Summer in Manitoba

 

Winnipeg	Hilton Suites Hotel	2 nights
Riding Mountain	Wasagaming Lodge	2 nights
Churchill	Aurora Inn	3 nights
Winnipeg	Hilton Suites Hotel	1 night

10 days from £2985

excluding international flights

Tourists come in their thousands to view the Polar Bear Migration on Hudson Bay in October and November, but Manitoba also has much to offer in the summer months - including polar bears!  Discover Manitoba's natural beauty, rich wildlife and cultural heritage on this special August departure. 

Wildlife you should expect to encounter includes deer, moose, elk, caribou, arctic and red fox, coyote, beaver, snowshoe and arctic hare, ringed and bearded seals, beluga whale, black bear, a huge variety of birdlife, and the mighty polar bear (if you want to see this magnicent creature when the temperature is not below zero then this is the tour for you!).

The prime destinations include Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Riding Mountain National Park, and Churchill on the Hudson Bay coast. Although the tour focus is on the natural history and wildlife of Manitoba, it also features the cultural heritage and pioneer spirit of the province, and includes visits to a Hutterite Colony, a mini-Ukrainian festival in Dauphin, and other cultural highlights.

DAY 1 – Arrival in Winnipeg.

The Hilton Suites Hotel provides a complimentary shuttle service to the hotel; a direct line telephone is located at the baggage carousel. In the evening there will be a welcome dinner and orientation meeting. Recommended flight: Air Canada from London Heathrow (see below).
Meals included: Dinner.

DAY 2 –Winnipeg.

Located at the longitudinal centre of Canada, the city of Winnipeg was created as a British colony some 200 years ago by Lord Selkirk and a group of Scottish and Irish immigrants.  The arrival of the railroad in 1886 solidified the city's commercial importance and it became famous as the headquarters of the Hudson Bay Company.  Spend the day exploring Winnipeg's attractions, including a visit to the award-winning Manitoba Museum.
Meals included: Full breakfast, dinner.

DAY 3 - Spruce Woods Provincial Park.  Riding Mountain National Park.

Morning tour of a Hutterite colony near to Winnipeg. The Hutterites, like the Amish and the Mennonites, trace their roots back to the Austrian Tyrol in the 16th century; their beliefs are centred around absolute pacifism, and today they live in isolated self-sufficient communities throughout North America.  In the afternoon enjoy a tour of Spruce Woods Provincial Park by horse-drawn wagon; this surprising desert-like region, with shifting sand dunes formed 12,000 years ago, is unlike anywhere else in Manitoba.  Continue to the town of Wasagaming in Riding Mountain National Park.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 4 - Riding Mountain National Park. Dauphin.

The morning is spent in Riding Mountain National Park, where you may see elk, moose, beaver and bear.  At Lake Audy, where you will enjoy a picnic lunch, you will see a bison herd which thrives on the high vegetation in a primal natural meadow.  In the afternoon drive to the small city of Dauphin, home to a large Ukrainian community, descendants of 19th century settlers; visit a Kiev-style church and enjoy a Ukrainian feast.  Return to Wasagaming for overnight.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 5 - Flight to Churchill.

Return to Winnipeg and take the afternoon flight to Churchill (duration: 3 hours).  Transfer to your hotel, taking a brief look at the town’s highlights en route. Churchill is situated on the southwest shores of the vast Hudson Bay, an isolated settlement hundreds of miles from other centres of population. It was here that the first trading outpost of the Hudson Bay Company was established in 1717 and the town remains Canada’s only Arctic seaport. In the evening enjoy a delicious Arctic Char dinner.
Meals included: Full breakfast, dinner.

DAY 6 – Cape Merry, Eskimo Museum, whale-watching.

In the morning drive to Cape Merry, an excellent location for observing arctic wildlife.  After lunch you will visit the small Eskimo Museum, which will give you an insight into the harsh life of the settlers in this remote region, before taking a cruise on the Churchill River to see beluga whales (left), waterfowl and migrating birds.  You will also visit the 18th century Fort Prince of Wales. In the evening you will be taken on an excursion to hopefully view the amazing phenomenon of the ‘Aurora Borealis’ or Northern Lights.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 7 - In search of polar bears.  Helicopter ride.

Travel by specially-designed 'Tundra-buggy' for a look at the mammals and birdlife of the tundra, including the polar bear.  The bears come to shore near Churchill as the ice melts and your journey takes you across the tundra wilderness in search of these magnificent and very unique predators.  Weather-permitting, you will divide into small groups to take a thrilling helicopter ride for an aerial view of polar bears and caribou.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 8 - Bird Cove.  Fly back to Winnipeg.

An early morning visit to Bird Cove, famous for Eider Ducks, before your late morning flight back to Winnipeg.  In the evening a farewell dinner has been arranged.
Meals included: Full breakfast, dinner.

DAY 9 – Depart for home.

Transfer to the airport for your international flight home.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 10 - Arrive home.

Arrive London Heathrow in the morning.

International Flights.

There are no direct flights to Winnipeg from London. We recommend the services of Air Canada from London Heathrow via Toronto to Winnipeg. Current timings (subject to possible change) are as follows:
Heathrow/Toronto. Depart at 08.30; arrive Toronto at 11.25
Toronto/Winnipeg.  Depart at 13.40; arrive Winnipeg at 15.08
Winnipeg/Toronto.  Depart at 13.25; arrive Toronto at 16.42
Toronto/Heathrow. Depart at 18.15; arrive Heathrow at 06.25(next day)

Polar Bear Tours: Summer in Manitoba (Tour Reference: WDCA015)
2013 Departure
Price per person based on a minimum of two persons travelling together:

Departures	Price
Sun 11 Aug	£2985

Single Room Supplement: £600.

The price includes:

• Scheduled domestic flights on Calm Air between Winnipeg and Churchill (and v.v.) including airport taxes.
• Hotel accommodation as listed above in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities.
• 8 full breakfasts, 4 lunches and 8 dinners as shown in the itinerary.
• Private transportation throughout.
  
• All sightseeing as shown, including entrance fees.
• Baggage handling.
• The services of a Naturalist tour leader/guide for the included sightseeing and activities.
• Tipping (except for the Tour Leader and drivers).

Not included in the price:

• International flights (see our recommendation above). We are happy to discuss the flights with you and give you further guidance.
• International airport taxes.

A deposit of £600 per person is required at the time of booking. The balance of the price for your Polar Bear tour must be paid at least 4 months before your departure date.