Manitoba: Polar Bear Adventure

Tour begins: 2:00 PM, Inn at the Forks. Transfers are included from Winnipeg International Airport to your hotel in downtown Winnipeg. Discover why Manitoba's capital city is often called the "Gateway to the West" during an afternoon sightseeing tour that includes a visit to the Manitoba Museum, housing artifacts donated by the famous Hudson's Bay Company, one of the oldest commercial enterprises in the world and deeply intertwined with the history of Manitoba. The highlight of the museum is the historic ship the Nonsuch, a replica of the 17th-century vessel responsible for the founding of the Hudson's Bay Company in 1670. Join us this evening for a Tauck Exclusive – a private, after-hours cocktail reception and dinner at the Winnipeg Art Gallery, housing over 24,000 works from Canadian, indigenous Canadians, and international artists. You'll get an introduction to cultural traditions of the First Nations at a dance performance this evening.

Everyone's up early today for a private charter flight to Churchill, "Polar Bear Capital of the World," accessible only by boat, plane or train – population approximately 950+! A guided tour upon arrival includes the village of Churchill – isolated in its remote location in northern Canada but thriving with Arctic wildlife, from waterfowl, beluga whales, seals and polar bears to vestiges of its position as a grain exporting town. It is along the shores of Hudson Bay, situated at the mouth of the Churchill River, at the juncture of two eco-regions – the boreal forest to the south and the Arctic tundra to the north. Your accommodations for the next three nights are at the Lazy Bear Lodge, the largest log building in Manitoba. It is built in a style reminiscent of the fur trading era, handcrafted from fire-killed logs. Dinner tonight is in the lodge.

Climb aboard a specially designed tundra vehicle for a full-day excursion into the heart of bear country in search of the magnificent "Polar Bears of Churchill." Each autumn, small groups of polar bears migrate from frigid inland locations to Churchill, the staging area for their winter food-hunting season; today you'll see them in their natural habitat. From the safety of your vehicle, you'll have unrestricted views of the bears as they go about their daily business, so keep your camera at the ready. Your expert naturalist guide shares insights about the conservation efforts under way to protect these beautiful animals from environmental and other issues that threaten their survival. You'll never forget what you see and what you learn today; it is definitely a Manitoba highlight!

First up – visit the Eskimo Museum to view one of Canada's oldest, and most comprehensive, collection of Inuit artifacts and sculpture. Indigenous peoples have lived out here for centuries, and the museum displays one of Canada's finest collections of Inuit art and artifacts, revealing insights about their hearty lifestyle. Head out for another half-day on the subarctic plains as our naturalist points out the local wildlife. White snowy owls with a four- to five-foot wing span perch on high, falcons cruise over bushes, white arctic foxes trot across the flats, all looking for unsuspecting prey like lemmings, who happen to be the lowest creature on the food chain out here. Warm up by a roaring fire back at your lodge tonight.

Your Manitoba adventure continues with a closer look at the sport of dog sledding, a popular local diversion out here in the Arctic wilderness. See a demonstration by dog trainers, then climb aboard a sled yourself for a ride with your canine drivers – another amazing day on the tundra. A private charter flight brings you back to Winnipeg this afternoon for a final overnight stay and farewell reception and dinner at the Inn at the Forks.

Tour ends: Winnipeg. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from the Inn at the Forks to Winnipeg Airport. Please allow 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport.