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Polar Bears of Churchill

Tundra Buggy Enthusiast

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Lenses, bears and Tundra Buggy Randy Green

Enthusiast Hotel-Based Packages

These popular polar bear trips include either 3 or 4 nights in Churchill, with 2 or 3 full days of bear-watching on the tundra, to give you ample opportunity to observe the bears in their natural habitat. The emphasis is either on photography or the natural history and viewing of the bears.All tours travel in an original Tundra Buggy to Gordon Point, about 25 miles east of town, in the heart of the best bear viewing in the Churchill area.

Enthusiast Tundra Buggy Lodge Packages
For those who would like a more in-depth experience with the bears, we offer the Tundra Buggy Lodge at Polar Bear Point, some 25 miles east of Churchill. Unlike the hotel-based tours, these trips are based in our camp near the shores of Hudson Bay. The Tundra Buggy Lodge is a specially-designed facility—five large, modular units on huge tires, linked together like a train but with a larger-scale interior. Between each unit and at each end, are open-air platforms which provide safe viewing and photography areas.

Full-day excursions are made aboard a Tundra Buggy, watching bears! This gives several hours more bear viewing time than our hotel-based trips, since we do not have daily travel to and from Churchill.

Enthusiast VIA Rail Packages The Enthusiast VIA Rail packages allow you to enjoy the classic Enthusiast Tour combined with travel to or from Winnipeg by train. Watch the transition from prairie to boreal forest to tundra. Train offers a diner car and private sleepers. Two nights and one day on the train. These tours are the first to sell out so contact our office to reserve your space now!

Enthusiast Hotel Based Churchill Package Trip Activities: Churchill area tour, Eskimo Museum, Parks Canada, slide presentation, dog sledding, Cultural Arts

Enthusiast Tundra Buggy Lodge Package Trip Activities: Churchill area tour, Eskimo Museum, Parks Canada, dog sledding

Enthusiast VIA Rail Package Trip Activities: Churchill area tour, Eskimo Museum, Parks Canada, slide presentation, dog sledding

Enthusiast Hotel-Based Tour

Sample Itinerary, 4-Night Churchill Package

Day 1: Arrive Winnipeg and transfer to hotel. Overnight Winnipeg.

Day 2: Fly from Winnipeg to Churchill, meet guide for town and area tour, and visit to Eskimo Museum.

Days 3-5: Days spent in a Tundra Buggy with knowledgeable guide, viewing polar bears and other Arctic wildlife.

Day 6: Morning dogsledding and afternoon visit to Parks Canada Interpretive Center. Farewell dinner with the group. Return flight tnight Winnipeg.

Day 7: Fly home.

Enthusiast Tundra Buggy Lodge Tour
Sample Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Winnipeg. Overnight Sheraton Four Points Airport Hotel.

Day 2: Early morning flight to Churchill. Depart for town and area tour, and visit to Eskimo Museum. Evening visit to Parks Canada Interpretive Center (on select tours). Overnight Churchill.

Day 3: Free time to explore Churchill at your leisure. Afternoon dog sled program (on select tours). Transfer to Tundra Buggy and begin your exciting trip to the Tundra Buggy Lodge, watching for wildlife along the way. Overnight Tundra Buggy Lodge.

Day 4 & 5: Your next two days will be spent out on the tundra. After breakfast, you will head out on the Tundra Buggy, away from the lodge, searching for Polar Bears and other wildlife. Evenings will be spent enjoying delicious home cooked meals, watching video/slide presentations and socializing in the Tundra Lounge. Watch the night sky for Northern Lights. Overnight Tundra Buggy Lodge.

Day 6: After breakfast, the group will depart the lodge, participating on the last Tundra Buggy expedition, on the way back to the buggy launch area. Then you will be transferred directly to the airport. Evening flight back to Winnipeg. Overnight Sheraton Four Points Airport Hotel.

Day 7: Fly home.

Enthusiast VIA Rail Tours

VIA Rail Segment Winnipeg-Churchill
Day 1: Evening Winnipeg departure by train. Overnight on train.

Day 2: Day and night are spent on the train.

Day 3: Early morning arrival to Churchill. Depart for town and area tour, and visit to Eskimo Museum. Evening slide presentation by local photographer. Overnight Churchill hotel.

Days 4 - 5: Days spent in a Tundra Buggy with knowledgeable guide, viewing polar bears and other Arctic wildlife. Overnight Churchill hotel.

Day 6: Morning cultural arts program and afternoon visit to Parks Canada Interpretive Center. Evening return flight to Winnipeg.Overnight Winnipeg.

Day 7: Depart Winnipeg at your leisure.

Rate Information

(All prices in Canadian Dollars)

To calculate today's spot exchange rate, click here.

Please note that this is the "spot" rate, and the actual bank exchange rate may vary a few points from this. Your exact rate will be determined at the time of your booking and payment in full. VISA and MasterCard accepted.

PLEASE NOTE: Prices do not include G.S.T/P.S.T.

2012

2012 ENTHUSIAST HOTEL BASED 3-NIGHTS CHURCHILL PACKAGES Package Includes: Round-trip airfare Winnipeg - Churchill, two nights in Winnipeg, three nights in Churchill Trip Capacity: 22 Does Not Include: No nights in lodge Additional Activities: Churchill town & area tour, Eskimo Museum, Parks Canada, slide presentation, dog sledding. Tour #4 only, Nunalia helicopter tour. Tours #7 & 11 only: includes helicopter tour of bear viewing area.
Tour #	Dates	Day Trips on Buggy	Leader Type	Number of Meals	Tour Cost CAN$	Single Supplement	Status
2	Oct 2-7	2	Guide	All	$4999	$725	Open
3	Oct 11-16	2	Guide	All	$4999	$725	Open
4	Oct 13-18	2	Guide	All	$6249	$725	Sold Out
5	Oct 14-19	2	Guide	All	$5149	$725	Open
6	Oct 15-20	2	Guide	All	$5149	$725	Open
7	Oct 17-22	2	Guide	All	$5649	$725	Open
9	Oct 18-23	2	Guide	All	$5149	$725	Open
10	Oct 21-26	2	Guide	All	$5149	$725	Sold Out
11	Oct 23-28	2	Guide	All	$5649	$725	Sold Out
12	Oct 24-29	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Sold Out
14	Oct 29- Nov 3	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Open
15	Nov 3-8	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Open
16	Nov 4-9	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Open
18	Nov 8-13	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Open
19	Nov 10-15	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Sold Out
20	Nov 11-16	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Open
22	Nov 13-18	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Open
23	Nov 14-19	2	Guide	All	$5349	$725	Open

2012 ENTHUSIAST HOTEL BASED 4-NIGHTS CHURCHILL PACKAGE Package Includes: Round-trip airfare Winnipeg - Churchill, two nights in Winnipeg, four nights in Churchill Trip Capacity: 22 Additional Activities: Churchill area tour, Eskimo Museum, Parks Canada presentation, slide presentation, dog sledding, Way of the North.
Tour #	Dates	Day Trips on Buggy	Leader Type	Number of Meals	Tour Cost CAN$	Single Supplement	Status
36	Oct 11-17	3	Guide	All	$5649	$790	Sold Out

2012 ENTHUSIAST VIA RAIL PACKAGES

Package includes: One night in Winnipeg, two nights on train, three nights in Churchill.
Trip Capacity: 22
Additional Activites: Churchill area tour, Eskimo Museum, Parks Canada presentation, slide presentation, dog sledding.

Tour #

Dates

Day Trips on Buggy

Leader Type

Number of Meals

Tour Cost CAN$

Single Supplement

Status

Oct 16-22

Guide

All

$5649

$630

Sold Out

Oct 21-27

Guide

All

$5649

$630

Open

Oct 25-31

Guide

All

$5849

$630

Sold Out

Nov 4-10

Guide

All

$5849

$630

Open

VIA Rail segment Winnipeg-Churchill, return by air.

2012 ENTHUSIAST TUNDRA BUGGY LODGE PACKAGES Package Includes: Round-trip airfare Winnipeg - Churchill, two nights in Winnipeg, three nights at lodge Trip Capacity: 20 Activities: Churchill area tour, Eskimo Museum, Parks Canada presentation, dog sledding. NOTE: Tours #50 &52: no dog sledding or Parks Canada presentation. Tour #52 has one night Winnepeg, one way rail (2-nights) /one way air
Tour #	Dates	Nights Churchill	Day Trips on Buggy	Leader Type	Meals	Tour Cost CAN$	Single Supplement	Status
50	Oct 23-28	0	3	Guide	All	$6499	$195	Open
52	Oct 25-31	0	3	Guide	All	$7399	$100	Open
54	Oct 28-Nov 3	1	3	Guide	All	$7299	$375	Open
56	Nov 1-7	1	3	Guide	All	$7299	$375	Open
58	Nov 3-9	1	3	Guide	All	$7299	$375	Open

PLEASE NOTE: Prices do not include G.S.T/P.S.T.

Tour Details

Registration
To confirm your space on this tour, please send a deposit of $750 USD to our office. Balance is due 120 days prior to departure. Please note: Tour rates are based on Canadian Dollars.

Cancellation Policy
In the event you must cancel your reservation, refunds will be made according to the following schedule: Deposit $750 non-refundable. 90 to 61 days prior to departure, 50% of total is non-refundable; less than 60 days prior to departure, 100% non-refundable.

Insurance

Because many advance logistical arrangements have been made prior to the running of this trip, we must adhere to the above policy. In addition, please be aware that many insurance policies do not cover illness and accident expenses outside of the U.S., and Medicare does NOT cover any such expenses at all. In light of this, we strongly recommend trip cancellation and supplemental insurance.

A travel insurance form will be sent to you upon registration, or you can purchase it from our site by clicking on the "Purchase Travel Insurance" in the left-hand column. Our insurance carrier is Travelex.

AHotel-based tour:

Winnipeg
The first and last night of your trip are spent at the Sheraton Four Points in Winnipeg. The hotel is located at Winnipeg International Airport and is conveniently connected to the airport via skywalk. This first-class, full-service hotel features 132 guest rooms.
Churchill
Churchill area hotel (to be announced), depending on tour number.

Lodge-based tour:

Winnipeg
The first and last night of your trip are spent at the Sheraton Four Points in Winnipeg. The hotel is located at Winnipeg International Airport and is conveniently connected to the airport via skywalk. This first-class, full-service hotel features 132 guest rooms.

Churchill
The Tundra Buggy Lodge is a specially-designed facility—five large, modular units on huge tires, linked together like a train but with a larger-scale interior. Between each unit and at each end, are open-air platforms which provide safe viewing and photography areas.The five units consist of two sleeping modules (complete with shared bathrooms and shower facilities), a lounge module, a dining module, and a module which houses supplies and the camp’s power station.

A safe haven from the bears and an excellent base for wildlife observation, the warm and casual Tundra Buggy Lodge provides more time for viewing and photographing than our hotel-based trips. Imagine watching the bears day or night, from inside or out, and, on clear nights, under the ghostly northern lights! In addition, a Tundra Buggy is available for a full day excursion into the same observation areas that our other tours explore. In the evening enjoy relaxation, excellent meals and informal talks, slide shows, videos, and bear stories in the lounge. The proximity and viewing of the bears is exceptional, and the accommodations make even the barren tundra comfortable.