At a Glance
Embark on an immersive and unique discovery of the Canadian Arctic where a blend of wildlife and wild locations set amidst the stunning colours of Autumn. This 9 day arctic walking safari incorporates the very best wildlife opportunities from glamping at a tundra in the Canadian Barren Lands to daily 10km or more trekking in search of polar bears at Seal River Heritage Lodge. Trod through wildly thrilling landmarks and historical moments with sprawling wildlife encounters. Relish local canadian cuisines, history, and tread iconic routes complete with an awe-inspiring display of the colourful Canadian autumn on this 9-day Arctic walking safari.
Your spectacular adventure begins with an overnight in Winnipeg, for a next morning flight to Churchill where your photo safari adventure begins. Embark on a 1 hour scenic flight, offering ...
Trip Highlights
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What's Included
- 8 nights accommodation on a twin share basis
- Roundtrip airfare between Winnipeg and Churchill, Manitoba
- Roundtrip airfare between Churchill, Seal River Heritage Lodge and Tundra Camp
- All meals as specified
- Excursions, activities and guide services while in Churchill and at Seal River Heritage Lodge and Tundra Camp
Itinerary
Arrive in Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba. In this city where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet, you will have an overnight at the charmingly boutique, The Grand by Lakeview, conveniently located at the Winnipeg airport. Come evening, convene with the rest of the group and enjoy an orientation dinner hosted by a Churchill Wild representative, featuring a wide selection of delicious local and international cuisine made from freshly-sourced produce. |
Enjoy a delightful breakfast before an early morning flight to Churchill where you’ll be greeted by your expediter on arrival. Your exciting adventure starts with a 1 hour aerial flight across the rocky Hudson Bay coastline and into the heart of the Canadian Barren Lands. The breathtaking scenery will leave you in awe as you fly over the region's pristine lakes and vast wilderness. Fly into your remote home at the Tundra Camp, perched on the edge of one of Manitoba's 100,000 lakes near the Nunavut border. Upon arrival, be warmly welcomed by the staff who will give a brief orientation and spend time unwinding in your private expedition tent. |
Your days will be filled with exciting morning and afternoon excursions into the remote wilderness that surrounds the camp. There will never be a dull moment, with lunches served at camp or with a picnic lunch for full day excursions. Spend your days with unforgettable adventures from camping in the Barren Lands, walking the ancient migratory path of the Qaminurjuaq caribou herd and learning about the Arctic flora and fauna. On interpretive hikes, our expert naturalist guides will teach you about the unique Arctic plants and creatures that inhabit the Hudson Plains and Taiga Shield. On your excursions, you will have the opportunity to see some of the world's most spectacular wildlife, such as polar bears, wolves, and beluga whales, in their natural habitat. The region's rugged and unspoiled scenery will take your breath away and provide ample adventure and discovery opportunities. After a day of exploring, unwind with a glass of wine and appetisers before indulging in a full-course dinner made by our talented chefs. The meals are prepared with just the finest ingredients and will leave you feeling full and energized. As your time at Tundra Camp ends, you'll be taken to the Seal River Heritage Lodge for the next leg of your adventure. Note: Day 3 accommodation is at Tundra Camp. Day 4 is at Seal River Heritage Lodge |
Welcome to Seal River Heritage Lodge, a nature sanctuary on the gorgeous Hudson Bay coast. This one-of-a-kind setting provides a rare opportunity to witness the magnificence of polar bears in their native habitat as they roam the shoreline in preparation for the impending freeze-up. Your wildlife adventures concentrate on ground-level viewing of these famous creatures, delivering unforgettable and up-close contact with one of the world's most spectacular predators. Marvel at various other Arctic animals, including colourful Arctic foxes, playful sik-siks (Arctic ground squirrels), and elusive Arctic hares. You might even see some of the countless migratory and shorebirds that make Hudson Bay their home. Aside from the wildlife, you'll be surrounded by the spectacular beauty of the fall season, with a stunning backdrop of brilliant colours that will provide you with unique photo possibilities during your safari. You will be assisted in capturing the beauty of your surroundings, guaranteeing that your memories of your stay here will endure a lifetime. While your days at Seal River will be structured similarly to those at Tundra Camp, we recognize that nature runs on its timetable. As a result, meals may be postponed on occasion to give you the best chance of seeing wildlife in action or capturing the right image. |
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Come evenings, be treated to signature dinner affairs of tundra-inspired cuisines. Indulge on local ingredients and recipes from best selling Blueberries and Polar Bears cookbook series. Dine with paired hand selected Canadian wines and finish with mouth-watering desserts. End your evenings with an informative lecture or slide show presentation narrated by one of Churchill Wild’s knowledgeable guides or staff.
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Tantalise on one last wholesome lodge breakfast, before flying back to Churchill. Remember to keep your cameras handy as the flight always promises to inspire photo-worthy moments and sights from up above. Upon arrival, spend the day exploring Churchill and the neighbouring area with a tour guide and learn about its rich history as a seaport and ex-military town. Along the way, you’ll visit the Parks Canada exhibit, the Itsanitaq Museum, and the Polar Bear Jail. En route, marvel at murals that were commissioned in 2016 as part of the SeaWalls mural festival that your guide will point out. Before convening for a group dinner, spend free time to shop for last-minute souvenirs at the unique gift stores in Churchill. Come evening, fly south to Winnipeg and retreat back to where it all began at The Grand Hotel, conveniently located at Winnipeg airport. |
This morning, bid farewell to an incredible adventure filled with memories and photos reflecting an incredible arctic wildlife safari. Check out from the hotel and depart Winnipeg at your own leisure for your onward journey. NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation. |
Accommodation
Dates & Prices
Please contact us for group bookings. Single Supplement is available on request.
More Info
- The departure and finish point is Winnipeg
- Major commercial flights provide convenient access to Winnipeg. The closest major airport is Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport and is 8 km from the center of Winnipeg.
Challenging: 10+ km walking per day, some hilly terrain
Churchill, Manitoba has a moderately dry climate with sharp seasonal temperature changes. Winter temperatures of about −40 °F (−40 °C) may occasionally occur in any part of the province, and summer days of 100 °F (38 °C) are not unusual in the southern regions. During the month of June and August you are most likely to experience good days with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20 degrees Celsius (68°F) and 25 degrees Celsius (77°F). The coldest month is January with an average maximum temperature of -11°C (12°F).
Single guests can sign up to share a room with another person of the same gender at the regular rate per person based on double occupancy.
Onlyluxe Travel acts as travel agency and work with different tour operators.
Payment Detail
All pricing is in Australian dollars and are quoted on a per person twin share basis. A supplementary price is available (see below). Bookings are not confirmed until full payment and the signed Booking Form has been received by Onlyluxe Travel.
A non-refundable 30% deposit is payable within 7 days of your booking, with the final balance due 120 days prior to departure. If a booking is made 120 days or less before departure, the full payment is payable immediately. Last minute bookings are payable before arrival. Failure to pay on time may result in automatic cancellation of a booking with cancellation penalties payable to Onlyluxe Travel. If you pay by credit card or PayPal a surcharge will be added to the total price.
Single Supplement
All accommodation is twin share. Single guests will share with someone of the same gender. If a single room is demanded, a supplementary price of will apply. The supplementary price refers to our quotation and needs to be stipulated at the time of booking.
General Cancellation Policies
- Outside of 120 days monies will be refunded less 30% of full fee
- Within 120 days prior to arrival all monies will be forfeited
- No refunds will be given in the event of non-arrival, any unused services or unused nights due to flight or weather disruption
- We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance and medical insurance
Please Note: Cancellations must be advised in email and will take effect from the date they are received.
We strongly recommend guests protect themselves with travel insurance.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. The tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.
Liability
The participant agrees to indemnify Onlyluxe Travel, and its servant, tour operator and agents, in relation to any liability, loss and damage which the tour operator, or its servants and/or agents may incur as a result of the participants, negligence or misconduct during the tour.
Smoking is not permitted on the bus, or in tents or in other accommodation being used by tour operator at the time that a trip is being conducted.
Child Policy
Please consult travel consultant on age limit.
Changes to Itineraries
Local conditions may necessitate changes to sightseeing, walking and driving routes, camping and accommodation locations. While every effort will be made to provide the services and experiences as offered in our brochure, on our website, and in our trip letters, we reserve the right to vary your itinerary. In the event that we are forced to change your arrangements, substitute arrangements of a similar standard will be provided. The tour operator will not be liable where interruptions to itineraries are caused by weather conditions, technical problems to transport used by the tour operator, industrial action, political or civil commotion or other circumstances beyond our control. We refer you to the conditions regarding travel insurance.
Changes in Prices
While we will do its utmost to honour its pricing unforeseen circumstances may mean that prices may be subject to change without notice.
Pre-Existing Medical Conditions and Age Limits
You need to advise Onlyluxe travel and the tour operator on any pre-existing medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability that might reasonably be expected to increase the risk of your requiring medical attention, or that might affect the normal conduct of a trip and the enjoyment of other trip members. Onlyluxe Travel and the tour operator may require an assessment of your medical condition from a qualified medical practitioner. If you fail to adequately notify the tour operator of any pre-existing medical conditions and/or disability, the tour operator reserves the right, at its reasonable discretion, to cancel your participation in a trip at any time, including after the commencement of your trip, with no right of refund if your medical condition, mobility impairment and/or disability could be reasonably expected to affect the normal conduct of the trip and the enjoyment of other trip members.
Cancellation by The Tour Operator
The walks take place in very special wilderness settings. The tour operator is at the mercy of nature in all her beauty and all her fury. The tour operator will under no circumstance knowingly place at risk the health and well-being of our guests and guides. In the case of natural threats, acts of God and the like (e.g. bushfires, impassable snow, etc) the tour operator may need to cancel a walk with very little notice. In some cases, this can occur after the walk has commenced. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel any walk up to 60 days prior to departure if minimum number is unable to meet for a tour. If the tour operator needs to cancel for any reason, the cost of the walk or any other costs associated with travel to the designated pick up point, overnight accommodation, meals, etc will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore we strongly recommend travel insurance be taken out prior to travel.
Force Majeure
'Force Majeure' means (without restriction) any event which Onlyluxe Travel or its third party providers could not, even with due care, foresee or avoid. Force Majeure covers events such as, but not limited to, adverse weather conditions, fire and all similar events beyond our control. In the case of Force Majeure Onlyluxe Travel will not accept liability, and reserves the right to change and cancel trips.
Evacuations
In rare circumstances, due to injury or unforeseen illness, the tour operator may need to evacuate you from a remote part of the walk. Helicopter evacuations are expensive and in most cases will be at a cost to the customer.
For Australian residents, under the Australian Government Medicare Act, it is prohibited for any domestic travel insurance product to provide any financial reimbursement with regard to ambulance or air ambulance services. We therefore strongly advise our customers to take specific ambulance cover through their health insurance provider. Evacuation cost will not be covered by the Onlyluxe Travel and therefore it is also strongly recommended that our customers take out travel insurance to cover (amongst other things) the costs associated with evacuation.
Travel Insurance
In view of the heavy cancellation penalties applied to cancelled reservations in certain circumstances, we strongly recommends suitable travel insurance be purchased at the time the holding deposit is paid. We recommend insurance cover that covers any loss which may be suffered due to cancellation. We also strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance against loss of baggage and medical expenses.