POLAR BEARS at cape churchill - THE ULTIMATE photo TOUR nov. 2011

Cape Churchill Tundra Buggy Tour

Virtually everybody interested in Polar Bear photography has heard of Churchill in Canada. What very few people are aware of, however, is a very well kept secret just over 35 miles away. The Legendary Cape Churchill is located some 20 miles east of Polar Bear Point (the furthest point accessible from Churchill), and provides one of the most breathtaking and exciting polar bear photography experiences anywhere in the world. A stay on The Tundra Buggy Lodge is the only way for anybody to experience this truly authentic sub-arctic experience. Although this is a specialist-level trip that has been designed for those interested in an ultimate bear viewing and photographing expedition, people with no photographic experience are made equally welcome. Half of the guests on the 2008 trip were professionals from all parts of the world, and the other half were made up of amateurs and non photographers. You will spend all daylight hours photographing on the arctic tundra with a maximum of just ten guests per 40-passenger Tundra Buggy. Spaces are extremely hard to come by on this one-of-a-kind expedition, and early reservations are vital.

What is So Special about Cape Churchill ?

There is only one single, one-week-long, annual trip permitted to take guests into Wapusk National Park, which is home to Cape Churchill. It is a truly amazing experience to battle the elements on an real life adventure that includes wind, severe cold, snow, ice and polar bears. Since no vehicles have entered that area of the park for almost 12 months, there is not a single tyre track to be seen. All your photographs, with minimal effort, are taken with perfect backgrounds and, unless in the immediate vicinity of the camp or another vehicle, the bears are always in perfect natural surroundings. You are not regularly attempting to avoid tell tale traces left by previous vehicles, as can be the case in the busier main Churchill area. The other advantage is that the terrain is much less flat. This means that, although shooting from quite high up, the vehicle can often be positioned so that we are photographing from almost at eye level. It is a sobering feeling to think that there is not another human being within 35 miles of our position on the ice, yet we are only an hour's helicopter ride away in an emergency.

The Tundra Buggy Lodge

The Tundra Buggy Lodge is a unique 'Lodge on Wheels'. The lodge consists of five large modular 4-wheeled trailers on huge flotation tyres. We initially each tow one of these across the tundra with our own buggy. These very wide units are linked together like a train. They consist of two sleeping modules, (one sleeps 20 and the other 18) each complete with shared bathrooms, shower facilities and bunk beds separated discretely by curtains, a lounge and bar unit, a kitchen and dining unit, and a fifth unit which houses the staff, the supplies and the camp's power station. Each bunk has its own light and power point for recharging batteries and downloading images to computers. Between each unit are connecting doors leading onto open-air platforms that provide safe areas for viewing and photographing. The warm Tundra Buggy Lodge provides more time for viewing and photographing than any hotel-based trip could.. Bears will often visit us at night, and can be viewed from the comfort of our lounge or dining unit. In the evening relax and enjoy some really excellent meals, followed by informal talks and slide shows in the lounge. On clear nights we seemed almost close enough to reach out and touch the stunning northern lights.

The Tundra Buggy

A Tundra Buggy is like a very wide bus with ten double seats down each side, and a large open area in between. It has a large Aga-like propane heater, a toilet plus a large open-air viewing platform at the rear. Each seat has its' own vertical sliding window, and each person has a seat and a window on each side of the buggy. Unless there is a large wind-chill factor, it is usually quite warm inside the buggy, even with all the windows open down one side. It's sheer heaven not to be constantly competing for space, and the ne'er complaining driver regularly shuts all the windows behind us. Due to the fact that polar bears are hungry predators, no one is ever permitted to leave the Tundra Buggy. The best daylight is roughly from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. although we often managed to photograph half an hour before and half an hour after those times. Teas, coffees, soup and snacks are served at various intervals during the day.

Gordon Point / Polar Bear Point Viewing

This may or may not be our starting point for our photography. It will depend upon where the largest concentrations of Polar Bears are at the time. Normally, one or two days would be spent here. Many of the bears migrate 25 miles eastwards from the town of Churchill to this location, and then another 20 miles eastwards to Cape Churchill before then going onto the Hudson Bay ice. In 2008 it was decided that the best option would be to travel directly to Cape Churchill and this location was excluded from our itinerary. A vehicle had visited here and Cape Churchill the day before our departure, and most of the bears were found to be at the Cape. It made for a very long journey, but was the correct decision. We had an amazing time there.

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Click here to see Polar Bear photos from 2008

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Polar Bear Photography

Polar bear viewing ranks as one of the most special natural history travel experiences available on earth. Cape Churchill is the location famed for the most awe-inspiring and exciting polar bear photography available. Many of the Polar Bear documentaries you may have seen on TV, or photographs of the bears in books and calendars, have been shot on this very trip. The Polar Bears of Cape Churchill will take your breath away, and this location is widely recognized, by the few people that have visited this special place, as the provider of one of the world’s greatest wildlife spectacles. Possibly partly due to hunger, but they are inquisitive creatures and will usually come and check us out to see if there is any free lunches going. We do not give them any food whatsoever, but their curiosity usually rewards us with some close range shots. I took my big lens with me in 2008, but my most used lens was a 300mm A long lens is by no means a requirement to enable you to get some stunning shots.

Itinerary

Day 1; Arrive Winnipeg. Accommodation at nearby airport hotel. Briefing & group dinner with guide. Overnight Winnipeg. (D.).
Day 2; Early morning flight to Churchill. Free time and lunch in Churchill before transfer to the Tundra Buggy. Transfer to and overnight on Tundra Buggy Lodge. Dinner (B, L, D.).
Days 3-9; Enjoy daily excursions to view and photograph Polar Bears and other wildlife (includes one day transferring to Cape Churchill). Enjoy good freshly cooked food, On clear nights watch the night sky for the Northern Lights (the spectacular Aurora Borealis). Overnight Tundra Buggy Lodge. (B, L, D.).
Day 10; After breakfast, begin the Tundra Buggy journey back to Churchill. Check into local hotel. Free time in Churchill. Dinner. Overnight Churchill. (B, L, D.).
Day 11; Late morning departure to Winnipeg by air. Check into airport hotel. Overnight Winnipeg. (B).
Day 12; Depart Winnipeg at your leisure. (B).

Costs & Dates; (subject to availability)

Nov 17th - 28th 2011 £5969

based on Winnipeg to Winnipeg

Dates and price are subject to final confirmation. Photographers on Safari have a provisional booking for 7 places, but places cannot be guaranteed. These places, prices and dates will be confirmed (or otherwise) during December 2010.

What to expect

This trip was, without doubt, the best and most memorable trip I have ever undertaken. It is extremely cold outside, but you do not need to leave the warmth of the Buggy or the Buggy Lodge unless you choose. The propane heaters remain on in all vehicles throughout day and night. Accommodation is a single bunk, separated from the corridor only by a curtain. There are hot showers and flush toilets. Food is really good, freshly cooked and piping hot. The staff are wonderful and will do anything to make your stay special. Packed lunches are a hearty meal with hot soup. Teas and coffees always available. There are also a fair number of Polar Bears. Typically, we would see between 15 and 20 a day. These are absolutely magnificent animals and are usually virtually "on tap". It was only on rare occasions that we had to spend more than 20 minutes searching to find one. The setting is second to none and totally unspoilt.

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Click here for more information on Polar Bears in 2008

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Risks;

It has to be understood that there are always risks with a trip of this nature. This trip has run successfully now for over 20 years. The window of opportunity to see the bears before they disappear onto the ice is quite small. It has successfully been accurately predicted on all but one occasion in the past. So much so that some of the people in the 2008 party (including non professionals) have been there no less than 14 times. It is extremely addictive. There are no absolute guarantees that you will see your intended subjects, as is the case with any rare wildlife species. However, history would suggest that you have at least a 95% chance of success, and with warmer temperatures the bears are less and less likely to have left early.

Optional Helicopter Ride

There is the option of a one hour helicopter ride that can be taken on your arrival into Churchill. Many of the 2008 party chose to do this. It is an excellent way of giving you a feel of the area you are about to visit. There is also the option of hiring both a helicopter and a buggy on the final morning while the main party return in the buggies from the Cape. I chose to do this and we were rewarded with 4 extra hours of Polar Bear photography in the best light of the whole trip. This can be organised right at the last moment, subject to groups of 5 agreeing, and the return journey to Churchill in the helicopter was wonderful.

Interested ????

Please make your interest known as soon as possible as this trip normally has a very long waiting list and spaces on it are at a premium.