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Churchill Northern Lights Tours, Aurora Viewing Manitoba, Hudson Bay Polar Bears, Tundra Buggy Trips,Canada Polar Bears Photo Tour,
North Canada Arctic Ocean, Manitoba Aurora Viewing Tours, Manitoba Northern Lights Tours, Churchill Polar Bear - Guided Adventures
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5 Days Fire & Ice – All inclusive Program
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WLV #03 Churchill / Hudson Bay
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The exclusive fly-in lodge makes its home on a small rocky peninsula, 65 km north of Churchill on the Hudson Bay coast. In the heart of this great wilderness enjoy sitting out on the deck and watching the Arctic sunset. As you walk quietly through remnants of ancient Dene and Inuit hunting camps you will gain an appreciation for the tenacity of these people who traversed this land without the convenience of modern transportation and communication systems. Accommodations are luxurious by arctic standards. Eight well-appointed bedrooms compliment beautifully decorated viewing lounges. The lodge is equipped with full bathrooms, hot and cold running water and generated electricity. Exclusive accommodation for only 10 guests, remote wilderness setting, gourmet cuisine and family-run service combined with the adventure, make a truly unforgettable experience. Tour Overview: Springtime is absolutely one of the most beautiful times to visit the Churchill area. Ice sculptures reach up into the sky, ancient glaciers are home to seals and seabirds of multiple varieties, and the snow is just perfect for building igloos! Our Fire and Ice adventure in March/April of each year allows guests to do just that. Igloos are of the most ancient forms of accommodation still in use today and are associated with one of the richest cultures in the world- the Inuit. Guests will undoubtedly fall in love with the environment they will inhabit, the people they will meet, and the enlightenment that results.
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Itinerary
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01
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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. Your day will begin with a thorough arctic orientation, an introduction to the program, as well as a gear and clothing check. After a nice lunch at one of Churchill’s restaurants, we’ll likely ride over to the Fort Prince of Wales, a citadel built in 1717 in order to expand the Hudson Bay Company’s presence in the north, so that you can get a sense of what the temperature will be like during the longer journey that awaits you come morning. Upon your return to Churchill, you’ll have the afternoon 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. Come suppertime, you are invited to dine with your fellow travelers in the home of our lodges’ culinary celebrity, Helen Webber. She will prepare you an authentic northern meal from recipes from her best-selling cookbooks. Not only is Helen an extraordinary chef, she was also born and raised in Churchill and has many wonderful stories- so ask her lots of questions! Note: The Hudson Bay Quest is a 250-mile dog sled race that takes place in the barren tundra between Arviat, Nunavut and Churchill / Manitoba 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 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!
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02
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After your breakfast at one of Churchill’s restaurants, we’ll load up your gear and depart for the Lodge by snowmobile and komatik (traditional Inuit sleigh). Travel the footsteps of ancient explorers across the mighty Churchill River to your first stop, a 300-year old stone fort built by early fur traders. If you listen carefully you can still hear the dog teams of old arriving from far flung 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 Seal River Heritage Lodge in the 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
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03
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Rise and shine, a winter wonderland awaits you! Today via snowmobile and snowshoe we will explore the immense Hudson Bay coast, seeking out its many caribou, wolves, foxes, wolverines, hares and ptarmigan. The Hudson Bay 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 while observing the icy shoreline. It is then back to the lodge in late afternoon to receive your first instruction on building your "cottage" by the frozen sea, so that you can construct your own igloo tomorrow. After another grand feast, settle in for story-sharing and another display of Northern Lights.
Note: 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. 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!
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04
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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 mile 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).
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05
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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 but your adventure is far from over. Enjoy your last day in the Churchill-area on a dynamic bus/van tour, which will provide you a general understanding of the layout of town as well as discussion about the history, culture, wildlife, and four distinct ecosystems this area is famous for
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Month
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Departure Dates
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April
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On Request
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Tour
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Rates
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5 Days / 4 Nights Fire & Ice
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$3350.00
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Services Included
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• 4 Nights Lodge Accommodation
• Transfers in Churchill
• Return Air Charter to the Lodge
• Tours and Guide Service at the lodge
• Tundra Buggy Tour
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