Polar Regions

Arctic Canada

Local Time 20:11
Local Weather 2°F
When to go Mar & May - Nov

24 hour daylight, dancing northern lights, polar bears, unicorns of the sea and much more. Arctic Canada is a true wilderness and host to some of the most incredible experiences on the planet.

Why Arctic Canada holidays are truly unique

The Arctic North of Canada is a fairy tale place of pioneer spirit, polar bears, gold prospectors, northern lights, migrating beluga whales and permanent sunny days; where the seemingly impossible comes to life before your eyes. With very sparse human settlement, the tundra of the region comes alive during the summer months when it is carpeted with colourful flowers and the wildlife of the region, of which the indisputable star is the King of the Arctic, emerges. Arctic Canada is defined as the area north of the Arctic Circle, which constitutes the expansive wilderness of the provinces of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. 

Arctic Canada has just 100,000 inhabitants and approximately 60% of the indigenous Inuit community live in this region.

Arctic Canada Highlights

Amazing wildlife

It’s not just the bears here, but you can also fine eider ducks, murres, kittewakes, Arctic fox, moose, caribou, snowy owls and much more.

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Arctic photography

Taking photos in such bright light can be difficult (we know from experience), we have specialist safaris that will help you get the best photos possible from your experience with our trained expert photographers.

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Explore ice formations

Explore some of the most impressive ice formations on the planet on foot under the midnight sun.

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Polar bear cub trips

See polar bear cubs emerging from their dens for the very first time with their mothers. This trip is a sell out every year, with just one departure!

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Polar bear tracking

Track these huge marine mammals on foot, from a cosy lodge or even live amongst them on the tundra.

Polar bear safaris
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Whale watching

Not only can you see belugas, narwhals and more, but you can actually swim with them on some of our specialist safaris.

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Why we like Arctic Canada

A land of stunning icy landscapes, the world's largest land mammal and some extraordinary other wildlife. This part of Canada is a real treat, visited by few people.

Amazing polar wildlife

The wildlife here is incredible, adapted to live in harsh Arctic conditions. Although you won’t see the sheer amount that you would in say, Africa, you will be overwhelmed by the creatures that call this environment home.

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A varied range of experiences

The far reaches of the north aren't always what come to mind when hearing the word ‘safari’; this is a unique area that combines a huge range of wildlife and cultural experiences, as well as different levels of luxury and adventure.

See the top places to go in Arctic Canada

Unique accommodation

Camp on the ice floes around Baffin Island, sleep among the bears on the unique Tundra Lodge, or stay in luxurious traditional lodges.

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Arctic Canada Safari Reviews

  • It was absolutely sensational! You definitely recommended the trip for us. We saw so many bears and at such close quarters it was almost too good to be true. We lost count! All things considered, it will be a difficult wildlife experience to match and we're missing our tundra dream like mad. It's great to be still talking about the bears a week on when reality has well and truly begun to take over again! The whole thing was an absolute dream (and we've never said that about any of our trips before).

    The Great Ice Bear

    5 out of 5

  • It was everything we had hoped for and more. From the first time I contacted Gemma until we returned, everything went exactly as planned. There were so many moving parts to deal with, and the very minor "glitches" were easily dealt with. The accommodations at the lodge were great, the food had to be seen to be believed, and the staff were helpful, patient, kind and protective. The bears were unbelievable... We saw them constantly, some from afar and some very close (less than a few metres away)… Wow!

    The Great Ice Bear

    5 out of 5

  • The journey was very well organised with well briefed staff at every stage. If one had a problem it was quickly overcome. Our leaders were very knowledgeable and ensured everything went like clockwork.

    Polar Bear Classic Tour

    5 out of 5

  • Churchill was the trip of a lifetime! The guide, Terry, was amazing! His compassion and understanding for the polar bears and his knowledge of the land was so much more than I could ever imagine. I only wished I could have stayed out there for the season. When looking into the eyes of the bears we encountered, I felt such a deep appreciation and love... These creatures are powerful, mysterious and lovely. Observing them in their environment was an awesome adventure. If you've trekked with the Virunga mountain gorillas in Rwanda, this trip is a must!

    The Great Ice Bear

    5 out of 5

  • It was awesome! We saw more bears than I thought possible and I even saw baby cubs and an Arctic fox. The accommodation was just perfect for the trip we were on.

    The Great Ice Bear

    5 out of 5

  • Incredible. The most amazing adventure. Everything worked well; it was everything I had hoped for!

    Tailor-made Arctic Canada Safari

    5 out of 5

  • Not having travelled with you before, I was not sure what to expect, but everything about the trip was perfect! Very well organised, with very good guides.

    Churchill Tundra Lodge & Town Adventure

    5 out of 5

  • Excellent food, superb staff, comfortable accommodations, great polar bear & beluga whale sightings.

    Birds, Bears & Belugas

    4 out of 5

  • We joined the polar bear fly in migration safari and it was brilliant! We saw bears up close and even northern lights for two nights. The guides were amazing and we learned a lot about the Arctic and tundra, the polar bears, and the Inuit culture. Food and accommodation were excellent.

    Polar Bear Fly-In Migration Safari

    4 out of 5

  • Overall Excellent - Seal River was 10/10 - excellent company, food, accommodation, lodge layout, variety of excursions and programme and amazing wildlife and viewings. Guides at both lodges were superb. Was very impressed by the variety that could be offered and tailoring to our needs.

    Birds, Bears and Belugas and Hudson Bay Odessey

    4 out of 5

  • We had some great advice at the start that helped us change our destination and experience to one that was much better for us. All the arrangements were very smooth and communication strong.

    Polar Bear Photo Safari

    4 out of 5

  • Excellent safari. I learnt a lot and felt thoroughly looked after.

    Tailor-made Polar Bear Safari in Churchill

    4 out of 5

  • Fantastic in every way. Perfect!

    The Great Ice Bear

    5 out of 5
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CHURCHILL and NUNAVUT

The small town of Churchill sits on the edge of Hudson Bay in Northern Manitoba and is the starting point for some life-changing polar expeditions into the tundra wilderness. Situated at the most southerly range of a polar bear’s habitat, the milder climate of Churchill means that ice completely melts in the summer months, effectively stranding the bears until the ice freezes again, but creating more favourable conditions for wildlife enthusiasts as you observe them as they wait for the ‘Big Freeze’.

The Nunavut archipelago includes Ellesmere Island, Baffin Island and Victoria Island over a vast area of 2.2 million square kilometres. Ellesmere is just 800 kilometres from the North Pole and has a spellbinding scenic mix of ice caps, glaciers, fjords and vast wilderness. Further southwest of here is Baffin Island, named after the famous explorer William Baffin, this is Canada’s largest island, with a population of just 11,000. It has a picturesque mountain range - Baffin Mountains – with its highest peak Mount Odin at 2,147 metres elevation. It is possible to see Arctic wolf, caribou, Arctic fox, and polar bear here.

These areas combine a huge range of experiences between them from polar bears tracking and ice camping, to seeing the northern lights. 

Arctic activities

The list of unique experiences that this region offers would excite the most blasé of traveller. Giant specially adapted 6-wheel tundra buggies set off from Churchill to Cape Churchill, where between 30-40 polar bears visit in October and November and the cape’s gravel eskers create small hills which are ideal vantage points. It is even possible to stay in a Tundra Lodge with connecting cabins that can be wheeled to a different location at the start of the season to maximise your viewing as you live amongst the bears. Scenic helicopter flights over the tundra and even dog sledding add to the variety of excursions, not forgetting of course the infamous phenomenon of the Northern Lights, which may add an unexpected final highlight to your journey into this fascinating region.

From dog sledding, tracking polar bears on foot and swimming with narwhal, to kayaking, light aircraft flights to see caribou and even living with the bears on the tundra.

Arctic Canada Wildlife

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DID YOU KNOW...

The word 'Arctic' comes from a Greek word meaning 'near the bear', and indeed the main focus of many people's time here is to be near the polar bear.

Arctic Canada makes up about 40% of the entire landmass of Canada.

We have some very special departures that allow you to see polar bears and narwhals in the same trip - two creatures of great mythological importance in Canada.

Our favourite Arctic Canada Holidays

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Why book with us

We are destination specialists

Our team of specialists have extensive on-the-ground knowledge and have all lived, guided or explored in great detail the destinations that they sell. They will design your journey around you, at the right place at the right time.

We are wildlife specialists

As a leading specialist operator we have excellent partnerships with naturalists and conservationists. We know our wildlife and do what we can to preserve its natural habitat.

We really care about our destinations

At Natural World Safaris we frequently monitor the social, economic and environmental impact of our travel operations to ensure we are at the forefront of a sustainable and ethical tourism industry. 

BOOK YOUR ARCTIC CANADA SAFARI

Contact our destination specialist to start planning your journey.

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