A remote wilderness lodge all to yourself. Seal River Heritage Lodge. Tristan Adler photo.
by Maggie Cole
Full lodge private and exclusive bookings for Churchill Wild’s 2023-2025 polar bear tours and safaris have increased dramatically for numerous reasons, 31 of which we’ve listed below.
Will you find yours?
We’ve always had private lodge bookings from filmmakers and professional photographers, and a good amount of the ground-level footage of polar bears you’ve seen on TV from organizations such as National Geographic and BBC was filmed at one of our three ecolodges on the Hudson Bay coast.
But change is in the wind, and we’re now getting more full lodge bookings from families and friends, luxury tour and cruise groups, adventure and women’s travel clubs, and photography organizations, among others.
Full lodge bookings have become increasingly popular given all the added perks. Our polar bear safaris have always exceeded guest expectations, but with a full lodge it only gets better. While we have a maximum capacity of 16 people for a full lodge booking, there’s no minimum on the number of people allowed. Below are a few of the reasons people are choosing to book a full lodge, followed by a list that might just resonate with you and your group.
On the deck at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge.
Customize Your ExperienceÂ
Depending on which safari you’re on, your itinerary will differ. Some of our polar bear tours and safaris include kayaking or Zodiac trips to see the beluga whales, and one of our safaris gives you a Tundra Buggy® experience in Churchill, as well as time at the lodge.
Apart from a few differences depending on your lodge of choice, our standard day-to-day itinerary usually entails having breakfast in the morning and then trekking out on a one to three-hour walk, based on where the polar bears and wildlife are; returning back for lunch around noon; and then going out for another walk before returning for cocktail hour, dinner and presentations.
When we’re out on an excursion it’s very important that the group of guests stay together with the guides and continue on the journey to the end. But…
When you book a full lodge, you decide what you would like to do each day. We’ve designed our safaris to please everyone, but we are flexible and can adjust the schedule for you and your private group. For example, if your group is fit and enjoys long hikes, you can spend the whole day outside. If you would like to take things at a slower pace, we can limit the walking or incorporate more of the vehicles, depending on which lodge you are at and any environmental constraints.
Scheduled meals can be shifted to when you please, or we can even pack lunches to have out in the field. If you’d like to sleep in a little longer, or start the day a little earlier, the option is yours. If you’re at Seal River Heritage Lodge and want to spend more time on the Zodiacs with the belugas, we can arrange that as well.
Photographing polar bears at ground level. Dymond Lake Ecolodge.
Enjoy a Luxury Remote Ecolodge with Your Friends and Family
One of the most exciting reasons to visit the Churchill Wild ecolodges is the diversity of people you meet from around the world. Not only will you experience amazing wildlife viewing, but you will also create friendships with other guests from all over the planet that share different views and have unique stories.
On my first trip up North, I didn’t realize that one of the main takeaways was the people I got to meet. For a week I sat around a table with people from Switzerland, Germany, England, Hawaii, Colorado and Manitoba. We shared stories and laughs and I walked away with a new group of friends.
Group dinner at Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge.
That was an amazing experience, but it’s also incredible to share such a unique and bucket list trip with those closest to you, your friends and family. Nothing beats the surreal feeling of walking with wild polar bears in the sub-Arctic with your siblings, parents or a group of friends. The memories made at Churchill Wild will last forever.
A ground-level polar bear encounter at Seal River Heritage Lodge.
Children Under Eight
Another bonus that comes with booking a full lodge becomes especially important if you’re travelling with younger children. We have a minimum age requirement of eight years old to ensure safety while out on the tundra, and also to ensure the trip is enjoyable for other guests. But if you have the lodge to yourself, we can make an exception to allow younger children to join as long as they’re well behaved and monitored.
The look of wonder. Polar bears in the wild.
Privacy and Exclusivity
If you’re someone who doesn’t like to travel with others and privacy is important, you will definitely enjoy staying at one of our lodges. Not only will you be the only guests at the lodge, but our locations are so remote that there are no people around for hundreds of miles.
Corporate Incentive Travel
If you’re looking for a luxury destination to host a work incentive trip for your top employees, stakeholders, vendors or partners, Churchill Wild provides a once-in-a-lifetime shared experience that they will talk about forever. An adventure with Churchill Wild will create loyalty, strengthen bonds, boost engagement, and increase productivity, while at the same time offering a peace of mind you can only find you in the wilderness — while also enjoying all the comforts of home.
Photographer’s Dream
We attract a wide range of photographers to our lodges, both professional and amateur, mainly because of the rare ground-level photo opportunities for polar bears, wolves, and other wildlife. We’ve had photos taken here you simply can’t get anywhere else in the world. Some photographers like to be out in the field for hours and hours and not move until they get that perfect shot. If you book a full lodge, you can do just that.
The famous Scarbrow. He’s been visiting Dymond Lake Ecolodge for 14 years.
31 Reasons Why Groups Choose Private, Exclusive, Full Lodge Bookings with Churchill Wild
- Walking with polar bears
- Privacy and personalization
- Ground-level polar bear photography
- 50 years of experience in wildlife tourism
- Family owned and operated — family friendly
- Hundreds of 5-Star Tripadvisor reviews
- Elite wilderness guides
- Great food based on our own bestselling cookbooks
- Arctic luxury in the heart of polar bear country
- Customized itineraries
- Unspoiled natural beauty
- Proximity to nature
- Escape from the crowds
- Exclusive access to one of the wildest places on the planet
- Expertly guided wildlife excursions
- Intimate wildlife encounters
- Species diversity
- Rare wildlife photography opportunities
- Extended photography hours
- Exclusive bird photography
- Freedom to experiment
- Wildlife photography workshops
- Flexibility in photography locations
- Networking, bonding and collaboration
- Culture, conservation, history and education
- Storytelling opportunities
- The ability to connect or… disconnect
- Peaceful and inspirational environment
- Unforgettable shared Arctic experiences
- Fond memories, that will last a lifetime
And one more…
31. Private Exclusive Group Booking Lodge Discount
We do offer a discount to those who are looking to book a full lodge. If this is something you might be interested in, please call us Toll Free at 1.866.846.9453 or send us an email at info@churchillwild.com.
