Once they see it, they want to save it. It’s an adage we believe in. We support and encourage conscientious, respectful ecotourism. It helps local people earn vital income—and encourages them to recognize the long-term advantage of protecting polar bears and their habitat. After all, it’s a habitat they share.
Tourism also enlightens and inspires visitors to see the necessity of safeguarding the future of polar bears and their arctic wilderness. But does it harm the bears? PBI funded a landmark human impact study to explore this question. Researchers found that tourism doesn't affect the bears when tour operators follow simple guidelines. Ecotour companies have embraced these because—like all of us—they want what's best for the bears.
Tour companies that offer Polar Bear tours:
Platinum Sponsors
Frontiers North's Tundra Buggy Adventure
Bronze Sponsors
Churchill Northern Studies Centre
Hudson Bay Helicopters
Nanuk Adventures
Arctic Allies
International Wildlife Adventures
North Star Tours
Watchee Lodge
Other Tour Companies
Churchill Wild
Churchill Nature Tours/Riding Mountain Nature Tours
ExpeditionTrips
The Great Canadian Travel Company, Ltd.
Great White Bear Tours
Natural Habitat Adventures
Nature Encounters Tours & Travel Ltd.
TravelWild
Platinum Sponsors
Frontiers North's Tundra Buggy Adventure
http://www.tundrabuggy.com
124 Kelsey Blvd.
Churchill, MB R0B 0E0
Canada
Toll Free: 1 (800) 663-9832
Phone: (204) 949-2050
Fax: (204) 663-1051
E-mail: http://www.tundrabuggy.com/contact/
Description: Creator of the world-famous Tundra Buggy®, offer expert-guided tours in Churchill each Fall. Trips range from day excursions to multi-day stays in the Tundra Buggy Lodge on the tundra surrounded by polar bears.
Conservation support: Every year, FNA/TBA generously supports PBI Leadership Camps by donating nights on its remote Tundra Buggy Lodge to attendees as well as the use of its famous mobile classroom for PBI Tundra Connections broadcasts that link educators with students all over the world. FNA/TBA also supports PBI’s other Churchill-based initiatives. These include free on-buggy lectures and PBI newsletter distribution. What’s more, FNA/TBA makes a cash donation each year in the form of one-year PBI memberships to each of its Specialist and Enthusiast level guests.
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Bronze Sponsors
Churchill Northern Studies Centre
www.churchillscience.ca
P.O. Box 610
Churchill, MB R0B 0E0
Phone: (204) 657-2307
Fax: (204) 675-2139
E-mail: cnsc@churchillmb.net
Description: Learning vacations including subarctic ecology courses, a five-day study tour of the polar bears of Hudson Bay, and Earth Watch programs. Their research includes projects that impact arctic conservation.
Conservation Support: Every year, the center provides the tower that we use for videoconfernces and webcasts from the tundra. Director Mike Goodyear appears as a guest speaker at PBI Leadership Camp, where he shares his research on ringed seals.
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Hudson Bay Helicopters
http://www.hudsonbayheli.com
Box 7500, Yellowknife, NT, X1A 1R3
Phone: (867) 873-5146 / (204) 675-2576 (Churchill)
Fax: (204) 675-2331
E-mail: info@hudsonbayheli.com
Description: Helicopter sightseeing tours of the Churchill area and the wildlife of the North.
Conservation Support: Provides logistical support for aerial transect research flights to determine the health of the bears coming off the ice and to locate orphaned cubs.
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Nanuk Adventures
Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge
http://www.nanukpolarbearlodge.com
PO. Box 79
Kleefeld, Manitoba, Canada R0A 0V0
Toll Free: (866) 846-9453
E-Mail: Info@nanukpolarbearlodge.com
Description: Set in the wilderness south of Churchill, the lodge is surrounded by a strong wire fence that separates guests from polar bears. Bears gather near the lodge in the summer and fall, offering close-up views. Nanuk Adventures offers inclusive coastal excursions with a comfortable, safe, lodge setting and gourmet cuisine with northern flair. All tours are conducted with enhanced polar bear safety protocol in this high-density setting. Some tours can include York Factory with 300 years of Hudson Bay Company and Canadian history located 20 minutes away. Open July-October.
Conservation support: The lodge hosted PBI researchers who were recording polar bear vocalizations for analysis and has pledged support for future studies.
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Arctic Allies
International Wildlife Adventures
http://www.wildlifeadventures.com
PO Box 1410
Vashon, WA 98070
USA
Toll Free: 1 (800) 808-4492
Phone: (206) 463-1943
E-mail: info@wildlifeadventures.com
Description: Fall trips to Churchill to see the famous gathering of polar bears with several levels of packages.
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North Star Tours
Churchill, MB
(204) 675-2629
E-mail: nortours@mts.net
Description: Historical and cultural bus tours of Churchill and the surrounding area by experienced local guides. Includes stops at the Polar Bear Jail and other town highlights.
Conservation support: This Churchill-based company assists us with transportation for programs including our Leadership Camp and Tundra Connections broadcasts.
http://www.profilecanada.com/companydetail.cfm?company=2252806_North_Star_Bus_Lines_Ltd_Churchill_MB
Watchee Lodge
http://www.watchee.com
Box 187
Churchill, MB R0B 0E0
Canada
Phone: (204) 675-2114
Fax: (204) 675-2185
Description: This rustic lodge is situated in the middle of North America's largest polar bear denning area. Polar bear viewing, including mothers with cubs.
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Other Tour Companies
Churchill Wild
http://www.churchillwild.com
Churchill Wild
P.O. Box 79
Kleefeld, Manitoba, Canada R0A 0V0
Toll Free: (866) 846-9453
Description: Churchill Wild makes the Arctic's treasures accessible with all-inclusive adventures from Churchill, Manitoba. From polar bears, igloo building, and northern lights in the winter to beluga whales and birds in the summer, Churchill Wild offers inclusive and authentic sub-arctic excursions coupled with luxurious fly-in wilderness lodges and gourmet northern cuisine.
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Churchill Nature Tours/Riding Mountain Nature Tours
http://www.churchillnaturetours.com
P. O. Box 429
Erickson, MB R0J 0P0
Canada
Phone: (204) 636-2968
Fax: (204) 636-2557
E-mail: mail@churchillnaturetours.com
Description: All tour packages include lodgings, fine meals at select restaurants or superb picnics, all transport and transfers, baggage handling, entry fees, tips to hotel and restaurant service staff. Some tours include helicopter, tundra, or boat tours. Most tours have a helpful and informative tour handbook. All tours are led by experienced naturalist guides. Tours include fall trips to Churchill.
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ExpeditionTrips
http://www.expeditiontrips.com
6553 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98136
USA
Toll Free: 1 (877) 412-8527
Phone: (206) 547-0700
Fax: (206) 634-9104
E-mail: info@expeditiontrips.com
Description: ExpeditionTrips specializes in Churchill polar bear tours and small-ship Arctic cruises to regions including Svalbard (Spitsbergen/Norway), Canadian Arctic, Baffin Island, Greenland, Iceland, Northeast Passage (Franz Josef/Wrangel Island). We partner only with quality, environmentally-responsible shipping companies and tour operators. Our Program Managers have traveled to the Arctic many times and understand the differences in trips and ships.
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The Great Canadian Travel Company, Ltd.
http://www.greatcanadiantravel.com
158 Fort Street
Winnipeg, MB R3C 1C9
Canada
Phone: (204) 949-0199
Fax: (204) 949-0188
E-mail: sales@gctc.mst.com
Description: Polar bear tours to Churchill, Spitsbergen, and the High Arctic.
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Great White Bear Tours
www.greatwhitebeartours.com
Box 91
Churchill, Manitoba R0B 0E0
Canada
Toll Free: 1 (800) 765-8344
Phone: (204) 675-2781
Fax: (204) 675-2930
E-mail: gwbt@cancom.net
Description: Tours on all-terrain buses; overnight stays at the Great White Bear Tundra Lodge.
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Natural Habitat Adventures
http://www.nathab.com/polar-bear-tours-and-the-north
PO Box 3065
Boulder, CO 80307
USA
Toll Free: 1 (800) 543-8917
Phone: (303) 449-3711
Fax: (303) 449-3712
E-mail: info@nathab.com
Description: Eco-friendly, environmentally conscious polar bear tours to Churchill, the Polar Bear Capital of the World. Our expert guides are the best in the business at letting you see truly wild polar bear in comfort, safety, and style. We also offer trips specifically for photographers, where our professional photographer-guide brings you to the premier viewing spots with the best lighting conditions. For those hoping to see polar bears abroad, try our Round Spitsbergen adventure. Contact our adventure specialists today for the trip of a lifetime.
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Nature Encounters Tours & Travel Ltd.
http://www.natureencounterstours.com
Carol Petersen
Box 472
RR1, D74, 1153 Senator Road
Bowen Island, British Columbia
Canada V0N 1G0
Toll Free: 1-866-949-3007
Vancouver Area: (604) 947-9005
Toronto Area: (416) 617-1201
Toll Free Fax: (866) 773-1264
E-mail: inquiry@natureencounterstours.com
Description: Trips in fall and summer to see polar bears, photography tours.
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TravelWild
http://www.travelwild.com
P.O. Box 1637
Vashon Island, WA 98070
USA
Toll Free: 1 (800) 368-0077
Phone: (206) 463-5362
Fax: (206) 463-5484
E-mail: info@travelwild.com
Description: Expedition cruises to see polar bears and other wildlife in Spitsbergen and other arctic destinations. TravelWild also offers Antarctica cruises, including to the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands.
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Zegrahm & Eco Expeditions
http://www.zeco.com
192 Nickerson Street #200
Seattle, WA 98109
USA
Toll Free: (800) 628-8747
Phone: (206) 285-4000
Fax: (206) 285-5037
E-mail: zoe@zeco.com
Description: Summer cruises to remote arctic regions with polar bears and other arctic wildlife. Destinations include Svalbard (Spitsbergen/Norway), Russia's Wrangel Island, and Canada's Baffin Island.
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