About Our Destination
Climate
The climate in November ranges from 9-28°F (12-2°C) in Churchill. The wind chill factor can make it feel much colder.
Currency
Canada uses the Canadian Dollar. We suggest bringing about $100 Canadian per person to use for tipping hotel staff and bellman in Winnipeg, any additional tipping, and buying small items while in Churchill. All shops/restaurants in Winnipeg and Churchill accept major credit cards.
Languages
The national languages of Canada are French and English. English is the common language in Winnipeg and Churchill.
Health & Safety
Health & Safety
We highly recommend a COVID-19 vaccination, plus booster for this trip. We strongly encourage you take a COVID-19 test prior to leaving home for your trip to ensure you are COVID-negative. We will keep you updated with COVID protocols as we get closer to the trip date.
Churchill Wild Protocols
To learn more about Churchill Wild's Health & Safety protocols, please click here.
Travel & Entry Requirements
With international travel resuming, we’ve provided an easy tool to allow you to check the latest requirements and provisions for your travel plans, please click here. For specific entry requirements to your chosen destination, simply click on your arrival country under "Where to?" and enter your travel dates.
Before Your Trip
Airfare Discounts
Please visit our airfare discount page for the most up-to-date information.
Cancellation Policy
Unexpected events can cause you to cancel your vacation. Because we are committed to this charter, we must strictly adhere to our cancellation policy as outlined in our Olivia Terms & Conditions.
Transfer funds are nonrefundable and nontransferable from the point of sale forward.
Celebrations – Birthdays, Anniversaries, Honeymoons and more
If you have any celebrations and birthdays during the trip that you have not already advised your travel consultant about, please let us know of this information as soon as possible, but no less than 90 days prior to the trip.
Register at Olivia Honeymoon Wishes for your honeymoon, anniversary, or other special celebration; browse through the selections and let your friends know just how easy it is for them to purchase a gift for you.
Connect with other guests – Join the Facebook Group
To meet some of the women who will be joining you on this trip, join the 2024 Polar Bear Photography Safari Facebook group.
Passport and Visa
You will need a passport that is valid for six months past the date of the trip. If you are not a US citizen, please check with both your country’s consulate and the consulates of the country we will be visiting to make sure that you do not need an entry visa or other additional documentation.
US citizens DO NOT need to get a visa ahead of time. If you are not from the United States, please check with your consulate for proper Visa requirements.
Specific Needs: Medical, Dietary and Mobility
If you have medical, mobility, or dietary requirements that you have not already told your Olivia Travel Consultant about, please let us know as soon as possible, but no less than 120 days prior to the trip. Resources in this very remote location are limited, so advance planning is necessary.
Rental Gear
NOW INCLUDED! Rental gear is included in the cost of your trip! This includes a down parka, boots and pants. A form for sizing will be sent to you and is due back to Olivia at forms@olivia.com by August 1, 2024. On the first evening of the program, you will have an opportunity to pick up and try on your reserved rental items to ensure everything fits you correctly. If you need a size smaller or bigger, there will be an opportunity to make those changes.
Boot sizes larger than a men’s size 13 or a very small child’s size cannot be accommodated. Additionally, guests who are taller than 6′4″ may be required to bring their own gear because the rental items may not fit. More personal items, such as winter hats/toques and mitts, are not included, but a selection will be available for purchase at the fitting. They accept Visa or MasterCard only.
Travel Insurance
Churchill Wild has advised that Travel insurance is mandatory for their Polar Bear trips. It covers you against unforeseen losses such as illness, cancellation, flight, or weather delays. Due to our remote location the policy should also include coverage for medical evacuation (should an emergency arise). If you have not done so already, please purchase a travel protection plan to protect yourself and your trip investment from the unexpected. Visit our Insurance page at olivia.com/travel-insurance for more information.
The lodge is located in a very remote area of the Churchill wilderness, and emergency evacuation will be the only way to get you to a hospital if an emergency occurs.
For a travel insurance quote, more information or to purchase a protection plan, please call Olivia at 800-631-6277 and select option 1 for a travel consultant.
Vaccinations
Please check with your local Public Health Department or personal physician regarding immunization requirements for all countries on your itinerary. You may also check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website at: www.cdc.gov. Just click on "Traveler’s Health" and then "Vaccinations."
2024 Polar Bear Photography Safari |
START DATE | END DATE | CANCEL PENALTY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cancellation Fee 365 days or more prior to trip date | 11/3/2023 | 50% of trip cost | |
| Cancellation Fee 0-364 days prior to trip date | 11/4/2023 | 11/2/2024 | 100% of trip cost (no refund) |
Travel and Arrival
Airport
You will need to fly into and out of Winnipeg, Manitoba (YWG). We encourage all passengers to arrive a day early in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to avoid the stress of unexpected delays.
Flight Arrival and Departure Times
All flights should be scheduled to arrive in Winnipeg, Manitoba at or by 4:30 pm on November 2, in time for a 4:30-6 pm fitting if you are renting winter gear, or by 6 pm in time for a 7 pm dinner and briefing. Departures from Winnipeg, Manitoba (YWG), can be scheduled for any time on November 8, 2024.
We will take a regularly scheduled flight from Winnipeg to Churchill in the early morning of Day 2. This plane for this flight has overhead bins and the ability to store carry-ons under the seat in front of you. From Churchill to the lodge we will be on private, chartered planes that each take 8-9 people. These chartered flights have no overhead bins or ability to store anything below the seat in front of you, so all hand-carried items must fit on your lap.
You will be asked to wear your warm clothing on the flight from Winnipeg to Churchill because you will need it when you arrive in Churchill. Jacket, boots, ski pants, gloves—dress in layers!
Luggage Allowance
We encourage you to contact the airlines directly to confirm your flights, baggage allowance, and seat assignments prior to departure.
Tour participants must be packed for the lodge prior to departure from Winnipeg with one duffel bag (soft-sided bag with or without wheels; no hard-sided suitcases will be allowed) that in its total dimensions (L + W + H) measures less than 55 inches (140 cm); the capacity of this duffel may also be listed as a volume of 90 liters. Your bag may weigh no more than 50 pounds. In addition to this one soft-sided duffle bag, you are allowed to bring up to two carry-ons, with a total weight of no more than 20 pounds, to be used for essentials (medication, camera, etc).
Space is extremely limited on the flights to the lodge, and these packing requirements ensure the safety and comfort of all our guests. If you have additional luggage above the maximum dimensions and weight indicated above, it can be stored free of charge at our hotel in Winnipeg.
Getting to the Airport
The Winnipeg International Airport is located directly across the street from the hotel where we will be staying, The Grand Hotel by Lakeview.
A more comprehensive pre-departure information specific to your Polar Bear Photography Safari will be sent 2-3 months prior to the start of the trip.
Extensions in Winnipeg
Should you wish to add additional hotel nights on either end, please directly contact The Grand Hotel by Lakeview at the Winnipeg Airport for bookings in a Deluxe Room. Please note that because there are a limited number of rooms with king beds, all rooms assigned for the Polar Bear Photography Safari have two queen beds; therefore, if you wish to extend your stay, we suggest you also reserve a room with two queen beds so you will not need to change rooms when the official program begins or ends.
https://www.lakeviewhotels.com/grand-winnipeg/
The Grand Hotel by Lakeview at the Winnipeg International Airport
1979 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3H 1H5 Canada
Phone: 204-505-0145
Hotel Reservations: 1-877-355-3500
Check-in at 3 pm. Check out is 12 pm.
Transfers and Meeting Up with Olivia
The Grand Hotel by Lakeview is directly across the street from the main terminal at the airport. If you rent gear, there will be a fitting on the hotel’s 6th floor, from 4:30 pm-6 pm on November 2. We will have dinner and a presentation at approximately 7 pm on the 6th floor as well. More information will be available at check-in.
1979 Wellington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3H 1H5 Canada
Phone: 204-505-0145
Hotel Reservations: 1-877-355-3500
Check-in at 3 pm. Check out is 12 pm.
During your trip
What's Included?
What's Not Included?
Air transportation to/from Winnipeg, items such as laundry, and other items of a personal nature.
Amenities
Rooms at The Grand Hotel by Lakeview include basic amenities such as a coffee maker, shampoo, soap, and a hair dryer. Most rooms will have 2 queen beds. Rooms at the Seal River Heritage Lodge include basic amenities such as soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and a hair dryer. Bed configurations were disclosed when you reserved your trip.
Electricity
The voltage is 110, which is the same as in the US.
Gratuities
Gratuities to your interpretive guides and lodge staff are included. If you received exceptional service from someone, you are welcome to give an additional gratuity.
Internet
Complimentary internet access is offered at The Grand Hotel by Lakeview in Winnipeg and the Seal River Heritage Lodge. However, due to the remote location of Seal River Heritage Lodge, their internet connection is not as reliable.
Laundry Services
There will be no laundry or dry-cleaning facilities available during the trip.
Smoking Policy
All hotels are nonsmoking. A smoking area will be designated in the fenced area outside the Seal River Heritage Lodge.
- Hotel accommodations in Winnipeg November 2 and 7, 2024 at the Grand at Lakeview at the Winnipeg Airport.
- Round-trip Air from Winnipeg to Churchill
- Round-trip Air on private planes from Churchill to Hudson Bay
- Four nights accommodations at Seal River Lodge on November 3, 4, 5 and 6, 2024
- All meals beginning with dinner on November 2 at the hotel, and ending with Dinner on Day 6 (as indicated on itinerary tab)
- Beer and wine with appetizers and dinner
- Three full-days of guided photo expeditions
- Interpretive Polar Bear experts to lead tours
- All Churchill transfers
- Wireless Internet
- Olivia assistance throughout
After Your Trip
Extensions in Winnipeg
Should you wish to add additional hotel nights on either end, please directly contact The Grand Hhotel by Lakeview at the Winnipeg Airport for bookings in a deluxe room. Please note that because there are a limited number of rooms with king beds, all rooms assigned for the Polar Bear Photography Safari have two queen beds; therefore, if you wish to extend your stay, we suggest you also reserve a room with two queen beds so you will not need to change rooms when the official program begins or ends.The Grand Hotel by Lakeview at the Winnipeg International Airport
1979 Wellington Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3H 1H5
CanadaPhone: 204-505-0145
Hotel Reservations: 1-877-355-3500
Check-in at 3 pm. Check out is 12 pm.
1979 Wellington Avenue,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3H 1H5
CanadaPhone: 204-505-0145
Hotel Reservations: 1-877-355-3500
Check-in at 3 pm. Check out is 12 pm.
This trip does require a moderate level of mobility, as you must be climb up steps and into small chartered planes, able to walk from 1-5 miles a day on uneven and some uphill terrain and possible snow and icy conditions without assistance, and stand for long periods of time observing wildlife.
Wheelchairs and scooters cannot be accommodated on this trip. If you do have limited mobility that requires assistance, you are required to travel with someone who can assist you, and you may not be able to fully participate in all the activities. The lodge does have a fenced-in outdoor viewing area where wildlife often comes and visits, as well as panoramic windows from the lodge if you are not able to participate fully in the outdoor hikes.
Our Travel Consultants can be reached at USA or Canada: 800.631.6277 or International 415.962.5700, option 1.
