Deep in the heart of polar bear country in three “North Pole” luxury ecolodges on the shores of Canada’s Hudson Bay, Churchill Wild offers an unparalleled wilderness experience from March to November: walking with polar bears.
Churchill Wild founders and owners Mike and Jeanne Reimer pioneered the world’s first polar bear walking safari in 1993 at the Seal River Heritage Lodge, but their family history on the shores of Hudson Bay goes back more than 80 years. Combining luxury and wilderness adventure into 11 unique, all-inclusive polar walking safaris, Churchill Wild has garnered over 460 five-star reviews for lodges on Tripadvisor, and many prestigious travel awards.
Your trip with Churchill Wild begins with a flight from Winnipeg to Churchill, Manitoba, where you’ll stay at our newest property, the Blueberry Inn, before boarding a flight to one of three fly-in polar bear lodges: Seal River Heritage Lodge, Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge, or Dymond Lake Ecolodge. The three beautifully finished lodges are built using local wood and renewable materials and powered primarily by solar. They are also located directly on the coast of Hudson Bay, along the “polar bear highway” that bears travel from July through November.
Seal River Heritage Lodge is located 60 kilometers north of Churchill, and offers sightings of polar bears, beluga whales, arctic foxes, and more. Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge is located 250 kilometers southeast of Churchill at the convergence of three different ecosystems represented by the Boreal forest, Hudson Bay, and the vast tundra plains, making it the only place in the world where polar bears, black bears, moose. , and wolves together. Dymond Lake Ecolodge, 30 kilometers north of Churchill, offers sightings of polar bears, moose, snowy owls, and wolverines. The northern lights are also seen regularly at the lodge.
A stay at any of the Churchill Wild lodges is characterized by exceptional comfort, warmth, family-style customer service, and delicious tundra-inspired cuisine.
The Churchill Wild lodges offer cozy, well-appointed rooms with private ensuite bathrooms, beautiful wood-framed lounges with fireplaces, and picture-window views of the Hudson Bay coast. The culinary experience at the lodge is based on the award-winning “Blueberries & Polar Bears” series of cookbooks written by Jeanne Reimer’s mother Helen Webber and her friend Marie Woolsey. Food is made using local ingredients and fresh produce from Prairie Wild’s gardens and orchards.
Walking with polar bears at Churchill Wild lodge is a carefully planned and safely managed wildlife viewing experience. Our extensively trained polar bear guides are among the best in the world and lead guests on daily walking tours, maintaining a safe distance and using a series of non-invasive precautions to manage curious bears. The three-guide system and specially designed safety protocols have resulted in a clean safety record for three decades.
Churchill Wild’s commitment to excellence is reflected not only by repeat guests and ranks among luxury travel providers, but also by numerous awards. Both Seal River Heritage Lodge and Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge are among the original members of the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World collection, and Churchill Wild has also received the Pure Life Experiences Award for Contribution to Experiential Travel, the Transat Sustainable Tourism Award, and several TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.
Churchill Wild lodges are the world’s favorite destination for professional filmmakers and photographers who want to meet polar bears and wolves. Footage of the lodge can be seen in films from National Geographic, the BBC, and most recently the National Audubon Society, among others. Churchill Wild also has a very active social media presence on Instagram and Facebook – the latter featuring the Churchill Wild Women’s Travel Group – and additional social profiles including YouTube, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
The appeal of Churchill Wild’s polar bear safaris lies not only in the unique opportunity to walk with polar bears, but also in the exclusivity and immersive nature of the experience. Unlike traditional polar bear tours that rely on buggies or boats, Churchill Wild’s intimate, ground-level encounters allow small groups of guests to deeply connect with polar bears and other Arctic wildlife in their home environment. This type of luxury is not about the luxury, but the rarity and authenticity of the experience.
Churchill Wild sets the Gold Standard for polar bear tours and safaris. With luxurious secluded accommodations, exceptional customer service, an unparalleled safety record, and the opportunity to see polar bears at ground level, it offers an immersive, exclusive, transformative, and rare experience.
For those looking for a luxury wilderness adventure, Churchill Wild offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk with polar bears, and create cherished memories…
That will last forever.
Now booking for summer 2024 and 2025. Limited availability.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Churchill Wild.
Paul Johnson
Paul Johnson is the Editor of the Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for over 30 years. He is the Winner of Innovation in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog was also voted “one of the best travel blogs in the world” and “best for luxury” by The Daily Telegraph.
Did you like this article?
Receive the same content straight to your inbox.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to submit the form
