Travelling to Churchill to see Polar Bears

Churchill is known as the “polar bear capitol of the world.” The Churchill region is home to an estimated 900 to 1,100 polar bears.

Regarding the status of the population, the way it was explained to us is that this is considered the number the local environment can sustain. The population naturally balances itself with the seal population, their primary food source. If bear numbers rise too high, seal numbers fall, and eventually some bears starve. When bear numbers drop, seals rebound, and the cycle continues. Counts vary from year to year as polar bears move between regions, so one area may report a decline while another records an increase. Climate change and melting sea ice are constant topics in the media, and with good reason, but overall Churchill is regarded as having a relatively healthy polar bear population. OK good, we got that out of the way.

The flagship destination for this trip – the one we built this entire itinerary around – was Churchill, Canada. We had been before, but in winter. This time we were after something different: polar bears among the brilliant purple fireweed. The photographs we had seen looked almost too good to be true. Would we see them from a mile away like in Svalbard? Would polar bears without snow be interesting or sad? The weather in Churchill is also famously unpredictable, and the past week had been rainy, windy, and cold, which is hardly ideal for photography. We tempered our expectations.

Our “Journey to Fireweed Island” tour with Lazy Bear Expeditions included flights from Winnipeg to Churchill, a trip to Fireweed Island, aqua gliding and kayaking with belugas, a ride on the tundra crawler to (hopefully) see polar bears, and a night in Winnipeg on either end.

Our flight from Vancouver to Winnipeg offered stunning views over the Rockies (tip: sit on the left-hand side of the plane). Smoke haze blanketed Winnipeg as we landed, and our bags took forever to appear. When the bags finally started moving on the conveyor belt, ours was first down the chute, and I noticed the lock had been cut. Even stranger, the luggage was buzzing. Andy’s waterpik had somehow switched itself on. I imagine security had a very different scenario in mind when they opened that bag.

From Winnipeg onwards everything was organised by Lazy Bear Expeditions. Flights to Churchill allow one checked bag up to 50 lbs (23 kg). Since our bags had gained weight during the trip, we left one behind at the Grand Winnipeg Airport Hotel, directly across the street from baggage claim and where would spend our final night. The concierge happily stored it for us until our return. That night we stayed at the Inn at the Forks, about 20 minutes from the airport. The room was enormous: a massive bedroom, lounge, and full dining room. It was a shame we only had 12 hours to enjoy it.

We were both starving given we had a donut in Vancouver and it was now 4pm. We walked over to La Roca for Mexican food – we were the first ones there but it hit the spot.

On our way back to the hotel, we walked around Union station. It was constructed in the early 1900’s but had been recently renovated.

Winnipeg is a but industrial, but the smoke haze from the fires made for a great sunset.

There are two ways to reach Churchill, and both start in Winnipeg. The train takes two days and is rumoured to be a scenic adventure, perhaps one for another trip. Most visitors fly. Our tour officially began at 8 a.m. in the hotel lobby, where we collected luggage tags and lanyards. My heart sank when I saw how many people were gathered in the lobby. We were given luggage tags and name lanyards. I noticed that there were a few different lanyards. Ours, “Aurora,” included Fireweed Island. Another group, “Ithaca,” was running on the same schedule but didn’t have a visit to Fireweed Island. There were about 20 people in our group, which felt manageable. I guess it makes sense for them to synchronise groups, given they were chartering a whole plane.

Our flight was with Calm Air, and it was delayed a few hours. To fill the time, they drove us around Winnipeg: Saint Boniface Cathedral, a garden near the zoo, and a few leafy neighbourhoods. Not exactly riveting, but it passed the time.

Eventually we reached the small charter terminal. There was no security screening, just a waiting area. Since none of us had eaten since early breakfast, staff brought out platters to tide us over. The flight itself was two and a half hours of flat, flat, flat prairie and tundra stretching to the horizon. Fortunately, the smoke haze had cleared.

On arrival in Churchill, we were divided into groups straight away. The airport is pretty small (obviously), but it does have a few good souvenir kiosks. Our bags, tagged back in Winnipeg, were already on their way to the lodge, so we boarded vans for the 10-minute drive to Lazy Bear Lodge.

Within half an hour of checking in, we were off again on a “cultural tour” of Churchill. We debated skipping it, since we had done it on our previous visit, but decided to join so we could recreate a photo from last time. Before we even reached the cultural stops, we spotted a polar bear lounging in the grass. It was just out of camera range, but still a thrill to capture a few snaps.

Because we spent so much time with the bear, the cultural aspects were postponed for another day. We did stop by the inuksuk, the traditional Inuit stone landmark shaped like a person and used across the Arctic for navigation, for a group photo.

And the real surprise? Hundreds of beluga whales in the bay. Woo hoo – lifer!. It was the perfect reminder never to skip an activity, because you never know what you will see.

Back at the lodge, our luggage was waiting and we picked up our keys. Our room was charming, tucked away on the second floor and facing the quieter side of the property.

The lodge itself is cosy and hand-built, all timber and comfort. It is not licensed for alcohol, but the Northern Store is only a 500-metre walk away.

Meals were excellent: buffet breakfast, and à la carte lunches and dinners, all served by friendly and attentive staff.

That evening we were driven back to the marina for a photography presentation. Lazy Bear has built an impressive base there, with changing rooms, a presentation hall, and docks for their large boat and zodiacs. None of this, or the Lazy Bear Lodge, existed on our last visit. It was all very polished, but honestly, I was distracted by the belugas.

In August, several thousand beluga whales gather in the Churchill River estuary. Between 3,000 and 5,000 whales migrate here each summer to feed, mate, and give birth. While the western Hudson Bay population is around 50,000, Churchill is one of the very best places to experience these curious and playful whales up close. Seeing so many right from the marina was a relief. I certainly hadn’t counted on seeing them, because you just never know with wildlife. I remember hoping that they would stick around for a few days (not knowing that they were basically a sure thing).

The next day was Fireweed Island. The forecast looked perfect: sunshine, 20°C (68°F), no wind. But would there be bears? And would it come close to the extraordinary photographs we had seen?