Fire and Ice Feature #1:
Churchill is more than just bears! Spring in Churchill is not prime polar bear season however it is the best time to see the aurora borealis. Area residents have been marveling over the aurora for centuries, however, they weren’t watching them from the comfort of a modern home or lodge; they were watching them from the comfort of an igloo. Out of respect for both the native people and natural architecture of this land, igloo building was made a central tenet of this exciting and authentic Arctic adventure

Fire and Ice Feature #2:
The Hudson Bay Quest is a 250-mile dog sled race that takes place in the barren tundra between Arviat, Nunavut and Churchill, MB each year. To see traditional Inuit racers mix with modern settler descendants takes one back a few centuries when such activities weren’t just recreational but necessary for survival in this harsh environment. Our lodge at Seal River is an optional rest stop for the mushers and thus you will have the opportunity to photograph and meet the mushers as they come by. It is a most unique experience and a perfect excuse to take a break from the laboring that is igloo building

Fire and Ice Feature #3:
Embrace the opportunity to explore and travel like the native peoples and explorers of yesterday.  This adventure is essentially a trip back in time while maintaining the comfort of a luxurious Arctic lodge as home base.  Take to the immense Knife River Delta in your backyard on snowshoe and then head into the tree-line which is home to moose, wolves, fox, wolverine, Arctic hare and ptarmigan (a furry-footed member of the grouse species). 

Fire and Ice Feature #4:
Snow and Ice are very underestimated photographic subjects!  Watch as before your very eyes, the ice seems to absorb the colors of sunset.  Photograph Mother Nature's ice sculptures as they stretch up into the cloudless blue sky above.  For centuries, this environment has looked much like it does today and thus every picture you take will have a piece of Arctic history and culture in it.  To borrow from one of the fathers of photography, Ansel Adams:

"Both the grand and the intimate aspects of nature can be revealed in the expressive photograph.  Both can stir enduring affirmations and discoveries, and can surely help the spectator in his search for identification with the vast world of natural beauty and the wonder surrounding him."

There are no distractions from the natural beauty and wonder of the sub-Arctic on the Fire and Ice adventure.  It is just you and centuries of history, culture and an age-old, unchanged ecosystem.  It is a rare opportunity and will certainly lend a great deal of wonderful memories to your bank and photos for your portfolio!

Date: March 20 - 24, 2009.
Duration: 5 days and 4 nights

Inclusions:  

• Return airfare between Winnipeg and Churchill; 
• 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches& 4 dinners
• Return aerial transfers from Churchill to the lodge and all necessary ground transfers
• Applicable taxes.

Price: $5595 CAD*

* A $1500 CAD single supplement will apply for single travelers who are not willing to share their room with another same-sex single traveler (or if none are available). 

FIRE & ICE TOUR
March 20-24, 2009
FIVE DAY, FOUR NIGHT ALL INCLUSIVE FROM CHURCHILL

Embark on a journey of exploration and adventure near Churchill, Manitoba, polar bear capital of the world and one of the original New World arrival points of the Old World Explorers.

FEATURES: Igloo building, aurora borealis viewing, potential polar bear sightings, seal watch, winter ecology, and the chance to see a live traditional dog sled race move right past your lodge!

Day 1
.Arrive in Canada’s Arctic seaport and polar bear capital of the world. Our expert staff will meet you at the airport or train station and transport you to your hotel for the evening. After you drop your bags, we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a thorough Arctic orientation as well as an introduction to the program and a gear and clothing check.

You’ll have the afternoon and evening free for browsing. We encourage you to take in the world-famous Eskimo Museum, the Parks Canada exhibit at the train station, and “the complex,” a building that has it all (library, schools, movie theatre, hockey and curling rinks, et cetera) which is absolutely necessary in a seaport with the range of temperatures that Churchill experiences annually. Further, there is a thorough list of restaurants in your Adventure Album on page 26.

Day 2
Rise and shine, a winter wonderland awaits you! This morning, after watching the start of The Last Great Dog Race on Earth, the Hudson Bay Quest, we will depart for our wilderness lodge by snowmobile via the Fort Prince of Wales, a citadel built in 1717 in order to expand the Hudson Bay Company’s presence in the north. We will continue to travel the paths of ancient explorers across the mighty Churchill River to your first stop, a 300-year old stone fort built by early fur traders. Imagine the dog teams of yesteryear arriving from distant outposts with their cargoes of gold (read: beaver pelts)! Continue on the sea ice, keeping a sharp eye out for Nanuk, the Great Ice Bear! There will be plenty of time en route for exploration and photography.

Arrive at the Lodge in the early afternoon to the welcome of a crackling fire and a hot cup of tea. This afternoon you are free to take in a variety of winter activities, such as a snowshoe along the coastline, a snow polar bear building competition, or grab a book (or a nap!) in front of the fire. Your evening will include a scrumptious dinner and tales of Arctic life under the northern lights.

Day 3
Today we will travel via snowmobile and snowshoe in order to explore the Hudson Bay coast’s many treasures, not the least of which are its many caribou, wolves, foxes, wolverines, hares and ptarmigan. The coast come springtime is like one giant ice-sculpture so be prepared to take a lot of photos. You will have a traditional “trappers” lunch with tea & fresh bannock baked over the fire whilst you take in the expansiveness of the icy shoreline

We will return to the lodge in the late afternoon, just as the sun begins to set. With nothing to get in the way, colors like you’ve rarely seen will move across the sky to create world-class sunsets. On evening 3, you will receive your instruction on building your “ice cottage” by the frozen sea, so that you are equipped to construct your own igloo on Day 4. After enjoying the grand and authentically northern dishes that will be served to you at dinner, settle in by the pops and squeals of the fire for some storytelling and hopefully another brilliant display of northern lights.

Day 4
Stretch well this morning because today will be a day of snowy labour! Your snow condo awaits and after yesterday’s lesson, you are prepared to get started. If you want to spend the night in it, you had better get building! Our expert guides are there to help you through this surprisingly challenging process so not to worry. While you’re building, keep your ears open for the calls of the mushers and the barks of the dogs who are competing in the 250 km Hudson Bay Quest dog sled race from Churchill to Arviat, Nunavut. They are scheduled to come right past the lodge and will likely stop to rest their dogs after the day’s journey from Churchill. Then, weather permitting, we’ll have a pack lunch at your building site and if igloos are complete, we will head out onto the floe edge in search of seals and the mighty bears that hunt them. We’ll be home in time for another lovely meal and to prepare you for a night in your igloo under the dancing northern lights (should you choose to do so, of course).

Day 5
After another hearty lodge breakfast, take one last picture of your snow condo and pack up.  After a final snowshoe hike to the coast, we’re heading back to Churchill.

Upon your return to Churchill, you’ll have the afternoon free for another look around town.  After an early dinner, your flight will depart for Winnipeg.

Notes:

• Arctic expedition style clothing is available for a small fee – please reserve with us in advance.
• We do have radio-telephone connection to Churchill from the Lodge.
• Bathrooms are shared and there is no running water or flush toilets as the pipes are still surrounded in permafrost.  Water for washing will be melted from ice and toilets are of the old-fashioned pre-running water type (but are indoors!).  Water for drinking will be brought in from town.   
• Electricity is available for a portion of each day (morning and evening). 

Inclusions: All accommodations required within the package dates are included in the cited price.  Meal inclusions are as follows:

Day	1	2	3	4	5
Included Meals	L, D	B, L, D	B, L, D	B, L, D	B

Legend:
B = Breakfast
L = Lunch
D = Dinner

"Fire and Ice was an experience of a lifetime. It was an extreme adventure with all things arctic along with gourmet food and great characters."
Frank Staines. Columbia, Maryland

Seal River Heritage Lodge is lodge-base for both our Birds, Bears, and Belugas and Fire and Ice adventures. Strategically built on the shores of the Hudson Bay, near the Seal River estuary, it is home to some of the best whale watching in the world. The Seal River estuary, a short 8km boat ride from the lodge, is summer home to thousands of beluga whales. Because of its distance from Churchill (a 50K and 35 minute flight), guests at Seal River Heritage Lodge can also see the bay’s infamous polar bears and a host of other wildlife on the Birds, Bears, and Belugas summer excursion, making it one-of-a-kind.

Because of Seal's popularity in the summer, it was decided that it would also be home for the exciting Fire and Ice adventure. The geography is prime for the igloo building, dog sledding, and ice photography this trip features.

Access: By Air only, Float plane, wheel plane or helicopter.
Location: 65 kilometers north of Churchill, Manitoba on the Hudson Bay coast near the mouth of Seal River.

Features:

• A viewing tower to take in the expansive tundra landscape and its wild inhabitants
• Cozy common area with fireplace for evening wind down
• 5 double (one bunk bed) and 1 quad (two bunk beds) rooms with three shared bathrooms
• Screened in porch for bugless-enjoyment of the outdoors
• Full service gourmet meals
• electricity 8 hours per day
• Natural gas and wood heat
• Library with maps
• Gift Shop
• Radio/Telephone

Fire & Ice Adventure (Spring/Winter):

Warm down-type Parka and insulated wind pants. Insulated hat, mitts and light gloves. Heavy duty footwear. (All outer clothing can be rented locally, approximately $250 for a complete outfit per trip.) Layers underneath work best starting with polypro underwear (or similar), sweaters, fleece pants etc. Avoid use of cotton when possible.