Location: Churchill, Canada
Churchill Polar Bear Photography Tour
A VIP polar bear encounter like no other on the Canadian Tundra!
The Canadian Polar Bear Migration
Watch the largest aggregation of polar bears in the world gather outside Churchill on the shores of Hudson Bay, waiting for the annual freeze. You will see moms with their new born cubs, solitary bears foraging along the shore, and sparring males asserting their dominance over one another.
Incredible Polar Bear Photography Opportunities
Our life changing polar bear expeditions in Churchill are open to anyone looking for world-class intimate encounters with polar bears on the Canadian Tundra, but avid photographers will find this trip that includes six full days of polar bear watching, especially rewarding!
THE ENCOUNTER
Intimate, eye level encounters with polar bears on the sub-arctic tundra
2025
DATE
October 27-November 2 2 SPOTS AVAILABLE
November 2-8 FULL
November 8-14 2 SPOTS AVAILABLE
PRICE (USD)
$7,595 + 5% Goods & Services Tax (GST) per person double occupancy
$9,795 + 5% Goods & Services Tax (GST) single occupancy
LEADER
Andy Murch
2026
DATE
October 26 – November 1 2 SPOTS AVAILABLE
November 1-7 5 SPOTS AVAILABLE
PRICE (USD)
$7,795 + 5% Goods & Services Tax (GST) per person double occupancy
$9,995 + 5% Goods & Services Tax (GST) single occupancy
LEADER
Andy Murch
2027
DATE
October 27-November 2 5 SPOTS AVAILABLE
November 3-9 6 SPOTS AVAILABLE
PRICE (USD)
$TBA + 5% Goods & Services Tax (GST) per person double occupancy
$TBA + 5% Goods & Services Tax (GST) single occupancy
LEADER
Andy Murch
POLAR BEAR TOUR ITINERARY
DAY 1
We will meet your plane at Churchill Airport for a seamless transfer to our lodge on the Canadian tundra. Keep your eyes peeled on the short drive to the lodge because you have a good chance of seeing your first polar bear!
If your flight arrives in the morning, after a short orientation about the lodge and bear safety, we will head out onto the tundra in a cozy 4WD vehicle to look for bears.
When the sun sets, we will return to the lodge and then drive into town for dinner. Once we get back to the lodge, you will have time to review your images or relax in the grand room. The lodge is away from the light pollution caused by the street lights in Churchill, so if the skies are clear, this is also a great time to head outside and look for auroras.
DAYS 2-6
A typical day starts at sunrise. All rooms look onto the tundra, so you can survey the terrain as soon as you wake up. After a buffet breakfast in the grand room, we will prep cameras, don warm clothing, and head out to find bears.
We generally stay out on the tundra until lunch time and then make a quick stop in town for lunch. Some groups choose to bring a pack lunch and stay out on the tundra all day. Either way, we will continue photographing bears in the afternoon, returning to lodge once the sun gets low.
At dinner time, we usually head into town as a small group, returning to the lodge in time for a nightcap or some aurora gazing.
Sleep, dream of polar bears, repeat.
DAY 7
Departure day. After a final breakfast at the lodge, we will transfer you back to Churchill Airport or to the train station in time for you homeward journey.
WHY OUR POLAR BEAR TOURS ARE THE BEST IN CANADA
MORE DAYS WITH POLAR BEARS
Google ‘Polar Bear Tours in Churchill’ and you’ll soon find the big companies that offer comparably priced polar bear tours. But if you read the fine print, you’ll notice their six day tours only give you two or three days with bears!
We don’t think you really want a day touring Winnipeg and another stuck in Churchill. So when we pick you up at the airport, we’ll take you straight to our lodge to get changed into warm clothing, and then we’re heading out for bears. And we’ll do the same thing, every day, all day, until it is time to fly home.
Plain and simple, we deliver world class polar bear encounters with no fluff.
WE ACTUALLY GO AND FIND POLAR BEARS
Instead of sitting in a wobbly tundra hotel on wheels, we spend our days driving around the tundra finding the best bear activity. We don’t wait for bears to come and find us.
By using small 4WD vans that hold a MAXIMUM of 6 guests, we are able to navigate small trails that access spots where large tundra vehicles don’t go. We are nimble and fast, which means we can quickly find bears, foxes, and other animals, and then maneuver into the perfect position to enjoy them.
Incidentally, our lodge is in a spectacular spot in the middle of the tundra too, and the bears love to visit!
WALK WITH POLAR BEARS
Looking down on polar bears from a high-sided tundra vehicle really doesn’t do them justice, especially if you want compelling polar bear images. When we find bears, our armed guides assess the situation, and then we leave our vehicle so that we can enjoy the encounters on foot at eye level. That means photographers can set up tripods for pin sharp images, or even hunker down so they’re shooting upwards, which makes the bears look even more impressive!
It also means we can quietly approach arctic foxes, snow hares, ptarmigan, and any other tundra animals that stay well away from vehicles. Now that is a real tundra experience!
WE UNDERSTAND WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY
Understanding where to position our small group of photographers to take advantage of the available light in relation to the movements of the polar bears is not a skill you can learn over night. Your trip leader Andy Murch is a professional wildlife photographer with three decades of experience in creating dramatic, compelling images.
SLEEP ON THE TUNDRA
Why stay in overcrowded Churchill when you can sleep in tranquility at our cozy, purpose built lodge in the heart of the tundra overlooking Hudson Bay, where polar bears and foxes walk right up to the fence, and there is no light pollution to spoil your view of the northern lights.
By staying at the lodge, you are much closer to Polar Bear Alley and other bear viewing hotspots so you get even more time with bears. Learn more!
FLIGHT DISCOUNTS
Let our travel partners organize your flights between Winnipeg and Churchill to ensure you arrive and depart on the correct days, so that you don’t have to waste time and money overnighting in Churchill before or after your polar bear photography tour.
Plus, fly at our special corporate rate, which is approximately 55% of the high season full fare.
DETAILS
ACCOMMODATION
White Whale Lodge is a fabulous new alternative to staying in town.
Our comfortable lodge is located deep in the tundra, where our guests have the opportunity to see bears, foxes, and other tundra wildlife right outside our compound, even when you re not on a tour.
At night, the deck of the lodge is also an excellent location to watch auroras; away from the light pollution from the town of Churchill.
FITNESS LEVEL
Some minor walking on snow.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Six nights at White Whale Lodge, sleeping outside Churchill on the tundra where polar bears can be seen right at the perimeter of the lodge.
Six days on the tundra viewing polar bears (depending on your arrival time on day one). Our VIP small group tours last from sunrise to sunset each day.
Experienced polar bear guide. We work with the most experienced bear guides in the industry. They are experts in bear behavior and armed for your safety.
Exclusive group use of a tundra-ready 4WD passenger van that comfortably seats 6 photographers / bear watchers and one driver guide.
Exclusive access to restricted areas of the tundra where polar bears are especially abundant.
NOT INCLUDED
Flights
Lunches and dinners
Drinks
Warm and cozy White Whale Lodge is perfectly positioned, close to Polar Bear Alley in the heart of the Canadian tundra. Read more about White Whale Lodge
The polar bear capital of the world
During the fall months, polar bears congregate along the southern shoreline of Hudson Bay waiting for the sea ice to freeze. At that point they leave land for the winter season to hunt on the ice.
The ideal time to see polar bears around Churchill is during October and November. In particular, early November (when we schedule our trips) is widely considered to be the perfect time to look for bears.
Northern Lights
Although bear season is often overcast, the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) are often visible on clear nights and the nights are long in November so there is plenty of time to look for them. You will be staying at the brand new White Whale Lodge which is out on the tundra, away from any light pollution, so the aurora opportunities will be especially rewarding.
Arctic foxes
You also have an excellent chance of seeing arctic foxes, silver foxes, and red foxes hunting on the tundra. It is not uncommon to see numerous foxes everyday; sporting their beautiful, snow white, winter pelage. Arctic foxes are another species that is best photographed from ground level.
Ready to sign up or have a question about this trip?
Contact Big Fish about this Expedition
Delivering world-class wildlife encounters since 2010
Big Fish Expeditions Founder Andy Murch has spent the last three decades chasing big animals all over the world. Few people have Andy’s knowledge and organizational skills necessary to put together a professional expedition. Have a look through some of the comments from our guests: testimonials.
Guest Feedback
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TIME WITH BIG FISH EXPEDITIONS
Andy is one of the best in the business. I would highly, highly recommend anyone interested in an animal focused trip to go with big fish expeditions.
The quality of experience and knowledge of the trip leader really sets them apart. Expect to get your fill of animals no matter what the trip is. Andy is also great at finding other animals to incorporate within the trips.
If you’re looking for a shark trip or big animal experience, this is your place. Period.
Enjoy!
Jesse B.
Ontario, Canada
ANOTHER GREAT ADVENTURE WITH BIG FISH EXPEDITIONS
Just returned from my second trip with BFE and it went off perfectly. The true adventure of these trips always present challenging logistics but they pulled it off flawlessly. I would highly recommend BFE to anyone looking to get “off the grid” and experience a wildlife trip of a lifetime. I am looking forward to my next adventure with them. Thanks again!!
Scott O.
Detroit, Michigan
GO. YOU WILL NEVER REGRET IT!
I have been on 3 Big Fish Expeditions trips by now and have more trips to look forward to in the near future. First of all I share a big passion for sharks, whale and other big marine life and Big Fish Expedition is all about that. As an amateur photographer is great to be among equals and even better to get new tips and ideas from professionals.
Andy is very helpful showing new tricks and talk about UW photography in between dives. Sure the destinations offers world class diving but it’s also about the people and the relation to people and Andy surely gives everyone the feeling of being very welcome and try to give everyone a lifetime experience.
Another good thing is that Andy is maybe the only pro shooters who offers trips to very reasonable prices. I won’t go into details about all the good dives I’ve done with Big Fish but instead say GO, you will never regret it!
Br, Rasmus Raahauge
Denmark
BIG FISH EXPEDITIONS
I have been on a couple of Big Fish Photography Expeditions trips now. They are always well organized, and exceed my expectations! Andy puts together unique and action-packed trips. I’m looking forward to my next dive experience with him.
Trisha S.
Vancouver, BC
AMAZING TRIPS
Amazing trips, just finish my 7th with Big Fish Expeditions, many more to come!
Sene M.
Canada
ABOUT BIG FISH EXPEDITIONS
5 stars!
I’ve been on three trips with Big Fish Expeditions. Each one was well organized and jam packed with unique wildlife encounters. I am booked for another trip next year and for many more to come. Highly recommended!!