Departures:
10/14/2013 10/16/2013 10/22/2013 10/25/2013 11/11/2013 11/16/2013
Ship(s):
Trip Highlights:
View the 'kings of the north' in the polar bear capital of the world by day and enjoy the beautiful Northern Lights by night.
Save $1,013 per person.
Summary: Looking out onto the vast ice floe, you spy them, white on white. Alternately regal and whimsical and always awe inspiring, polar bears in the wild offer a natural encounter charged with drama and magic. There's no better time than now to see polar bears in their natural habitat. This polar bear adventure offers just the right amount of time with bears – two day-long outings and one evening journey! During the daytime, young males play fight, mother bears explore with their cubs at their sides, and solitary adults lumber across the tundra. And, at night, the tundra provides an eerie and remote escapade, and a possible chance to witness the remarkable aurora borealis – the northern lights.
Arrive in Winnipeg and enjoy an orientation dinner.
Day 2: Winnipeg / Churchill
Fly to Churchill this morning. This hospitable outpost town, originally a fur-trading post, is your base for adventure. On this 6-day trip, you head to the tundra this evening for your first glimpse of the bears, though you often see them from the bus leaving the airport, even before boarding the polar rover.
Days 3 - 4: Polar Bear Viewing
Unique tundra vehicles are your mobile means for spending time among the polar bears. Although they accommodate an average of 35 passengers, there will be just 15, ensuring everyone a window seat. Your Expedition Leaders know the best places to view bears, which are waiting for the ice to solidify on Hudson Bay so they may begin the winter seal-hunting season. You will spend hours watching them interact, delighted by their antics and rugged beauty. From the warmth of your vehicle, you may see mothers with cubs and young adult males play-fighting. Your knowledgeable Expedition Leader offers interpretation along the way, explaining the bears' behavior and how they thrive in such a harsh environment. In the evenings, meet for dinner, followed by presentations on wildlife or local cultures.
Day 5: Churchill / Winnipeg
Your return flights are scheduled to depart in the mid - late afternoon, to offer as much time as possible to explore Churchill. Pick up last-minute native handcrafts and souvenirs or, if time permits, take an optional helicopter journey over the tundra or an authentic dog-sledding excursion.
Day 6: Return Home
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flights home.
Departure dates subject to change. Please contact ExpeditionTrips to confirm departure schedule before purchasing air tickets.
Note: Historically, there is a 60% chance of seeing the Northern Lights on the nighttime trip to the tundra. On some occasions they are more brilliant than others but they are always quite a thrill!
Included:
R/T flight from Winnipeg to Churchill; accommodations; all meals (except either lunch or dinner on your final day in Churchill); services of professional Expedition Leaders and assistants; some gratuities; all activities/entrance fees; evening wildlife and cultural presentations; all taxes and service charges; complimentary boots and parkas for use during trip.
Not Included:
Travel to and from Winnipeg; lunch or dinner on your final day in Churchill; alcoholic beverages; gratuities, travel insurance; items of a personal nature (telephone calls, laundry, etc.).
Available Extensions:
Please contact ExpeditionTrips for rates and details on extending your trip.
Extra Day in Winnipeg (pre-trip):
Includes: Airport transfers; hotel accommodations; breakfast and lunch; guided tour of Winnipeg; guided tour of the Manitoba Museum; entrance fees.
Northern Helicopter Option:
View the Northís wildlife, scenery, and pre-Dorset tent rings and archaeological sites from a unique aerial perspective.
Dog Sledding Option:
Experience the thrill of gliding through the boreal wilderness behind a team of sled dogs!
Why does AntarcticConnection partner with ExpeditionTrips?
True experts with first-hand polar experience, the ExpeditionTrips staff has sailed on the ships they represent; with a combined amount of 100 Antarctic trips between them;and can help you thoroughly compare and contrast the expeditions.
Their approach to travel is highly personal and professional, offering unbiased travel assistance to ensure you choose the very best Antarctica trip to meet your needs!
ExpeditionTrips works only with the highest quality small ships-all under 200 passengers-ranging from a 48-passenger Russian research vessel to a 200-passenger luxury expedition ship.