|
|
|
|
|
Churchill for Polar Bears
|
|
© Jamie McMillan/Nature Portfolio  Ice Bear: a photo taken from the Tundra Buggy |
Churchill, in Arctic Canada, is, simply, the best place in the world to see Polar Bears! On our tour we spend two full days amidst tundra to see and photograph these fabulously impressive animals. Also on our tour we have a short visit to Winnipeg, spending a day birding the local marshes for winter wildfowl and raptors.During the arctic winter, Polar Bears roam the ice of Hudson Bay, feasting on seals. In the short arctic summer they head inland where there is little food for them, so, by the autumn, they are getting pretty hungry while they wait for the sea to freeze. The Churchill shore is one of the first places to freeze up in November, and, at this time of year, Polar Bears are congregating here, waiting for the sea-ice to form. So if you want to see these superb creatures, this is probably the best place anywhere in the world to go, in late October. |
|
© Jamie McMillan/Nature Portfolio  Tundra Buggy:these giant vehicles allow a close approach to bears in complete safety |
But despite their cuddly appearance, Polar Bears are the world's largest land predator, and at this time, particularly hungry and dangerous to man! So in Churchill the locals have developed a unique vehicle, the 'Tundra Buggy', from which to view the bears in comfort and safety. The buggy is well heated, and washroom equipped, while its over-inflated tyres allow unparalleled access onto the tundra. Conservation regulations restrict the routes these vehicles can follow in order to protect the fragile ecosystem of this sub-arctic region. The vehicles have excellent visibility, and the bears are used to these strange apparitions joining them on the tundra, and are completely indifferent to their presence - they will approach the vehicles to within a few feet, allowing unparalleled opportunities for photography, or simply getting a close look at one of the world's most impressive mammals. Mostly, the bears are quietly resting, but with luck we'll see young males play-fighting, or females shepherding their cubs across the stark, snow-covered landscape. |
|
The Polar Bears are, we're sure, enough of a magnet, but if a 'bonus' is needed, the Northern Lights could well also be showing at this time, as they have done for us in spectacular fashion in the past. Churchill is one of the world's top spots for the aurora, and a fine night will give us a good chance of seeing this superb natural spectacle.
Join us for what could be the arctic experience of a lifetime! Itinerary Day 1 We take a scheduled flight from London to Winnipeg, arriving in the evening. Overnight Winnipeg Day 2 In the morning we meet our local guide and visit some of the prairie marshes around Winnipeg, with spectacular masses of migratory waterfowl. These can include thousands of Canada Geese, often with some of the tiny Richardson's Canada Goose amongst them and up to 100,000 Snow Geese of both blue and white morphs, together with swarms of ducks - mainly Lesser Scaup & Redhead, but with others including dashing Hooded Merganser and Bufflehead. The wildfowl attract Bald Eagles which quarter the marshes remorselessly, while Hen Harriers and Rough-legged Buzzards hunt the adjacent prairie. Red-winged Blackbirds haunt the reedbeds, while the muddy margins of the pools can be enlivened by both Long- and Short-billed Dowitchers, Pectoral and White-rumped Sandpipers and elegant American Avocets. Overnight Winnipeg Days 3 - 5 Today we fly to the Arctic. Upon arrival we will be met by our local guide, who will brief us over dinner… and alert us to any auroral activity! Next day, we head out by coach on to the tundra, joining our buggy where the road ends, keeping an eye out for Polar Bears as soon as we leave the town area. We'll be on board all day, with hot soup and rolls provided for lunch. As well as bears, we'll be looking for splendid white Arctic Hares and silver Arctic Foxes. Birds include Willow Ptarmigan - again, nearly all white at this time - Gyrfalcon and Snowy Owl. Churchill itself is on a peninsula between Hudson Bay and the Churchill River. We'll spend one day exploring the area and birdwatching. The ice floes are forming at this time, and make for a spectacular view at the point, Cape Merry, across to one of the 19th-century forts - this certainly feels like the 'frozen north'! Here we should see a variety of sea duck and Glaucous Gull, while flocks of Snow Buntings are everywhere. During the day we'll have some time to visit the fascinating Eskimo Museum. Three nights Churchill Day 6 Next day we'll be back on the tundra buggy, hoping for more fabulous bear sightings, and celebrating with a farewell dinner at one of Churchill's restaurants. We fly back to Winnipeg in the evening. Overnight Winnipeg Day 7 We have a morning in Winnipeg for a little local birdwatching in the parks along the river. These can be surprisingly productive, with both Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch and Black-capped Chickadee in the riverside trees. We should also have time to visit the excellent Museum of Man and Nature before our return flight to London, arriving on the morning of Day 8. Accommodation: Good quality hotel in Winnipeg, and reasonable quality hotel in Churchill with all rooms en suite. Evening meals and lunches are usually in nearby restaurants, except for picnics on the Tundra Buggy. Please note that all meals are included in the price of this tour. |
|
| Leaders : | Tim Earl & local guides | |||
| Numbers: |
Max. 14 clients |
|
||
|
Price: |
£ | 2,595 | ||
| Single supp.: | £ | 435 | ||
| Deposit: | £ | 300 | per person | |
|
The price is per person, and is fully inclusive of scheduled economy-class return flights London-Winnipeg* and Winnipeg-Churchill, airport taxes, accommodation, all meals, incidental tips, transport, and the services of the leaders.
The price excludes travel insurance, optional tips to local guides and drivers, drinks and other personal expenses. *For a price excluding the return flights London-Winnipeg, please deduct £ 545 from the tour cost. If you are booking your own flights please contact us first to check that the times fit with the current itinerary. This trip will be operated in conjunction with Limosa Holidays. |
||||