Polar Bear Week
Churchill, Manitoba, is the undisputed polar bear capital of the world. But when is the best time to visit to watch these fascinating animals?
Polar bears are leaving the coast of Hudson Bay as soon as the sea ice starts to form. That’s usually around mid-November. After that, chances of seeing polar bears are slim. Most polar bears will not return until late June or even July. Therefore, if you want to see polar bears, your best bet is July to November. However, there’s quite a difference in bear behavior during this period. While bears are less active during summer, they start moving more as the temperatures are dropping.
The first week of November is officially called polar bear week in Churchill. And that’s for a reason. This is probably the single most attractive time to visit. There might already be snow on the ground, bears are antsy of anticipation and often even sparring to get back in shape after a long summer on shore. It’s no surprise that this timeframe is also the busiest and most expensive to visit.
If you want to avoid “expensive”, shoulder season (e.g. early fall, summer) can be interesting. And you might even see belugas and birds, which will be gone by November. And if you want to avoid “busy” but do not mind “expensive”, there are excellent remote lodges in the area. We can highly recommend the lodges operated by Churchill Wild. Most of our polar bear and wolf photos have been taken around these lodges.
And, last but not least, there is another timeframe for the most hardy adventurers: February and March. Temperatures will be as low as -40°C (-40°F) during the peak of winter. But you might get rewarded by seeing polar bear moms with their newborn cubs taking their first steps and eventually starting their journey to the sea ice of Hudson Bay. These encounters are rare and precious and you will need to join a specialized tour operator as the polar bear denning areas are not close to town. Our recommendation is Churchill Wild’s Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. If you are brave enough to face the elements!
Happy polar bear week!
