November 11-19, 2023
Polar Bears of Churchill - Churchill Northern Studies Science Centre (CNSC)
November 11-19, 2023
This is THE place to see polar bears as they make an annual migration across southern Hudson Bay to wait for the first ice to form in November. Polar bears need sea ice as a hunting platform. Their main, most important food source are seals. Come learn about their biology and see them up close on the tundra. I will conduct climate talks on site to tell you what’s changing in the arctic & subarctic and why they are so at risk & what we’re learning. Please join me on this arctic adventure! ~ Sven
Saturday, November 11 MSP – Winnipeg
Independent flights to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Overnight at an airport hotel.
Sunday, November 12 Winnipeg to Churchill
Transfer to the airport for the morning flight to Churchill.
Overnight in the town Churchill
Monday, November 13 To the Churchill Northern Study Centre
Transfer to the Churchill Northern Study Centre.
We’ll be greeted by a staff member from the CNSC this morning. During your approximate 30-minute transfer to the CNSC, watch for your first sight of Arctic wildlife – you might be able to catch sight of an Arctic fox or perhaps even your first polar bear!
Check in and become acquainted with the CNSC, followed by a delicious lunch. This afternoon you can explore the grounds, which are located on the national historic site of the former Churchill Research Rocket Range. After dinner, enjoy a lecture on polar bear biology from a renowned bear researcher. Remember to always keep your eyes on the spectacular views of the tundra landscape – wildlife walk and fly by on a regular basis, so it’s worth being vigilant! Overnight at CNSC.
Tuesday, November 14 Full Day on the Tundra B, L, D
After breakfast, we’ll head out for a full day on the tundra! The custom-built Tundra Buggy are built to keep guests (and bears) safe and comfortable and to navigate the tundra trail network with ease. The Tundra Buggy is one of the few companies with a permit to operate in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, and there are plenty of opportunities for incredible bear viewing experiences with lots of space for everyone. We might see young curious bears, old sleepy males, moms with cubs, or perhaps young males sparring as we make our way around the tundra trail network. Our lunch is picnic-style bagged lunch in the Buggy with hot beverages. Exhilarated from our day, we’ll return to the CNSC for dinner, followed by a lecture on the Hudson Bay ecosystem. Overnight at CNSC.
Wednesday, November 15 Helicopter Excursion & Dogsledding B, L, D
Today, we’ll see the landscape from the unique perspective of a helicopter. Polar bears can be spotted in their aggregates along the coast, and sometimes moose, caribou, seals, or wolves can be seen. After lunch, we’ll learn about the history and philosophy of dogsledding in Churchill from a local musher. You’ll get to experience it yourself on a dogsled ride through the forest. Return to the CNSC for dinner, then we will learn about seals and their relationship to polar bears. Overnight at CNSC.
Thursday, November 16 Another Day on the Tundra B, L, D
Today is another full day on the tundra searching for wildlife from the comfort and safety of a Tundra Buggy. At the end of the day, we will again do our short transfer back to the CNSC for dinner, followed by a lecture about the marine environment and polar bears. Overnight at CNSC.
Friday, November 17 Churchill town and surroundings B, L, D
We’ll explore the town of Churchill, a remote community of approximately 900 people. See Cape Merry Battery, which is part of the Prince of Wales historic site and managed by Parks Canada. After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll continue to the Churchill River and enter the boreal forest, home to red fox, snowshoe hare, resident songbirds, wolverine and wolf. This afternoon and evening, we’ll take part in a research seminar and educational lecture. Overnight at CNSC.
Saturday, November 18 Churchill – Winnipeg B
We must say farewell to the CNSC after breakfast. We’ll transfer to the airport for our flight to Winnipeg. Overnight at an airport hotel.
Sunday, November 19 Winnipeg – Minneapolis/St. Paul B
Transfer with the hotel shuttle to the airport for your return flights to MSP.
You'll be directed to Out & About Tours page
where you can download booking form,
see travel insurance options.
Tour Price*:
including roundtrip flights Winnipeg-Churchill-Winnipeg (international flight to Winnipeg not included) : $175 Single supplement (applies only to Winnipeg hotel: 2 nights)
Single supplement $175 (applies only to Winnipeg hotel for 2 nights)
Price Includes:
· Roundtrip economy class flight Winnipeg-Churchill-Winnipeg
· Five-night educational program at CNSC including arrival and departure transfers, accommodations, meals (B, L, D), excursions and lectures with CNSC guides and staff. Accommodations in dorm-style rooms with shared toilet/shower.
· Two nights’ accommodation in Winnipeg hotel including breakfast and taxes, and airport shuttle.
· Lectures and educational content by tour host, Sven Sundgaard.
Not Included: International airfare to/from Winnipeg, meals not indicated, outdoor gear (available for rental), personal items, alcoholic beverages, travel insurance.
Please Note: All inclusions listed at CNSC will be offered but may occur on different days than listed and may be slightly different than described. Lecture topics will vary depending on the guide and their area of research. Occasionally due to events beyond our control certain activities may need to be delayed or cancelled for safety reasons.
Terms and Conditions
Passports are required for this trip. Your passport must be valid beyond the return date to the US; it must not expire while you are traveling. A Visa is not required.
Reservations and Payment A $2000 per person deposit is required with completed reservation form. Final payment is due no later than September 7, 2023. Payments can be made by personal check, or by credit card on outandaboutmn.net
Cancellations must be received in writing. Cancellations received after deposit has been paid until July 7, 2023, will forfeit the deposit; July 8 – September 7, 50% of the tour cost will forfeited; September 8 – departure, there will be no refund. No refund will be made for any tour inclusion you do not utilize or that is voluntarily changed.
Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption insurance is strongly recommended to protect you and your travel investment. It is not our intention to penalize anyone for cancelling, but the tour cost is based on a certain number of people traveling, so the cancellation of one person will affect the price of the trip for everyone; some tour components require non-refundable deposits to suppliers.
Accident/Medical/Evacuation insurance coverage is required for participation in this trip due to the remote nature of the destination. Information will be provided.
Tour price represents a complete package price and is based on component prices from our partners at time of booking and an itemization of individual component costs will not be rendered. Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC reserves the right to substitute an activity or event when necessary due to reasons beyond our control, from those described on the website or in the quoted itinerary.
Price includes Accommodations at Winnipeg airport hotel, inter-Canada flights, accommodations in dorm-style rooms at CNSC with shared bathrooms and separate private shower facilities, arrival & departure transfers in Churchill, hotel shuttle transfer in Winnipeg from airport hotel – airport, and airport – hotel, guiding, sightseeing, entrances, and activities in Churchill, meals as indicated (B, L, D), service charges, and taxes as described in itinerary, services of tour host Sven Sundgaard.
Not included: International airfare, meals not specified, items of a personal nature, travel insurance, items not specifically mentioned.
Responsibility & Release of Liability Travel is arranged by Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC and acts only as agent for the contractors providing transportation or other services. Services are provided subject to any and all terms and conditions under which transportation, accommodations and other services are offered or provided and constitute the sole contract between the supplier and the tour member. Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC, its staff, and Sven Sundgaard, shall not be responsible in any way for loss, injury or damage arising from an Act of God, strikes, theft, sickness, breakdown, delay, cancellation, error, omissions or any other cause beyond our control. Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC reserves the right, without any advanced notice, to make changes or cancellations, in part or in whole, as circumstances dictate. Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC, its staff, and Sven Sundgaard are released of liability for consequences of the personal activities of any tour participant, who, as a consenting adult, is deemed personally responsible for decisions concerning conditions of health, safety, fitness for any activity in which the tour participant engages. Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC is not responsible for omissions in prices and programs.
It is the responsibility of each participant to comply with the entry requirements of Canada.
Any payment for a package offered by Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC and Sven Sundgaard shows acceptance and acknowledgement of prices, exclusions, conditions and responsibilities as stated above and releases Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC, Sven Sundgaard and all of their agents and representatives from any and all liability, actions, causes of actions, suits, debts, demands that you may have in connections with your participation in an Out and About Minnesota Tours LLC tour or activity.
Current CNSC COVID Policy:
Masks are optional & are available onsite if you need them.
Feeling ill or symptomatic of COVID-19 but test negative: you are required to wear a mask & separate from others as much as possible.
If you have tested positive: and choose to stay onsite you are required to isolate UNTIL 24 HOURS AFTER SYMPTOMS SUBSIDE & are required to wear a mask for the remainder of your stay or 10 days after symptoms have subsided.
Hand sanitizing stations are provided throughout the facility, please use them.
Isolating will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
*Inter-Canada flight schedules are set but may not be finalized as of Spring 2023. The tour cost and itinerary dates may be subject to possible adjustments.* This is the sole carrier between Winnipeg & Churchill and flights do not operate daily. The itinerary is done as close to what we know as of early Spring, 2023.
About the region and Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC)
Churchill, Manitoba, Canada is located along the southern edge of Canada's arctic. Churchill is surrounded by the wildlife and habitat of three distinct eco-zones: arctic marine, arctic tundra and boreal forest. It is home to the most accessible population of polar bears, both for adventure travel and scientific research. The town of Churchill lies underneath the auroral oval, resulting in over 300 nights of northern lights activity.
Founded in 1976, the Churchill Northern Studies Centre is an independent, non-profit field station focused on research and education in the subarctic and is located 23 km east of the town of Churchill, Manitoba.
The CNSC is situated along the Hudson Bay seacoast at the meeting of three major biomes: marine, northern boreal forest, and tundra. To the east lies Wapusk National Park which protects the inland denning area of the polar bear. Farther to the southeast lies the Hudson Bay Lowland, the largest peatland in North America. Because of this complex of biomes, one can see a tremendous diversity of plants, birds, mammals and human cultures.
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