Polar Bears

One-Day Polar Bear Tours with Classic Canadian Tours

From their website:

“Experience a one-day jet excursion from Calgary, Edmonton, or Saskatoon to the polar bear country of Churchill, Manitoba.
Witness polar bears in their natural environment as they migrate toward the coast in anticipation of freeze-up and to access their favourite diet of ringed seals. A Tundra Buggy® will transport you across the terrain to view the polar bears comfortably and safely.”

Keith gave me this incredible experience for a milestone birthday — we won’t discuss which one! It was absolutely amazing.

We boarded a charter flight at 6:00 a.m. from Edmonton, headed for the northern town of Churchill on Hudson Bay. The flight lasted about two hours, and breakfast was served onboard. A naturalist speaker was also on the plane, sharing insights about polar bears and their Arctic habitat. Once we arrived, we were bussed straight to the Tundra Buggies — huge, big-tired vehicles designed to take you safely out onto the tundra ice.

The landscape around Churchill was like nothing I’d ever seen before — wide open, windswept tundra stretching in every direction, dotted with snowdrifts and frozen ponds. It felt remote and wild, and yet, riding in the comfort of the Tundra Buggy, we were warm, cozy, and safe as we rumbled across the frozen ground. The huge windows gave us a great view of everything around us, and our guide shared all kinds of fascinating facts about polar bears and life in the north.

We saw a polar bear pretty much right away! As we rolled past a Tundra Buggy Lodge (pictured below), we noticed a curious bear checking things out — maybe wondering what the humans were up to.

For reference, one of the Tundra Buggy wheels (also shown below in reference to the polar bear) is about 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) tall and 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) wide — so yah that a big bear! Seeing it up close like that, in its natural environment, was absolutely awe-inspiring.

Aside from the first curious bear we saw near the buggy lodge, we spotted several more throughout the day — some resting in the snow, others slowly roaming across the landscape. Their size and quiet presence was humbling. The stillness of the tundra, the crisp air, and the chance to see these ultimate predators in their natural habitat made it an unforgettable experience.

If you’re thinking of doing this trip, definitely dress in layers and bring a good camera or binoculars. The early morning start is worth it — you get a full day of adventure, and you’re back in your home city that evening, full of stories and probably a bit in awe of what you just witnessed.