Photo Adventure: Polar Bears at Tundra Buggy Lodge

Day 01

Welcome to Winnipeg

I flew into Winnipeg today and I am so excited to go on my Churchill polar bear tour! My home for the night is a Winnipeg hotel which is just across the street from the airport. After checking in we have a welcome dinner with our Frontiers North Photo Specialist, where our group has the chance to ask last minute questions and learn more about what our adventure holds!

© Emilie St Pierre

Day 02

Churchill Adventure Begins

Today we are going to Churchill! After a very early breakfast with our Photo Specialist at our hotel, our tour group boards a warm bus for the short ride to the private hangar from where our plane will depart for Churchill. The flight is two and a half hours.

Upon arrival, we head straight out on a Churchill and area tour, which comprises of an exploratory drive past various points of interest in and surrounding Churchill. Our driver stopped briefly at Manitoba Conservation’s Polar Bear Holding Facility so we could get out and take photos. Next we visit Polar Bears International House where we receive a short talk from a Polar Bears International Ambassador who teaches us about polar bears, polar bear research, climate change and more. We also tour the Interpretive Centre and learn how to support polar bear conservation efforts! We take a break for lunch and enjoy a warm, home-cooked meal at one of Churchill’s family-run restaurants – who knew Churchill had such incredible food?

After lunch we have some free time to explore more of Churchill before our afternoon transfer to the Tundra Buggy Lodge. Our journey to the Tundra Buggy Lodge is our first chance to see the incredible landscape of the North. As the light begins to fade, we see the Tundra Buggy Lodge in the distance – it’s almost as if we’re approaching an isolated space station in the middle of nowhere. As we board the Tundra Buggy Lodge, the feeling of isolation disappears. The welcoming lodge staff greets us warmly and we are treated to an incredible home cooked meal before settling in to our new home on the tundra!

After dinner we partake in an introductory photo workshop led by one of our Photo Specialist guides.

Photo © Tyler Hartje

Day 03

Tundra Buggy Adventure

After waking up in our comfortable accommodations, we gather for a hearty breakfast before boarding the Tundra Buggy in time for first light. We set out to explore the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA), in search of polar bears, arctic fox, ptarmigans and other incredible wildlife.

Our amazing Tundra Buggy Driver and Photo Specialist Guide teach us about the history and importance of the northern landscape. Mid-day we enjoy a picnic-style lunch packed just for us by the lodge chef.

At the end of the day, we return to the Tundra Buggy Lodge in time for a delicious meal and a chance to relax in the lounge and get to know fellow travellers. 

Soon after I fall asleep in the Tundra Buggy Lodge someone wakes me up. I hear our Photo Specialist whispering, “northern lights, northern lights” to guests who asked for a wake up call if the aurora borealis made an appearance. We quickly grab our cameras and head to the lounge where they have turned off all the lights so we can better see the northern lights through the panoramic windows. I climb upstairs to the roof-top observation deck for an even better view. What an amazing and unexpected show!

Photo © Christine Andrews

Day 04

Tundra Buggy Adventure

I wake up early in the morning and peek outside the window. Before my eyes sits a polar bear snoozing on a rock! I spend a few minutes just watching this bear in disbelief. I hoped to see bears at Tundra Buggy Lodge, but I did not think I’d wake up to one outside my window! After snapping a few pictures of the sleeping bear, I grab some breakfast before heading out on our second full-day Tundra Buggy adventure.

Today we had out in a different direction and quickly come across a pair of polar bears. They cross in front of our Tundra Buggy before disappearing into some willows. We spend the rest of the day scanning the tundra for more polar bears and other wildlife. We are not disappointed! At the end of the day we head back to the lodge for another wonderful dinner. Afterward we get to enjoy a presentation by a Polar Bears International representative about polar bears and Canada’s North. We all head to bed early before our next big day on the tundra!

Photo © JP McCarthy

Day 05

Tundra Buggy Adventure

Another great day to see some polar bears on the Tundra Buggy! We start our day travelling more inland than yesterday, hoping to see a mom and cub that were seen in the area yesterday. Our Tundra Buggy driver is in constant contact with other Tundra Buggies in the area to share sightings, so we always know where other bears have been seen. Along the way we come across a flock of ptarmigan. These curious birds are fun to watch with their feathery feet acting as snowshoes. We stop for a few moments, before continuing on our search of a mom and cub. 

As the the day winds down we head back to the lodge to mingle with other guests, enjoying snacks and drinks before dinner.

Photo © Alex Cupeiro

Day 06

Final Tundra Buggy Adventure

After breakfast, our group packs up and sets out on the Tundra Buggy for our last day on the tundra. We spend the day getting incredible photographs, enjoying our last Tundra Buggy picnic and just taking in the beauty of the North.

In the late afternoon our Tundra Buggy transfers us to the Tundra Buggy Dock, where we say good bye to our Tundra Buggy Driver and climb aboard the Frontiers North bus, which takes us to the airport for the short flight to Winnipeg. Once we arrive in Winnipeg, we are checked back into our hotel for our final night.

Photo © Jim Chung

Day 07

Depart Winnipeg

My adventure has come to an end and I’m all ready to head home today. I’m so excited to share my adventure – and all my incredible photos – with my family and friends!

© Emilie St. Pierre