The polar bear is the only mammal that actively hunts humans. Yet, each year Canada's most feared and revered inhabitants attract thousands of tourists from around the world.
Not only do these brave individuals get close to the Earth’s largest predator – Ursus maritimus – but they are also willing to pay big bucks for it.
The fact that polar bears are becoming extinct is also part of the attraction. At the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth, they could be extinct by 2100. So, whether you love wildlife or you're just a tourist last fall, now's the time to see the 1,000-pound carnivorous animal that the Inuit call “Nanuk.”
Bug Out
Canada has about 16,000 polar bears, about 60% of the world's total population. With as many bears as taxpayers, Churchill, Manitoba (population 900), bills itself as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.” It's nothing new to see bears dumpster diving in the middle of town. But the best glimpses are in the bears' natural habitat, accessible by tundra buggy.
Equipped with five-and-a-half-foot-high tires, these 40-passenger capacity off-road vehicles are designed to survive snow and ice. Most tundra buggy tours are part of a multi-day itinerary that includes lodging and meals (from $1,000 per person, per night).
frontier northHowever, one offers a one-day experience for $1,527. While Manitoba's polar bear season is traditionally in the fall and aurora borealis season in the winter, this year Lazy Bear Expeditions is offering its first package that includes both bucket list experiences.
The five-night itinerary (from $4,500 per person) also includes a helicopter safari and a stay at a polar bear prison.
Pro tip: “Get a window seat toward the rear of the vehicle,” says Kit Muir, media content specialist at Travel Manitoba. “When it's time to stop, you'll be the first one to reach the outdoor viewing platform at the rear.”
hoof it
In 1994, Churchill Wilde Founder Mike Reimer caught everyone's attention by opening a lodge that offered the world's first polar bear safari on foot. Thirty years later, it remains the only remote Arctic luxury eco-lodge that offers hikes to travelers.
Several days are spent trekking across the tundra, maintaining a distance of at least 330 feet from the killers (only a little over two dozen kills have been confirmed since 1870).
Still, guides pack pistols and shotguns loaded with bear spray, “screamer” and “banger” ammo. Nights are spent at the fenced Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge, a National Geographic Unique Lodge of the World property located on the beautiful Kaska coast of Hudson Bay.
It's not cheap, at $11,700 per person for six nights. But freelance photographer and travel writer Susan Portnoy said it's worth it for the eye-level access: “Your photos will be more dynamic than shooting from a vehicle down below.”
Pro tip: If you also want to see the cloud wolves – who have no fear of humans – book a November trip.
on the cruise
Because of melting sea ice, access to Canadian waters has never been so easy. Although most Arctic cruises don't specialize in polar bear viewing, sightings are still common. On July 31, guests aboard the National Geographic Resolution spotted seven bears — including a mother and two playful cubs.
Unlike land-based safaris in Manitoba, cruises often include stops in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories, home to 90% of Canada's polar bears.
But since these places are far away, you will need more money and PTO. Lindblad Expedition' The 24-day High Arctic Archipelago trip starts at $44,339.
Pro tip: Keep your eyes peeled for the unicorn of the sea – the narwhal.
grin and bear it
Feeling lazy? Natural Habitat Adventures' Seven-day Tundra Lodge trip (from $10,495 per person). This custom-built 32-berth train-style hotel built on monster truck-sized tires is only open in October and November. But because of its mobile nature, it's always parked where the bears are.
Capture all your Insta content from the comfort of the lodge's dining car, lounge and outdoor viewing platform.
Pro tip: don't expect a relaxing rest. You may have to wake up at 3 a.m. when a special sight comes into view.
“Seeing the northern lights out the window and having access to 24-hour polar bear viewing opportunities is better than a hot shower and a soft bed,” said travel blogger Jennifer Weinberg.
