Photo Safari Feature #1:
Wildly rugged and remote - this tundra coastal lodge provides the discerning photographer the ability to dedicate long days in the field getting up close and personal with Arctic Wildlife.  Your journey of exploration and adventure will take place at our fly-in only Seal River Heritage Lodge located in the heart of polar bear country.

Photo Safari Feature #2:
This adventure offers ground level photo opportunities for Arctic wildlife, including polar bears, in a pristine untrammelled wilderness setting. Polar bears, caribou, and Arctic fox can be photographed in a backdrop of stunning sea and landscapes. Our Lodge's shoreline location is ideal for photographing bears on ice and snow.

Photo Safari Feature #3:
Where we are located on the shoreline of the Hudson Bay we have experienced an exceptional number of clear nights for northern light photography and we have the highest number of sunshine days on the coast.  We also have the best morning and evening light opportunities.  You can also look forward to the finest food and wine in the Arctic!  Mealtimes will be adjusted or delayed as required to ensure maximum photo opportunities

Photo Safari Feature #4:
Our polar bear Photo Safari can offer custom adventures for singles to small groups.  We can tailor your trip to your groups needs.  We can also arrange professionally led instructional photo safaris upon request.

Seal River Heritage Lodge

2010 Dates: October 21 - 27, October 25 - 31, October 29 - November 4, November 2 - 8, November 9 - 15, November 13 - 19
Duration: 7 days and 6 nights

Inclusions: 

• Return airfare from Winnipeg to Churchill
• Return aerial transfers from Churchill to the lodge and all necessary ground transfers
• Four nights at the Lodge, and two nights in Winnipeg
• 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, & 6 dinners
• All activities while at the Lodge

Price: $7895 CAD* per person plus applicable taxes (6% for non-residents and 8.5% for Canadians), for children 5 to 12 we offer a child rate of $7105

* 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).

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POLAR BEAR PHOTO SAFARI
7 DAYS, 6 NIGHTS
Seal River Heritage Lodge

Your journey of exploration and adventure will take place at our Seal River Heritage Lodge. Our lodges are the first and only fly-in Eco-Lodges on the Hudson Bay coast north of Churchill in the heart of polar bear country.

Day 1 - ARRIVE IN WINNIPEG FOR YOUR OVERNIGHT STAY
Arrive in Winnipeg where you will enjoy a relaxing stay at our choice hotel. You’ll need your rest for your early morning departure to Churchill.  Dinner will be held at the Four Points Sheraton at 6:00pm where you will meet your group and your adventure specialist.

Day 2 - AN ARCTIC ARRIVAL AND AERIAL TOUR
Arrive in Churchill by air where one of our expert staff will meet you at the airport and will provide you with an orientation to the tour including a clothing check (in order to crosscheck your "What to Bring" list as provided to you in email and in your Adventure Album). You will then be transferred by fixed wing aircraft or helicopter to our Seal River Heritage Lodge. This exciting flight takes you out over the historic Churchill River, and then northwest up the rugged Hudson Bay coast to Canada’s most exclusive Polar Bear viewing properties.  Keep a sharp eye out en route for caribou, moose, seals, wolves and of course the Great Ice Bears.

Upon your arrival, your hosts will provide a tour of the Lodge and get you settled into your room. A thorough orientation on travelling in polar bear country will be provided prior to any outings. Then it's time to assemble all those priceless cameras, hard drives, and tripods and start burning some serious gigabytes!

Day 3 - 5 - TUNDRA TREKKING, POLAR BEARS, AND PRICELESS PHOTOGRAPHY!
Our Seal River Heritage Lodge is a wildly rugged and remote location catering to the dedicated wildlife photographer willing to spend long hours in the field getting up close and personal with the arctic wildlife. Ground level photo opportunities are offered for arctic wildlife including polar bears in a pristine wilderness setting. We ARE in the heart of polar bear country! Your photos will have stunning backdrops with the sea and or landscapes surrounding the Lodge.  Its shoreline location is ideal for photographing bears on snow and ice.  Furthermore we have an exceptional number of clear nights for northern lights photography.

As we mentioned in the features our gourmet meal service times will be adjusted to accommodate photo opportunities which are the priority so expect many a meal to be interrupted.  Generally breakfast is served at 8:00 am, lunch as required; with appetizers at 6:00 pm followed by a veritable feast for the palate at 7:00 pm. Evenings are spent near the fireplace downloading images, sharing the day's adventures, or taking in an informative lecture or slide show. Bedtime is at your leisure. The entire Lodge area is patrolled for polar bears all night by one of our night watchmen so be prepared to have your sleep cut short by a nocturnal visit by one of the Great Ice Bears (or by one of our dazzling displays of northern lights!).

Day 6 - SAY GOODBYE TO THE LODGE!
After another hearty breakfast it is time to pack for the flight back to Churchill, say good-byes and snap a few more pictures! After another exciting aerial tour, you’ll arrive in Churchill where your bags will be stored for you until your flight back to Winnipeg later in the day. You are then free to explore and wine & dine in this frontier community at your leisure. We recommend local places such as Cape Merry, the Port of Churchill, the Eskimo Museum, the Polar Bear Holding Compound (otherwise known as the Polar Bear Jail), as well as the Parks Canada exhibit which are all of great interest.  Dog sledding and helicopter charters fit nicely into this afternoon if you’re so inclined. If you are interested in a dog sledding tour please book through us so we can ensure you arrive in Churchill in time for your tour departure.  We work with Blue Sky Mushing and you can visit their website at www.blueskymush.com.   For aerial tours you can contact Hudson Bay Helicopters at info@hudsonbayheli.com or by phone at 204-675-2576. You will have a choice of Churchill restaurants for an early dinner and will be provided with a $30.00 dinner voucher.  Participating restaurants will be listed on the voucher.  After dinner you will meet up with our expeditor and you will be transferred to the airport in preparation for your flight back to Winnipeg. Upon your arrival into Winnipeg you will check back into the Four Points Sheraton for the night.

Day 7 - TIME FOR REALITY...
After a restful sleep you will pack your bags in preparation for your flight home. You will also enjoy a breakfast at your hotel before your trip back to reality. If you’ve not had enough bear action for one lifetime, ask us about our Birds, Bears & Belugas adventure which takes place in July and August annually where instead of this...

 

Your photographs might look more like this...

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

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Included Meals	D	B, L, D	B, L, D	B, L,D	B, L, D	B, D	B

Legend:
B = Breakfast   L = Lunch   D = Dinner

"Bears, bears and still more bears!!!  Never expected to see so many, let alone to actually walk among them – a truly amazing experience.  Everything else (and there was plenty) was just icing on the cake."
Jolyne D’Ambrosio, Boston

"We had a superb time on the trip, everybody I dealt with either via email or during the trip was brilliant and very professional.  It was the most amazing trip we have ever taken!  And given have a chance, we’ll be back again in the future!"
Mark Capilitan, Ireland

Seal River Heritage Lodge is Lodge-base for our Polar Bear - Photo Safari, Birds, Bears, & Belugas and our Fire & Ice adventures. Strategically built on the shores of the Hudson Bay this location offers guests the ability to photograph polar bears on the ice and in the snow. Because of its distance from Churchill (a 60 KM and 30 minute flight), guests at Seal River Heritage Lodge will enjoy a wonderful aerial tour on the way to the Lodge.

Our Lodge offers Great Ice Bear guests exceptional ground level photography with Arctic wildlife including polar bears, unlimited photography time, viewing towers to get a bird's eye view of the amazing sunset and sunrises, and the finest food and wine.

Access: By Air only, Float plane, wheel plane or helicopter.
Location: 60 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
• 8 double, triple or quad rooms each with their own private bathroom
• Full service gourmet meals
• electricity 24 hours a day, every day
• Natural gas and wood heat
• Library with maps
• Gift Shop
• Radio/Telephone

Polar Bear Photo Safari (Fall/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.