Polar bear Mom and cubs on gravel bar at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge.
If you’re thinking about going to see polar bears this summer you’re in luck!
We’re almost sold out again this year thanks to hundreds of guest referrals and some wonderful TripAdvisor reviews, but we still have a few limited spots available on our Hudson Bay Odyssey and Arctic Discovery. And both trips come with a few little extras!
Your options for seeing polar bears during the summer are extremely limited, from boat tours to Svalbard and Alaska or camping on the ice in the high Arctic, to ground level polar bear safaris based out of luxury fly-in lodges on the Hudson Bay coast in Canada. Churchill Wild pioneered the latter, and hosts the only polar bear walking safaris on the planet.
Polar bear holds court at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Jerry Grajewski photo.
Our remaining spots for this year’s summer polar bear walking safaris are based out of Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge, which recently joined our Seal River Heritage Lodge as a member of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World.
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge is located on the Hudson Bay coast, 250 km southeast and a 70-minute flight from Churchill, deep in the heart of polar bear denning territory, where the boreal forest ends and the Subarctic begins. And while Nanuk’s star attraction is polar bears, there are also black bears, wolves, moose; a diverse array of other wildlife, flora and fauna; and a remarkable diversity of bird species.
And the extras?
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Deep in the heart of polar bear country.
The Hudson Bay Odyssey departures from August 27-September 2, and from August 31-September 6 will be led by award-winning National Geographic photographer and author Jad Davenport, while the Arctic Discovery departure from August 10-18 includes two days in Churchill boating, snorkeling and kayaking with beluga whales; dinner with Helen Webber, co-author of the award-winning cookbook series Blueberries & Polar Bears; and a visit to the 300-year-old Prince of Wales Fort.
Kayaking with beluga whales is an exhilarating experience!
Jad Davenport is one of the most personable and talented photo leaders you will ever meet. A member of the esteemed Explorers Club, he has worked in over 160 countries and in some of the wildest places on earth. A very relaxed, but passionate instructor, Jad specializes in the art of creating photos that take you back to the time and place you experienced, and works with fellow guests to create full stories of their once-in-a-lifetime journey. Because he is also one of the rare writer-photographer-filmmakers with National Geographic Creative, he is also very willing to work with guests on how to capture their experiences in words or video.
Wolf at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. Didrick Johnck photo.
Kayaking and snorkeling with beluga whales on the Arctic Discovery is another once-in-a-lifetime experience you will never forget, and you’ll also have time to learn more about the unique history of Churchill while you’re there. Dinner with Blueberries & Polar Bears co-author Helen Webber will enchant your taste buds and give you a preview of the culinary delights in store for you at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge.
Of course, nothing can prepare you for your first meeting with a polar bear at ground level, an extreme adventure that few people on the planet ever get to experience. Come, walk with us. Take rare photos. Show your friends.
The polar bears are waiting.
