Skip to main content

Polar Bears & Beluga Whales

July 26 to August 1, 2023

  • Starting Price: Double – $5,995 per person; Single – $7,995;
  • Activity Level: Moderate
  • Travel Type: Land with water tours
  • Group Size: 55
  • Optional Add-Ons: Winnipeg Pre-Tour
  • Tour Partner: Orbridge
  • Brochure: Download PDF
  • More information: NC State + Orbridge website
  • Reservations: To ask questions or make a reservation on the phone, call WolfTreks Travel Manager Kathy Hart at 919-515-0508. To book online, use this form or this link.

Join us for a special opportunity to witness the diverse wildlife and pioneering spirit of the Canadian Arctic in summer.

On this seven-day journey, discover the beauty and magnitude of Churchill, Manitoba—a remote town on the banks of the Hudson Bay renown for hosting polar bears and beluga whales. 

When people think of whale watching excursions, they envision fleeting glimpses of magnificent creatures off in the distance. On this journey, guests are delighted to get amazingly close to a multitude of friendly and vocal beluga whales while exploring the Hudson Bay by flat-bottomed boat or skiff. During the summer, these curious mammals are often found in warm-water estuaries and river basins, making this an ideal place to see them. 

Also during summer, polar bears can sometimes be spotted lazily roaming for food on land and along the shoreline, conserving their energy during the warmer months while waiting for the ice to form again.

The expert guidance of an Orbridge Expedition Leader and a local naturalist, plus exclusive educational experiences—including presentations from Assiniboine Park Zoo and Churchill’s Northern Studies Centre—distinguish this program.

Program Highlights

  • Begin in Winnipeg with a private reception and three-course welcome dinner at Assiniboine Park Zoo along with a presentation on polar bears.
  • In Churchill, stay at the iconic Lazy Bear Lodge, hand-built by local pioneer Wally Daudrich from stone and reclaimed boreal forest timbers.
  • Embark upon two separate water tours of Hudson Bay to see and photograph many of the 60,000 beluga whales that inhabit the area. Keep an eye out for polar bears, caribou, seals, and a multitude of bird species found along the shore.
  • Aboard the Arctic Crawler™, venture out onto stark and beautiful landscapes, stopping to enjoy the scenery as you search for arctic hare, snowy owl, ptarmigan, or arctic fox.
  • Choose between two optional guided excursion activities (additional fee): a 3-hour kayaking tour or a 3-hour Beluga AquaGliding™ tour.
  • Visit Churchill’s Itsanitaq Museum for an exploration of indigenous ways of life while viewing remarkable examples of Inuit craftsmanship.
  • Meet an energetic team of sled dogs and their experienced handler, then climb into a dog cart for your own exciting ride.

Friends and Family Welcome!

You don’t have to be an NC State graduate to travel with WolfTreks!

Let’s Get Social

For all the latest WolfTreks news, traveler photos and travel tips, join our Facebook group and follow us on Instagram.

WolfTreks Mailing List

Join our WolfTreks mailing list to receive trip brochures and email information.