Start Location: Winnipeg, Canada; End Location: Winnipeg, Canada
Duration: 8 Days
Travel Season: July and August (Best: July)
Accommodation: Churchill Wild - Seal River Heritage Lodge
The version of Churchill almost nobody knows. In July and August the tundra turns green and flowers, thousands of beluga whales gather in the Seal River estuary, and polar bears hunt them from the rocks. Five of the seven nights are at the lodge, with Zodiac excursions that put you in the water among the whales.
Highlights at a Glance
• Belugas: Thousands aggregate in the Seal River estuary to calve and moult.
• Polar bears: Summer bears on green tundra - a completely different photograph from the October snow.
• Other mammals: Arctic fox and red fox - Arctic hare - Arctic ground squirrel - moose - caribou passing through.
Itinerary
50°N55°N60°N100°W90°WSaskatoonReginaThunder BayGrand ForksMinotBrandonSeal River LodgeChurchillWinnipeg1·423500 km
1·4 Winnipeg · 2 Churchill · 3 Seal River Lodge
Day 1Arrive in Winnipeg
Arrive in Winnipeg and settle into The Grand by Lakeview, Churchill Wild's chosen hotel near the airport. A group orientation dinner introduces your fellow travellers and runs through the week at Seal River.
Day 2Winnipeg to Churchill to Seal River Heritage Lodge
Fly to Churchill, then take the scenic charter flight up the Hudson Bay coast to Seal River Heritage Lodge. After the lodge orientation and lunch, the first coastal excursion goes out on foot, and an evening lecture follows dinner.
Days 3-6Birds, bears and belugas
Four full days exploring the tundra and coast on foot and by tundra vehicle with your guides, watching for polar bears among the rocks and willows and for the summer bird life of the Hudson Bay lowlands. Zodiac outings run into the Seal River estuary, where thousands of beluga whales gather each summer and come right alongside the boats. Days end with an appetiser hour, dinner and an evening presentation, and the lodge keeps watch through the light northern nights for bears at the fence and for the first aurora of the season.
Day 7Seal River Heritage Lodge to Churchill to Winnipeg
Fly back to Churchill with aerial views and photography of the coastline, then spend a full guided day in town covering the Parks Canada exhibit, the Itsanitaq Museum and the Polar Bear Holding Facility. A group dinner precedes the evening flight to Winnipeg and a final hotel night.
Day 8Depart Winnipeg
Breakfast at the hotel and time to repack before transferring to the airport. Onward flights home.
Accommodation
Churchill Wild - Seal River Heritage Lodge. eight ensuite guestrooms in queen, king, twin and family configurations; polar bear viewing lounge; great room with fireplace; dining room; library; gift shop; outdoor viewing tower; elevated viewing decks; fenced lodge compound; mudroom and gear room; Seal River estuary beluga waters; Hudson Bay shoreline frontage.
All-Inclusive Package
• Gathering and dismissal in Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Round-trip air Winnipeg-Churchill-Seal River-Churchill-Winnipeg, including the private charter to the lodge
• Two nights' hotel accommodation in Winnipeg at The Grand by Lakeview
• Five nights at Seal River Heritage Lodge in an ensuite guestroom
• All meals throughout, at the lodge and in Churchill
• Canadian wines and beers with meals
• All excursions and guide services, including Zodiac outings to view beluga whales in the Seal River estuary
• Guided Churchill town tour: Parks Canada exhibit, Itsanitaq Museum and Polar Bear Holding Facility
• Excursion gear on loan, including rain gear, rubber boots and marine equipment
• All ground transfers in Winnipeg and Churchill
• Satellite Wi-Fi at the lodge
Not Included
• 8.5% tax, which is added to the trip cost
• Gratuities for guides and lodge staff
• Flights to and from Winnipeg
• Travel insurance, including medical evacuation cover
• Spirits and personal purchases from the lodge gift shop
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