Churchill, Manitoba. Where the Polar Bears live.

We’ve been traveling around Canada since 2007, visiting some amazing places and finding unique Canadian travel experiences to tell the world about. These travels have taken us on some pretty interesting journeys, on some pretty interesting modes of transport and we’ve met some very interesting people along the way. We thought you might be interested.

In November 2007 we traveled north to Churchill Manitoba to see Polar Bears and to dog sled in the Boreal forest. We flew from Vancouver to Winnipeg (which was already quite a bit colder) boarded a twelve seater plane (without washrooms) and flew directly north for about two and half hours, landing in one of the most amazing landscapes I had visited and most certainly the coldest temperatures I had experienced.



Churchill is only accessible by plane or a thirty six hour train ride (with washrooms) from Winnipeg. The combination of a feeling of relative isolation, the extreme cold and the short days give this place a very unique feel. 
We were met at the airport by ‘Buggy Bob’ our tundra buggy driver and taken directly to the buggy launch site. We boarded a big white box with windows and massive tires and slowly bumped our way over the frozen tundra, keeping our eyes peeled for bears but constantly mesmerized by the simple beauty of the landscape and the astonishing quality of light that surrounded us. 



Our first sighting came pretty quickly, two bears lying cuddled together asleep with their big front paws tucked tightly under them as if trying to keep warm. It was hard to get to grips that this was real; it was like someone had strategically placed some of those life size plush Canadian animals you see outside gift shops in Banff and at the airport. 



Robert Kenney (the photographer) and I excitedly ventured out onto the outdoor viewing platform (affectionately known as the deck) to find out what it would be like to shoot in a howling gale at minus 40 degrees: so cold that we had to dart back inside in five-minute intervals, for hot chocolate (made by Buggy Bob). 



We ventured on to the edge of Hudson Bay. It was icing over and the bears were making tentative attempts to venture out, wobbling around on huge lumps of ice, losing the odd foot into the freezing water. Another surreal scene. On the way back, there was a spectacular tundra sunset (the sun went down about 3:30pm). We bumped our way across the tundra to the launch site, then into Churchill, already in darkness. Driving into town, we got our first sighting of the Aurora Borealis shining over our heads. 



Seeing bears for real, the sunset, the northern lights, this was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. And it happened right here in Canada.