Thursday, March 5, 2015

Churchill Manitoba Polar Bear Tours Are An Excellent Option For Nature Lovers

By Leslie Ball


If you love nature, you probably prefer seeing animals in their natural habitat, living the way they are supposed to. You're likely also aware of the challenges many species face and that some of these animals may not be around for much longer. This is why Churchill Manitoba polar bear tours are such a great option for nature lovers. You get to see these magnificent creatures before global warming completely destroys their hunting grounds.

Churchill is a small town in Canada. It is located along Hudson Bay, near the border between the provinces of Manitoba and Nunavut. Winters here are cold and harsh and the community used to make a living from the fur trade. These days, however, it's a prime ecotourism destination.

For most visitors, the main reason to come to Churchill is to see polar bears. In the fall, these bears converge on the peninsula on which the town is located. They wait here for Hudson Bay's waters to freeze over, which will create their favorite hunting ground. Tour agents offer bear-sighting trips in special vehicles for traversing the ice during this time.

The best time to go see the beautiful white bears is in October or in early November. This is when most of the animals come to the peninsula to wait for the bay to freeze over. Later in winter they go onto the ice to hunt and you'll have to travel further to see them. However, you can even spot some bears in the warmer months, even though this is best done by boat or helicopter. Choose your helicopter pilot carefully because you don't want the animals to be stressed.

A very important thing to remember is that polar bears are not cuddly animals. They're carnivores and are extremely dangerous. Don't venture out on your own and always follow the locals' advice on the areas that are unsafe. During your tour, stay in the vehicle at all times and don't feed the animals.

Apart from the magnificent bears, the town also has other attractions to offer anybody with a love of nature. Its northerly location means that it's a good place to come and see the Northern Lights, which are more visible in winter. In summer, visitors are drawn to the beluga whales that come to the area to calf. It's a bird-watching paradise too, with more than a hundred species coming here to nest.

Churchill is quite remote and there is no road into town. There is a port but traveling in by ship not really a viable option because of ice for a large part of the year. However, you can travel to the town by train from either Winnipeg or Thompson. There are daily flights from both these cities too.

Churchill's tour operators offer a variety of themed outings. In many cases you can go online and book in advance, which is essential if you're planning on visiting during the high season. Before you book, compare the different operators and read reviews about them. This way you can choose one that is not only environmentally responsible but will also make your safety a priority.




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