Von's Polar Bear Adventure - Nov. 08 - IgoUgo Churchill Journal

Churchill Nature Tours

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Our Chariot Awaits Us Photo - Churchill Nature Tours, Churchill, Manitoba

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Ecotourism is a booming business and in Churchill, Manitoba it is the polar bears that bring tourists in from around the world for approximately six weeks every fall. After learning about tour packages to Churchill, I started my research nearly a year out before my adventure. There are several tour companies who package four to six day adventures in Churchill so it is important that you figure out what you really want to do during your time there and find the operator who packages the best to see and do, at the most affordable price. Prices do range significantly, as do the quality of the tour leaders/guides and the activities added above the main attraction . . . viewing polar bears from a tundra ...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 7, 2008

Churchill Nature Tours

Erickson, Manitoba
(204) 636-2968

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Day One in Churchill 11/2/08

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Along Hudson Bay Photo - Churchill, Manitoba

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After a hectic day of travel, our group of 21 arrived safely in Churchill by mid morning Sunday. Thank goodness for "falling back" the night before as we all needed the extra hour's sleep. We have a very eclectic group, with roughly a third from the UK, USA and Canada each. I was amazed at the number of folks that cross "the pond" to come to the Polar Bear Capital of the World . . . Churchill, Manitoba.Upon our arrival, our tour guide Steve provided us with a thorough tour of the town, highlighting everything of importance . . . where NOT to go due to safety issues with bears in town . . . where to go shopping for gifts and souvenirs . . . and where we'll be dining for most of our meals wh...Read More

After a hectic day of travel, our group of 21 arrived safely in Churchill by mid morning Sunday. Thank goodness for "falling back" the night before as we all needed the extra hour's sleep. We have a very eclectic group, with roughly a third from the UK, USA and Canada each. I was amazed at the number of folks that cross "the pond" to come to the Polar Bear Capital of the World . . . Churchill, Manitoba.

Upon our arrival, our tour guide Steve provided us with a thorough tour of the town, highlighting everything of importance . . . where NOT to go due to safety issues with bears in town . . . where to go shopping for gifts and souvenirs . . . and where we'll be dining for most of our meals while in Churchill. We also got to see where bears are taken if they wander into town - Polar Bear Compound aka Polar Bear Jail.

Before lunch we paid a short visit to the train station which also serves as the home to a series of interpretive exhibits telling the story of Churchill, the polar bear and Inuit people.

With a noontime lunch date at Gypsy's, world famous I might add, we were treated to a "whatever you want off the menu board" lunch that was part of our group's tour package. Lunch was very good, as was dinner later that evening (Arctic Char). Both meals were outstanding!

Our day was jam packed with activities, which included our one-hour helicopter tour of Churchill Bay and the Wapusk National Park where the polar bears have been preparing for a feast of the own. Once the ice forms, they will venture out for months to get their fill of ring seals. In the meantime, they will eat whatever they can kill, which for one big boy, was a caribou. The flight was incredible! With six passengers in the copter, we were limited to what camera gear we could bring aboard. While my photos aren't the best (I was using a digital point n shoot), I have included a couple here for folks to get the idea.

After some down time for shopping, a nap or both . . . we reconvened just before 6:00pm for dinner at Gypsy's. The arctic char is akin to salmon, but seemed like a lighter, flakier fish to me. It was very good and not very fishy tasting. After dinner we were treated to Churchill through her four seasons compliments of a local photographer Mike. His work is beautiful including wildlife (polar bears, beluga whales, foxes) and the aurora borealis. This was the perfect ending to a wonderful first day in Churchill.
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Day Two Tundra Buggy 11/3/08

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Our First Bear on the Tundra Photo - Churchill, Manitoba

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OMG was it incredible! We were out of the tundra buggy launch pad by 9:00a and within a mile or so, we experienced our first bear. He was very close to the path, on a slightly elevated lakeshore. When we first pulled up he was just laying there, but it was clear they are very curious animals. He lifted his head and looked over at us several times. Seemingly bored with us, he started to roll around in the snow bring about the first oooohhhhs and aaawwwwws of our two days on the tundra.From there, the day only got better as we had a very active morning of bear viewing . . . including a momma and two cubs. At first they were completely out of sight, but someone on the buggy noticed the mov...Read More

OMG was it incredible! We were out of the tundra buggy launch pad by 9:00a and within a mile or so, we experienced our first bear. He was very close to the path, on a slightly elevated lakeshore. When we first pulled up he was just laying there, but it was clear they are very curious animals. He lifted his head and looked over at us several times. Seemingly bored with us, he started to roll around in the snow bring about the first oooohhhhs and aaawwwwws of our two days on the tundra.

From there, the day only got better as we had a very active morning of bear viewing . . . including a momma and two cubs. At first they were completely out of sight, but someone on the buggy noticed the movement in the willows. Out appeared the mom. As though that wasn't good enough, up popped a cub head . . . and then the second. The momma enjoyed sliding down the hill as her babies watched. One came out almost immediately, while the other seemed a bit more timid. Eventually he too came out, although he seemed to lag behind and had to run often to catch up when mom was ready to move.

Having heard on the radio that there were a couple of bears along the freezing Hudson Bay, we made our way over to where another company's buggy was perched. There was one big boy right on the shore of the Hudson Bay, which you could see starting to freeze up behind him. From time to time he could be seen munching on some old dried up sea kelp that had washed up onto the shore. Like the bears before him, while he laid around for some amount of time, he did become restless . . . standing up . . . turning over . . . and yawning before laying back down.

This was where we stayed for our tundra picnic lunch. It was a beautiful spot to watch the bears while we enjoyed our lunch of hot soup, sandwich and apple pastry (catered by Gypsy's).

On our trek back in towards the buggy launch area, we stopped in at the Great White Bear Lodge, the tundra camp for those who want to live out with the bears during their stay in Churchill. There were a couple of bears in and around the camp, but one seemed to only have mischief on his mind. It was funny watching him pace under the food car, trying to figure out how to get up there even if just for a closer look at what smelled so good. I've posted a photo with this entry of him up on his hind legs trying to see in.

On Monday's bear adventure we saw 16 bears, probably "about average" for this time of the bear season. Everyone agreed, it was a wonderful day!!
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Day Three Tundra Buggy 11/4/08

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More Buggies Arrive Photo - Churchill, Manitoba

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It was a remarkable day in spite of, or maybe because of the snow blizzard! A storm came in from Alberta, and the forecast was for upwards of a foot of snow and winds exceeding 50mph. Weather is a funny thing because the bears like it cold, the colder the better and the snow really doesn't affect them much. They don't care for the high winds however, so we had a few things working against us for the bear viewing day out on the tundra:1. The air temp was around 30F which is warmer than bears like it, making them a bit lethargic in general. (Probably why we saw so many laying around yesterday and rather limited in their general activities . . . and NO sparring.)2. With the whiteout con...Read More

It was a remarkable day in spite of, or maybe because of the snow blizzard! A storm came in from Alberta, and the forecast was for upwards of a foot of snow and winds exceeding 50mph. Weather is a funny thing because the bears like it cold, the colder the better and the snow really doesn't affect them much. They don't care for the high winds however, so we had a few things working against us for the bear viewing day out on the tundra:

1. The air temp was around 30F which is warmer than bears like it, making them a bit lethargic in general. (Probably why we saw so many laying around yesterday and rather limited in their general activities . . . and NO sparring.)
2. With the whiteout conditions, it's difficult to even see polar bears if they are up and around . . . or more likely bunkered in the willows that block the wind.
3. Our tour group in general was a bit apathetic and less than optimistic about seeing bears. Believe me when I say the weather conditions (especially the high winds) were brutal!

Folks were napping, reading books, and doing a lot of things not conducive to finding the bears! Around 10:00am our buggy driver and our group tour guide decided to break away from the other two early morning buggies. They felt that in knowing bear behavior, there was a good chance to find a bear or two in a small land area covered with willow between a couple of frozen over ponds. Just getting into this area was quite treacherous as we were going to venture off the trail and onto the frozen ponds. In some areas, there was more slushy marsh than solid ice, making the ride a bit of an added adventure. We observed one of the other company's buggies coming in behind us. It was amazing to see it navigate through the two foot deep mud and snow.

Their hunch paid off and we were treated to one bear who immediately scampered off out of sight. Shortly after, however, something was seen that was not visible as we entered this area. It was a sub adult male nearly covered in snow. At first he was a bit boring to watch, raising his head every few minutes as to check to see if we were still watching. Later in the morning, he seemed a bit restless especially as a couple of other buggies "found us" and zeroed in on OUR bear!

The bear did get up, stretch, pose, slide in the snow and then walk around our buggy. He even reached up onto the front of the vehicle as though he was trying to look into the front windshield. He then proceeded around the other side of the buggy, walked across the frozen lake, looking for a new place to make his day bed. Not comfy with what he found over there, he waltzed back nearly retracing his foot steps to his earlier resting point.

By this time, there were several buggies creating a small amphitheater around him. We had the best vantage point less than 50 feet away. This was where we had our tundra picnic lunch and stayed for over two hours. The show we were treated to by this single bear was gladly worth the price of the day's tour!

We did see a couple of other bears on our return trip to the buggy launch, as well as two arctic hares. Unfortunately in the wind driven snow, it was nearly impossible to see them . . . and literally impossible to photograph them. Perhaps my favorite photo of the hundreds I shot was the one of the bear walking across the frozen pond in the blizzard's harsh wind driven snow.

While the day before was outstanding from a total bear count (16) point of view, Tuesday was even better proving sometimes it is about more than quantity. I think our final bear count for the day was "just" six.
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Aurora Inn

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Hotel | "Wonderful Accommodations!"

Aurora Inn Photo - Aurora Inn, Churchill, Manitoba

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For our three nights in Churchill, the Aurora Inn served as our home away from home. Admittedly, I was a bit curious about the condition of a motel property that is so far from the rest of civilization, and in a town without a lot of options. I was pleasantly surprised as the comfort and amenities provided the guests. Churchill Nature Tours did well by selecting the Aurora Inn as the packaged accommodations for their tour guests.All of the units utilized by our tour group were two level condominium type units. When you entered your room the first thing noted would be the large living space to include a dinette area and full kitchen. The sofa and chair were in good repair and were a co...Read More

For our three nights in Churchill, the Aurora Inn served as our home away from home. Admittedly, I was a bit curious about the condition of a motel property that is so far from the rest of civilization, and in a town without a lot of options. I was pleasantly surprised as the comfort and amenities provided the guests. Churchill Nature Tours did well by selecting the Aurora Inn as the packaged accommodations for their tour guests.

All of the units utilized by our tour group were two level condominium type units. When you entered your room the first thing noted would be the large living space to include a dinette area and full kitchen. The sofa and chair were in good repair and were a comfy spot to watch the large flat screen TV. While our tour was all inclusive for meals, this would have been perfect for those who didn't want to eat out for all of their meals.

Upstairs was the loft style bedroom with two full sized beds and the bathroom. Again, this area was spacious and well furnished to include a smaller sized TV for those who wanted to watch television before bedtime or perhaps in the morning while getting dressed. I found my bed to be very comfortable, although the pillows were a bit on the flat side. There was more than adequate bedding, blankets and such, to keep me warm during the howling blizzard that roared in on our third day in town.

The motel also included complimentary WiFi internet access for those traveling with their laptop . . . or two PC's in the public area for those who couldn't be bothered lugging a laptop north. There also was a laundry area that was free for those who wanted to wash clothes during a more extended stay.

If you are planning an ala carte vacation to Churchill during bear season (October - November) you will need to book your reservations here far in advance as they do cater to two tour companies - - Churchill Nature Tours and another. Additionally, be prepared to make your deposits many months in advance.

Rates during bear season are $195/night for a single and $235/night for a double. While there are some discounts available during the "off season" there are none during the prime time of bear season (October - November).

The owner is a man by the name of Gavin. He was a friendly sort, always with a smile on his face. He was very accommodating and helpful. He was gracious in assisting me in getting my large, beastly heavy suitcase up the flight of stairs to the loft area. I would stay here again if I ever have the opportunity to go to Churchill.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 9, 2008

Aurora Inn
P.O. Box 1030
Churchill
(204) 675-2071

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Dining at Gypsy's Bakery and Cafe

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Gypsy's Cafe & Bakery Photo - Churchill, Manitoba

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As the sign states on their rooftop Gypsy's is "THE PLACE TO BE IN CHURCHILL." Our tour group operator Churchill Nature Tours had all of our meals while in Churchill taken care of by Gypsy's. When we were "in town" our breakfasts and dinners were at Gypsy's. Our tundra buggy tour picnic lunches were prepared by them as well. Churchill Nature Tours must be highly regarded as everyone there knew our guide Steve and he seemed to enjoy his conversations with them.Gypsy's is a mix between a cafeteria line type operation (breakfast and lunch) and sit-down diner (dinner). For our group, we had our choice of anything on the ala carte menu for breakfast, including selections from their fresh d...Read More

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Von's Polar Bear Adventure - Nov. 08

Churchill Nature Tours

Day One in Churchill 11/2/08

Day Two Tundra Buggy 11/3/08

Day Three Tundra Buggy 11/4/08

Aurora Inn

Dining at Gypsy's Bakery and Cafe

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