We just returned from a mind-blowing experience with Churchill Wild and I have to share. 1. It is a unique experience that you won't find anywhere else: Churchill Wild is a family owned and operated arctic safari. Yes, there are other companies that offer seemingly similar tours in Churchill. Yes, Churchill Wild is more expensive than others, but it is very much worth it: Churchill Wild is the only company that offers polar bear encounters on foot. You will not be driven in a vehicle. You will be following extremely experienced guides and looking for bears on foot. Your interaction with them will be that much more intimate. You will be staying at a remote lodge that is only accessible via private planes from Churchill. You will be completely surrounded by wilderness outside of the compound. Talk about being one with nature. It doesn't get any better than this. Note, our tour was based out of the Dymond Lake Lodge. Churchill Wild operates another two lodges. 2. It is a tightly run ship: from the moment we reached out to Churchill Wild to inquire about the tour, to the welcome dinner in Winnipeg, to the transfer to Churchill, to everyday at the Dymond Lake, every single detail has been thought through and worked out perfectly. Due to weather, we had to stay an extra day at the lodge, normally I'd be panicking about changing COVID testing, flights home etc. Churchill Wild was so well connected with local pilots, well organized, and calm in their communication that I trusted them 100% and in the end, everything worked out without me having to do a thing. 3. Best guides anyone can ask for: Terry has been working with Churchill Wild for 14 years and has been guiding for over 30. There isn't anything he doesn't know about bears, wolves, plants, birds etc. Mike and Mark are super experienced in their own right: Mark specialized in canids and Mike specialized in geology and environment. They tracked and spotted bears during our daily walks, and put on incredibly educational presentations about the arctic and everything it has to offer in the evening. I walked away a much more educated person and have so much appreciation and a stronger desire to see more of the world from this trip. We also had an extremely talented wildlife photography guide with us, Robert. His work and knowledge about everything blew my expectations out of the water. On top of all that, they were hilarious! There was never a dull moment talking to the guides. I can't thank them enough for being so awesome! 4. The people are amazing: every single person we met was 5 star fabulous. Doreen and Courtney took care of all the logistics. Nolan, Bunny, Sue, Erin and all the staff at the lodge made sure our stay was as comfortable, fun and easy as possible with good food and good conversations. We miss them so much! 5. Good experience is best shared with friends: of course Churchill Wild can't guarantee what you will be able to see. The guides absolutely tried their best. We consider ourselves extremely lucky. Our tour was Nov 1-7, 2021. From the moment we landed at the lodge, we saw bears and we saw bears everyday. I lost count but believe we saw 6-7 different bears all together, including on the tundra buggy at Churchill. It's not just the quantity. We also saw amazing bear interactions: two male bears hanging out, a male bear chasing a female, two male bears getting in a fight etc. We were also showered with the incredible aurora borealis right after dinner one night. Watching the dancing lights moving across the entire sky and on top of Dymond Lake, the only thing I was able to say was "holy s&*^!" The icing on the cake of all of these unforgettable experiences was that we shared them with the new friends we met, not just the staff and guides but all the other guests. It was such a fun, considerate and charming group of well-traveled people. I came back home with a list of places I want to visit and people I can reach out to ask for tips and advice. 6. Prepare for the trip: if you rent the gears from Churchill Wild, you will not be cold, at all. I'm glad that's what I did. Not only I didn't have to buy coats that I'll never need living in California; I also didn't have to pack the heavy, bulky gear during the long trip to Churchill. I rented the full set and bought these myself: waterproof beanie, merino wool heavyweight (400g) base layer top and bottom, merino wool expedition balaclava, merino wool mountaineering socks. I bought hand warmers and gloves but I didn't use them because I was so hot in my gear. They keep the lodge so warm that I wish I packed more t-shirts. So if you want to be comfortable, pack layers: short sleeves, long sleeves, fleeces, etc. Please note, you'll need a tripod if you want to take good photos of the aurora borealis. I will conclude by saying: if you like adventures, if you want a one of a kind experience, if you want to hang out with a group of cool people for a few days, if you have the opportunity, do an arctic safari with Churchill Wild. You will walk away with memories, friends, and a full heart.…
What an amazing trip this was. Everything was perfect. Everyone involved in this visit made it a very special time. I do not think I will ever forget the sight of my first Polar Bear - and really enjoyed the walks looking for more. Terry, Mike and Mark - three very special men - made it interesting and safe. It was a huge amount of fun walking and talking with them. And hugely enjoyed the evening talks. The staff at Dymond Lodge went far above anyone's expectations - they were simply fantastic. In a world that is a little tired of this endless pandemic this was an escape from those worries - and although the expression 'trip of a lifetime' is a little over used this really was one. And when the Northern Lights lit up the sky - the world became a very magical place. Thank you to everyone involved.…
We spent time here thru Churchill Wild since that is the only way to stay at the lodge so it is also a review of Churchill Wild tours. The lodge was comfortable especially for such a remote location. Also stayed in Churchill and Winnipeg. The lodge experience was great especially the lodge staff, non-guides. The lodge staff was extremely attentive and truly made everyone individually feel special. The guides were good, Mike was outstanding and Boomer was knowledgeable and stepped up as needed. The experience in Churchill was awesome, especially riding in the Rover where bears came up to it, truly unique! The only disappointment was at the end of our trip. Upon returning to Winnipeg we were supposed to receive a voucher for dinner since our arrival was late but instead we had to have a "buffet", no options; and then we had to pay for our drinks, first time during the trip! Overall not a huge deal but unfortunately was the "last" experience to remember, especially at the prices charged by Churchill Wild. So 4 stars overall!…
An amazing 4 days at Dymond Lake Lodge which we will never forget. Our most magical moment was a polar bear walking across Dymond lake while we were standing on the dock. The whole team at Churchill Wild are fantastic and can’t do enough for you to ensure the perfect stay. The knowledgeable and fun guides Terry, Mike and Mark always had our safety as top priority whilst also respecting the polar bears. Their evening talks were informative as well as a great way to wind down after a days adventure. Staff at the lodge worked tirelessly for our every need and went out of their way to cater for my personal food allergies. We would recommend hiring the Arctic gear as it was top quality and ensured we remained warm and comfortable whilst out on the ice. Overall a phenomenal experience thanks to everyone at Churchill Wild.…
We had been looking at the brochures for Churchill Wild each time we flew into Canada to go fishing. We discussed it and this year we decided to go. Walking on the beaches and tundra to view the Polar Bears was wonderful; when we were tired of walking the bears came to see us. The food was excellent with the chef being creative for people with special dietary needs. We had lots of fresh fruit, then there was the appetizers before dinner and the great programs after dinner. We felt safe with our three guides, guards as we were out walking. We were stuck at the lodge for an extra 2 days so we missed the Tundra Buggy experience but we think being stuck was a good thing for us as it gave us more time to observe the bears. Our accommodations were very comfortable with a nice main lounging area that was always warm. We had the opportunity to mingle with people from all over the world who had the same goal in mind as us - walk with the Polar Bears. …
My vacations are always adventures. Visiting this lodge with a small group of special people, seeing the Northern Lights, hiking near and sharing in the life of the polar bears near the Arctic Circle so close and on their turf was a dream of mine! Every day knowledgeable and experienced guides took us out hiking to the Hudson Bay to point out polar bears,( male,female and cubs), ptarmigans,red fox and a snowy owl! The staff at the lodge made sure we had warm clean lodging with great food every meal,including beverages at happy hour! I recommend Dymond Lake Lodge and Churchill Wild without hesitation! It was an unforgettable experience! My favorite!
Wanted to see polar bears in the wild for a really long time and I finally traveled to the edge of the arctic to see the them with Churchill Wild. From the reservations to arrival to the stay, everything was arranged in a very friendly and professional way. Lots of info about what to bring and what to expect, detailed itinerary. They went out of their way to have us see the polar bears and more. We spotted a rare wolverine, lots of cute foxes and ptarmigans and it was great to do treck on the frozen ocean and lake. Beautiful surroundings! Dymond Lake Lodge is intimate and cozy. Great team that takes care of all your desires and wishes, excellent food and wine which goes well with the extreme cold! Thank you Nola, Doreen and of course also our great guides Terry & Steve for an unforgettable trip!!…
Thank you Churchill Wild! Feeling so privileged, fortunate and lucky! I have been following you over 15 years and finally ....put in that moment in time........eye level with a polar bear! So exhilarating and humbling to be ACTUALLY there and watch these majestic creatures thrive in such bleak , -25 surroundings !! Can not thank enough our amazing guides and staff for making our stay soooo pleasant and comfortable! #UARETHEBEST! #polarbears#grateful#unforgettable#awesome#wannagoback#before15years#nanukhereicome!!
We traveled to Dymond Lake, Manitoba with Churchill Wild. Every aspect of the trip exceeded our expectations. As travelers on over 35 adventure vacations we rate this trip as a top choice. Food, guides, scenery and wildlife encounters were incredible. The rental clothing kept us extremely warm in Arctic like conditions. We extended our stay in Winnipeg to visit the Human Rights Museum which is a must see. If you want to be out in the wonderful world inhabited by fox, wolverines, ptarmigan, raven and most importantly the polar bears then this is a must do trip.
Churchill Wild's Great Ice Bear Adventure at Dymond Lake Lodge is a trip of a lifetime. We were there Nov. 2-5, 2019. The accommodations were excellent, with outstanding food at every meal. The guides are knowledgeable, interesting and engaging - we hiked each morning and afternoon on Hudson Bay and Dymond Lake and saw bears all but one morning. The guides helped keep us safe as the bears came to check us out. As we respected and admired them, they satisfied their curiosity and moved on. Every detail was attended with warmth and a quiet classiness. (e.g. the poor visibility threatened to keep us from getting to the lodge from Churchill, so they hired helicopters to fly us in so we wouldn't miss a minute) I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this outfit - even though pricey, it's worth every dollar.…
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