No, not at your local zoo. I’m talking about the real deal—larger than life polar bears in their natural environment. It doesn’t sound as if it would be very tough to arrange, but once you learn that there are only a few places on the face of the earth where you can see polar bears roaming free and, even then, for just a brief window of time, perhaps you will be inspired to act fast.
Polar bear lovers are already making their travel plans to Manitoba. According to nature tour guides, during the last weeks of autumn — usually from the middle of October to early November — no place on the planet has a greater population of polar bears than Churchill, in Manitoba. That’s where hundreds of bears, stranded by melting ice, spend the warmer months, waiting for temperatures to drop so they can start hunting and fatten up before winter begins.
During that limited window of time, thousands of visitors gather to take part in guided polar bear tours. Groups of about 20 or so hearty tourists board tundra buggies for a day of inching along rugged trails in search of the massive creatures. If you are interested in taking part in one of these rare viewing opportunities there are several tour operators you can choose from. One of the most popular is the Victor Emanuel Nature Tour, which runs about $3,500 a person, not including airfare, but it does cover all other costs, including meals, accommodations, ground transportation, tour fees, etc. National Geographic also sponsors another well-known polar bear tour. For more information on that tour and other polar bear tours click here.
If you do luck out and happen to get one of the coveted spots on the tours you’ll need warm clothes, including long underwear, and waterproof boots. Another tip: make sure you invest in several pairs of extremely warm socks. Also, plan of spending a few extra days exploring Churchill, Manitoba when your tour is done. The area is home to a couple of small hotels, and a handful of restaurants. You’ll also want to make time to visit the Eskimo Museum and the polar bear “jail,” where bears that wander into town are penned in before being moved back into the wild.
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