Polar Bear Quest & Helicopter Safari
Oct – Nov·7 Days·Limited to 15 Travelers
From $11,495 (+air)
Polar Bear Quest & Helicopter Safari
A Total Immersion in the World of the Polar Bear
Overview
The Arctic from Every Angle
This is the polar bear experience in its fullest form. From the deck of our Polar Rover, you watch bears pace the shoreline, doze in the willows and rise on their haunches to sniff the wind. Then the tundra opens up beneath you as a helicopter lifts off, revealing frozen ponds, esker ridges and the long tracks of bears heading for the ice.
Between excursions, you walk to a polar bear maternity denning area, ride behind a team of sled dogs with a local Metis musher, and sit down with people whose families have lived on this coast for generations. It is a week that leaves you with an understanding of the Arctic, not only photographs of it.
Expedition Highlights
See the Tundra from the Air by Helicopter
Lift off over the frozen edge of Hudson Bay for a bird's-eye survey of the vast subarctic landscape—esker ridges, willow flats, kettle lakes and, often, bears far from any road.
Visit a Polar Bear Maternity Den Site
Walk out with your Expedition Leader to a real polar bear denning area in the boreal forest, and hear how females shelter beneath the snow while their tiny cubs are born mid-winter.
Full Days of Polar Rover Bear Viewing
Our custom Polar Rovers carry you deep into the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, where we hold exclusive permits for the prime bear-viewing terrain along the bay.
Photo Gallery








Day by day
Itinerary
- Day 1
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Arrive in Winnipeg and gather with your Expedition Leader and fellow travelers for a welcome dinner and trip orientation.
- Day 2
Winnipeg / Churchill — Private Charter Flight
Fly by private charter to Churchill on the shore of Hudson Bay. An orientation tour of town, Cape Merry and the tundra's edge introduces you to the subarctic.
- Days 3–4
Churchill — Polar Rover Safaris
Full days aboard our exclusive Polar Rovers in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, watching bears rest, spar and patrol the coast as they wait for the bay to freeze.
- Day 5
Helicopter Flightseeing & Polar Bear Den Site
Survey the tundra by helicopter for a perspective few travelers ever get, then hike with your Expedition Leader to a polar bear maternity denning area in the boreal forest.
- Day 6
Churchill — Dog Sledding & Northern Culture
Ride behind a team of sled dogs with a local Metis musher, visit the Itsanitaq Museum, and meet local hosts who share the history and culture of the Canadian North.
- Day 7
Churchill / Winnipeg — Depart
Charter flight back to Winnipeg, where the expedition concludes and onward connections home are made.
Polar Bear Country
Why Choose Us?
The Unmatched Experience of Our Polar Bear Quest & Helicopter Safari
If you're coming all the way to the Polar Bear Capital of the World, why not take in the entire Northland experience? You'll find no more comprehensive Churchill adventure. Find out why our Polar Bear Quest & Helicopter Safari offers a supreme polar bear experience:
- 1
The Full Arctic Experience
In addition to multiple bear viewing opportunities, this trip includes an array of activities for in-depth exploration of the nature, culture and history of Churchill. Along with dog sledding and opportunities to meet local Churchill residents and enjoy presentations on indigenous cultures, we add a helicopter flight over the tundra, a landing to view (and crawl inside) a vacant polar bear den, and an evening inside heated Aurora Domes to watch for the northern lights, if skies are clear.
- 2
Exclusive Permits to Access the Best Polar Bear Viewing Area
Not every polar bear tour operator in Churchill holds permits to access the full range of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area where the best—and often only—polar bear viewing happens. Naturally, in our commitment to running the world's greatest nature journeys, our team possesses this critical permit. Operators without it must turn back along the road at Halfway Point, which, as you might guess, is just halfway to the best polar bear viewing area.
- 3
Polar Rovers: No Better Bear-Viewing Vehicles
The original "tundra buggy" designed for polar bear viewing was invented in the 1980s. Since then, our partner in Manitoba, a world-renowned specialty vehicle designer, has substantially improved upon the concept by creating the world's most comfortable tundra vehicle—the Polar Rover—which we operate exclusively in Churchill. Its innovative drive train allows us to traverse the tundra with virtually no chance of a breakdown. With an advanced suspension system that smooths the ride, and onboard flush toilets (rather than smelly drop buckets), our guests enjoy the highest level of comfort and safety.
- 4
Steel-Mesh Observation Platform for Close-Up Viewing
Every Polar Rover has an elevated outdoor rear observation platform, with a feature we pioneered for optimal bear viewing—a grated steel-mesh floor that allows us to witness—sometimes mere inches away—curious bears that occasionally wander beneath our vehicles!
- 5
The Smallest Groups for the Best Nature Experience
An essential element of our nature expeditions is a small group. While it costs us more to operate trips with fewer travelers, the experience is far superior, and that's why we insist on it. By limiting our group to a maximum 15 guests (even though our Polar Rovers can hold well over 30), we ensure that everyone gets a window seat and plenty of room to spread out, angle for photos and enjoy a personal experience with the polar bears without too much intrusion from other guests.
- 6
Private Chartered Flights Give Us More Time with the Bears
So we don't waste precious time coordinating with airline schedules or navigating long lines through airport security, we charter our own private aircraft, flying directly from Winnipeg to Churchill at a time most convenient for us. We'd rather maximize your time on the tundra, instead of sitting around airports.
- 7
We Provide Heavy Parkas & Winter Boots for Your Use
No need to spend a lot of money buying heavy outdoor gear you may use just once—we provide Arctic-style parkas and heavy-duty winter boots for your use in Churchill, at no cost.
- 8
The Finest Naturalist Guides on the Planet
We are known worldwide for the highest quality guides in the industry. Our Expedition Leaders have been guiding tours in Churchill for an average of 10 plus years, and they receive additional training resources from the world's top scientists. This means that our guests enjoy the best interpretive experience available. Expedition Leaders meet each guest in Winnipeg and travel with the group the entire way, sharing their wealth of knowledge at every turn. Our philosophy is simple: a nature adventure is only as good as the guide, so we simply must provide the best!
- 9
Our Quality-Value Guarantee Ensures Your Polar Bear Experience
We offer an exclusive guarantee, clearly stating that we will meet the lofty expectations we set in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company.
- 10
Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey
We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you travel with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset—including your round trip flights from home. We have been the world's first carbon-neutral travel company since 2007.
- 11
A Conservation Travel Partner
Because of our commitment to environmentally friendly travel, as well as the exceptional quality of our adventures, the world's leading conservation organization has named us as its worldwide travel partner, a designation that makes us exceedingly proud!
There is a difference in polar bear tours—choose wisely
Most travelers who come to see the polar bears of Churchill will do so just once in their lives. Here's why our polar bear adventures stand apart from the rest:
Aerial Perspective No Other Trip Offers
The helicopter flight is included, not an add-on—an unmatched way to grasp the scale of the tundra and the routes bears travel toward the freezing bay.
We Hold Exclusive Permits for the Best Bear Viewing Area
Our permits give access to the full range of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, while many operators can only travel as far as Halfway Point.
Our Polar Rovers Are the Most Impressive Vehicles in the North
Designed by our Manitoba partner, the Polar Rover crosses the tundra reliably, with elite suspension, huge windows, an open viewing deck and on-board flush toilets.
The Smallest Groups Ensure the Best Nature Adventures
With just 15 guests aboard vehicles built for more than 30, everyone gets a window seat and room to angle for the best photograph.
Private Chartered Planes Maximize Time with the Bears
We charter our own aircraft between Winnipeg and Churchill, so no hours are lost to airline schedules and airport lines.
We Provide Heavy Parkas & Winter Boots for Your Use
Arctic-style parkas and heavy-duty winter boots are provided at no cost in Churchill—no need to buy gear you may use only once.
The Finest Naturalist Guides on the Planet
Our Polar Bear Expedition Leaders average more than a decade guiding in Churchill and stay with the group the entire journey.
Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey
Emissions from your trip—including round-trip flights from home—are 100% offset. We have been a carbon-neutral travel company since 2007.
What travelers say about Polar Bear Quest & Helicopter Safari
"The helicopter flight was worth the trip on its own. Seeing bear tracks winding for miles across the tundra put the whole landscape into perspective."
"Standing at a real polar bear den site while our guide explained how cubs are born there in the dark of winter gave me chills—in the best way."
"A young male walked right under the Rover and sat looking up at us. Nobody said a word for ten minutes."
"Fifteen people meant we never crowded a window. Our Expedition Leader knew every bear's habits and where to wait."
"Dog sledding with the local musher and his team was pure joy, and the museum visit added real depth to the trip."
"Between the Rover days, the helicopter and the den site, this felt like three trips packed into one week."

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Dates, Prices & Info
To request booking for a trip date that is not listed below, please contact us. Pricing is shown per person based on double occupancy and is given in U.S. dollars. Some departures have additional costs, such as internal airfare or park fees.
- Oct 26, 2026 – Nov 1, 20267 calendar days$11,495Limited – 4 spots leftBook now
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- Oct 31, 2026 – Nov 6, 20267 calendar days$13,495FullJoin Waitlist
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