Cloud Wolves of the Kaska Coast
LODGE
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge
DURATION
9 Nights
WEATHER
Extreme cold: can drop to -50°C with wind chill.
Safari Overview
Join an extraordinary and demanding expedition in the heart of a wilderness 50 times the size of Yellowstone. Our ten-day Cloud Wolves of the Kaska Coast Expedition takes place at the Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge on the frontier between the vast boreal forest and the frozen Hudson Bay. The expedition’s goal is to search for and hopefully observe nature’s most elusive predator – the gray wolf.
March might be calendar spring, but here in the North it’s still deep winter and temperatures can plummet to -50C with windchill (pay close attention to our packing lists). To make up for the brutal field conditions, the season brings the wolves’ exciting breeding season, when courtship unfolds against a wintery landscape of sea ice and snow-drifted forest. The frozen tundra and muskeg allow us to travel farther on our daily expeditions and provide the perfect canvas for wildlife tracking. Pack sizes are smaller at this time of year, but social interaction is at its peak as the breeding pair reinforce pack bonds, teach the pups-of-the-year how to hunt moose and polar bear and struggle to defend their territory against interlopers.
July is an exciting time to search for wolves. We head out each day with National Geographic photographer Jad Davenport, binoculars and cameras in hand, to scan the flowering tundra for wolves. If a local breeding pair has produced a litter, we will try to locate their rendezvous site where the pups are left with babysitters while the adults go off to hunt. The long summer days and lush coastal terrain provide excellent opportunities to encounter and photograph other wildlife including polar and black bears, moose and migrating birds.
As part of our citizen-science field study you will have a chance to help set up and check trail cameras and assist with creating and maintaining artificially constructed wolf dens. Our high-ratio team of expert guides coordinate daily expeditions that give us the best possible opportunities to encounter wolves.
During evening happy hours enjoy wolf, wildlife and photography presentations before sitting down for gourmet dinners inspired by our award-winning Blueberries & Polar Bears cookbooks. When the night sky clears, the aurora borealis might paint its haunting colours across the stars.
While we always hope to see wolves, these are not wolf photography safaris. These are instead expeditions geared toward guests interested in learning more about wolves and spending long, often uncomfortable, field days in search of wildlife. While some expeditions encounter wolves for a few hours at close range and others might only glimpse a single wolf at a distance, wolf sightings are never guaranteed.
Lodge + Location
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge
250 KM SOUTH OF CHURCHILL BY PLANE
57° 07’ 22.4” N / 91° 39’ 52.0” W
Situated next to pristine Arctic waters on Hudson Bay with Canada’s Boreal Forest as its backyard sits Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. The diverse ecosystem surrounding Nanuk is home to Canadian icons such as polar bears, black bears, wolves, and moose (though not all are around at this time of year).
From the safety of the fence surrounding the Lodge, view the northern lights or get up-close-and-personal with wildlife that meander past, as curious about you as you are about them.
The eight guestrooms with en-suite bathrooms are housed in two guest wings connected to the main dining room/lounge area, each with cozy sitting areas overlooking the Bay. After a long day trekking the tundra, kick back in our lounge and enjoy an informative presentation by our guides or simply relax and enjoy conversations with new friends.
Itinerary
Day 1
GET SETTLED, GEAR UP, AND MEET YOUR TEAM
Arrive in Winnipeg where you will enjoy a relaxing stay at our choice hotel, The Grand by Lakeview at the Winnipeg Airport. Your winter gear fitting and collection will take place at 5 pm prior to meeting the rest of your group at an orientation dinner hosted by a Churchill Wild representative.
Includes: dinner
Day 2
WELCOME TO NANUK POLAR BEAR LODGE!
Arrive in Churchill by air where one of our expert staff will meet you at the airport and provide you with instructions of the morning transfer. You will then begin your flight to Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. This exciting 60-minute flight takes you over Wapusk National Park as well as the historic York Factory. Keep a sharp eye en-route for wildlife!
Upon arrival, your hosts will provide a tour of the Lodge and get you settled into your room. A thorough orientation on travelling in polar bear country will be provided prior to any outings. Then it’s time to assemble your cameras, hard drives, and tripods and start shooting. Time permitting, we’ll head out for a shakedown hike.
After the excitement of the day prepare for the first of many fine meals from the award-winning Blueberries & Polar Bears cookbooks.
*Flight route subject to change
Includes: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Days 3 - 8
FIND THE WOLVES!
Enjoy a hearty breakfast while our guides briefs us on our plan of attack for the day. Depending on weather and previous wildlife sightings we will enjoy a light lunch either in the field or back at the lodge.
After breakfast, it’s time to head out on expedition! These daily expeditions are a chance for us to search for wolf tracks and wolf sign and, if wolves are in the area, hopefully get you as close as possible to observe their behavior and social interactions.
While it’s occasionally possible to observe wolves from the viewing decks at the lodge, wolves are constantly on the move and regularly cover 80 km a day as they hunt and mark their territory. With our small group size and high-guide ratio, we use a network of established trails during our quest to find them.
For those interested in becoming involved with our citizen-science wolf study, the expeditions offer a variety of guide-directed and self-directed activities including setting up trail cameras, helping with artificial den maintenance, recording field wildlife surveys, casting animal tracks (summer only), conducting howl surveys and gathering oral history from guides. Participants contributions become part of the yearly study. Findings are shared with wolf scientists at annual wolf conferences, magazine stories and our annual wolf newsletter.
Evenings at Nanuk are a chance to unwind and enjoy a happy hour with a presentation on wolf biology and natural history, storytelling and wildlife photography, followed by a delicious dinner and socializing around the fire.
The Kaska Coast boasts over 300 nights a year of Auroral activity, making it one of the best places in the world to see the dazzling Northern Lights. March weather is extremely cold but offers many clear nights increasing our chance for Aurora viewing. Summer weather can be mixed, but the warm temperatures make for pleasant Aurora viewing. Jad will help get you and your camera set up for Northern Light photography on the first night so you are prepared when staff come knocking to wake you up for a dazzling show.
This is your expedition. While we want to offer you as many experiences as possible, we also encourage you to relax. Take an afternoon or morning off (or a couple) and have the lodge to yourself. We’ll stoke the fire, pour you some coffee and leave you with some tasty brownies. Some of our best wildlife viewing happens right from the lodge. You never know who might wander up to the window and look in on you.
Includes: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Days 9 - 10
BACK TO WINNIPEG
After breakfast it’s time for one last goodbye-howl to the wolves before we fly back to Winnipeg.
If we stop in Churchill, you’ll spend the day with one of our tour guides exploring the town and surrounding area and learning about its rich history as a seaport and ex-military base. Your tour will include highlights such as the Parks Canada exhibit, the Itsanitaq Museum, the Polar Bear Jail, chatting with the Cree and Inuit ladies sewing moose-hide mitts at the Arctic Trading Post, or learning about the Lost Franklin Expedition while gazing at the stained-glass memorial in St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Along the way, your guide will point out murals that were commissioned in 2016 as part of the SeaWalls mural festival. Before a group dinner, your guide will give you free time to shop for last-minute souvenirs at the unique gift stores in Churchill.
Your flight south to Winnipeg will take place this evening. Upon arrival, collect your bags, head out of the arrivals doors and back to The Grand Hotel.
*Churchill tour subject to change
Includes: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 10
HOMEWARD BOUND
After a restful sleep you will pack your bags in preparation for your flight home.
Churchill Wild reserves the right to make changes to this itinerary due to weather and logistical complications that can arise from traveling in the north and to remote locations.
Expedition Leader
Jad Davenport
Jad Davenport, a photographer, writer, and storyteller for National Geographic, has spent the past three decades exploring some of the world’s most remote places. Assignments have taken him trekking through Papua New Guinea to investigate the disappearance of Michael Rockefeller, spelunking deep into Belizean caves to document ancient Maya sacrifice sites, and sailing into Greenlandic fjords in search of a lost Viking colony. He brings decades of field experience to mentoring photographers, guiding guests through the art, craft, and professional realities of storytelling with images.
His stories and photographs have appeared in dozens of publications including National Geographic, LIFE, Popular Photography, Outside, and Audubon. His fine art photography has been exhibited in galleries in the United States and Europe. An early pioneer in digital photography, Jad created National Geographic’s first fully digital cover story in 2004. Before this, he spent a decade as a freelance war photojournalist covering more than a dozen conflicts including Iraq, Bosnia, Cambodia, and El Salvador.
A 20-year member of The Explorers Club and Director of Wolf Programs for Churchill Wild, Jad leads the Arctic Safari, Cloud Wolves of the Kaska Coast expeditions, and the Photography Masterclass.
Dates & Rates
2026 Dates
Dates
Lodge
Availability
Inquire
March 13 - 22, 2026
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge
SOLD OUT
March 20 - 29, 2026
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge
SOLD OUT
July 23 - August 2, 2026
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge
SOLD OUT
2026 Rates
2026
Price Per Person (Double Occupancy)
$25,495 CAD
2026
Single Private Room
$47,095 CAD
Download 2026 March PDF ItineraryDownload 2026 July PDF Itinerary
2027 Dates
Dates
Lodge
Availability
Inquire
2027 Rates
2027
Price Per Person (Double Occupancy)
$26,795 CAD
2027
Single Private Room
$49,595 CAD
Download 2027 March PDF ItineraryDownload 2027 July PDF Itinerary
Prices are subject to taxes of 8.5%.
* Single guests can sign up to share a room with another person of the same gender at the regular rate per person based on double occupancy. If a single guest prefers to have a private room option we also have a single private room rate as listed above. This rate guarantees a private room at the Lodge as well as at the hotels required within the package.
Inclusions
- Roundtrip airfare between Winnipeg and Churchill, Manitoba
- Roundtrip airfare between Churchill and Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge
- Two nights’ accommodations in Winnipeg
- 7 nights’ lodge accommodations
- All meals, excursions, and guide services while at the Lodge
- All alcoholic beverages – Canadian wines and beers
- Winter gear (Rain gear in July)*
* Temperatures will range from -20 to -40C in the winter (can sometimes feel like -50C), likely with high wind chills, blowing snow and/or blizzard conditions. Only the very best winter clothing is acceptable and for this reason we will provide you with insulated boots, pants and parka for this expedition. The items are designed to fit adult guests. Boot sizes larger than a men’s size 13 would be considered a custom size that we do not provide. Additionally, guests over 6’4” may be required to bring their own gear as we may not have clothing sizes to fit. For your own safety and comfort, we will provide you with an additional list of what to bring.
On our Summer Cloud Wolves Safari in July, you can expect average daytime temperatures around 15°C (59°F). Rain gear is provided for this departure.
Not Included
- Taxes and Gratuities
- Personal outdoor gear not included are winter hat, balaclava, scarf and mitts. If you cannot get at home, you can purchase them with us but advance notice is required.
For questions or booking inquiries, call 1-866-UGO-WILD (846-9453) or contact us.
Download March ItineraryDownload July Itinerary
For questions or booking inquiries, call 1-866-UGO-WILD (846-9453) or contact us.
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