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With Worldwide Polar Bear Day on February 27, we’re drawing consideration to the King of the Arctic’s plight in a warming world.
A world chief in sustainable and conservation-focused tourism, Nat Hab has been taking guests to see polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba—generally known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World—since 1989.
For about six weeks every fall (mid-October via November), a number of hundred polar bears collect on the tundra exterior the small subarctic city of Churchill, ready for the ocean ice to type. Atop the ice, they spend the winter searching seals, their main meals supply, staking out over seal respiratory holes.
Polar Bears Underneath Risk
Sadly, Canada’s Western Hudson Bay inhabitants—one of many Arctic’s 19 distinct polar bear teams—has declined 27% within the final 5 years, in accordance with a authorities evaluation launched on the finish of final 12 months.
Regardless of the decline in total numbers, Churchill stays one of the best place to see them within the wild, and the bear-viewing expertise has remained constant and rewarding.
“Few animals are a extra highly effective image of wilderness and the fragility of our planet,” says Ben Bressler, Nat Hab’s president and founder. “Whenever you see them up shut within the wild, your coronary heart soars. And also you go dwelling an envoy for conservation, with a potent sense of what’s at stake.”
With the bears’ future imperiled as shrinking sea ice shortens their searching season, time is of the essence. It’s by no means been extra vital to introduce vacationers to those threatened animals and encourage them to assist change their destiny for the higher.
Nat Hab’s Polar Bear Journeys
On a diversified slate of six- and seven-day itineraries that includes the smallest tour teams in Churchill, we take vacationers onto the tundra for pleasant encounters with the world’s largest marine mammal. Customized Polar Rovers are designed to facilitate the closest doable expertise in consolation and security. (Take a look at our video showcasing these distinctive automobiles.) And with our skilled naturalist guides on the helm, guests get in-depth interpretation that’s second to none.
“We might spy lone bears roaming, moms instructing their cubs survival expertise, and juvenile males play-fighting,” says Bressler. “And in case you’re like me, you’ll by no means really feel extra alive than in these wondrous moments watching the bears.”
Whereas polar bears are the first focus, Nat Hab’s Churchill adventures additionally characteristic a mixture of northern actions. These embrace canine sledding, helicopter flight-seeing over the tundra, and engagement with native residents via cultural shows on Indigenous heritage and Churchill’s fascinating historical past.
© Colin McNulty
Conservation and Group
Every polar bear journey begins and ends in Winnipeg, with simple flights from the U.S. on a number of airways. Vacationers then board privately chartered planes to fly to and from Churchill, maximizing time with the bears. Touring with Nat Hab is 100% carbon-neutral. All flights and travel-related exercise are offset, a observe we’ve led the business in since turning into the world’s first carbon-neutral journey firm in 2007.
Dedicated to its mission of Conservation via Exploration, Nat Hab not solely creates a legion of conservation ambassadors by educating our friends via immersive polar bear encounters, however we additionally work intently with the Churchill group in supporting varied applications and initiatives to assist enhance the lives of residents, the on-the-ground stewards of those bears.
In recent times, Nat Hab has offered group breakfasts to greater than 250 Churchill residents and donated contemporary produce, milk and groceries for college meals and group meals share applications. We’ve helped fund a cutting-edge hydroponic rising system for the Churchill Northern Research Heart, an unbiased nonprofit analysis and schooling facility. And we’ve helped lead and facilitate enhancements to group recycling applications, particularly associated to our personal operations and visitor actions in and round Churchill.
© Judy Wilson
Nat Hab’s Churchill Polar Bear Adventures
Able to see polar bears and expertise this distant and interesting a part of the planet for your self? Discover Nat Hab’s Churchill polar bear adventures:
Canada’s Premier Polar Bear Journey
Our flagship polar bear tour. Along with common departures, this six- or seven-day journey additionally options each women-only and particular images departures. Restricted to 16 vacationers / Priced from $7,495 per particular person.
Final Churchill Journey
This seven-day expedition is Nat Hab’s most complete encounter with the world of the polar bear and the Canadian North. It features a helicopter flight to a vacant bear den, a canine sled journey via the boreal forest, and cultural actions with residents the place vacationers find out about life on the Arctic frontier. Restricted to fifteen vacationers / Priced from $9,995 per particular person.
Tundra Lodge Journey
On this six- or seven-day journey, keep instantly on the tundra among the many bears on the planet’s most exceptional resort. Set seasonally on the sting of Hudson Bay, the Tundra Lodge is a customized “prepare” of related lounge automotive, eating automotive and personal sleeping compartments that provides friends round the clock proximity to the bears and contains every day Polar Rover excursions. Restricted to 29 vacationers / Priced from $9,995 per particular person.
Tundra Lodge & City Journey
Mix one of the best of each worlds on this seven-day journey! Spend two nights at our unique Tundra Lodge, then one other two nights in historic Churchill to take pleasure in cultural actions and an opportunity to fulfill and chat with locals who name this subarctic outpost dwelling. Restricted to 29 vacationers / Priced from $9,995 per particular person.
Belugas, Bears & Summer time Wildlife of Churchill
Few of nature’s marvels match the extreme aliveness of an Arctic summer season, when the tundra turns inexperienced, wildflowers burst into shade, and animals come forth in nice flocks and herds, together with hundreds of beluga whales that return to the Churchill River for summer season feasting. And whereas polar bears aren’t the principle focus within the summertime, they’re seen ceaselessly, together with from a scenic helicopter flight over the tundra and taiga forest. Restricted to 14 vacationers / Priced from $7,895 per particular person.
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