trip with a tour operator in the Churchill area but you absolutely need to reserve ahead of time. Check out this list of Churchill operators for tours.
Frontiers North Adventures runs same day trips out of Winnipeg, so there are no overnight costs. Contact them for pricing.
Multi-day packages with Frontiers North Adventures that include two nights hotels in Calgary or Winnipeg, and two nights in Churchill plus return charter flights (which was such a treat!!) start at $Cdn8799 or $US6300 in 2025.
There is also the option to spend two nights in Winnipeg, one night in Churchill and three nights at the Tundra Buggy Lodge run by Frontiers North Adventures starting at $Cdn14,649 in 2025. The Tundra Buggy Lodge doesn’t look fancy – as it has bunk beds with curtains and shared bathrooms but makes up for that with talks by noted polar bear researchers, the possibility of Northern Lights out the window and polar bears milling around.
Don’t go looking for polar bears in Churchill on your own. They are extremely dangerous and need to be treated with respect.
More Western Hudson Bay polar bear pictures
Is polar bear viewing in Churchill really a bucket list adventure?
Our Churchill polar bear viewing experience exceeded expectations, in large part because of how many polar bears we saw, how close we got and how much we learned. So the short answer is yes – viewing polar bears in Churchill is definitely a bucket list experience.
If you have any questions about my experience or you’d like more first-hand information, drop me a line in the comments section or email me through the home page of my website.
***A big thank you to Frontiers North Adventures for hosting me. We did pay for John’s trip. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.***
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