Photos from Churchill, Manitoba Canada:




Ngaire & Linda








A Bear Hug


Ngaire Really Liked the Bear Cubs, They look Like Baby Lambs


Polar Bear Building a Day Bed From Sea Kelp

More Photos from Churchill:




Up Close and Personal




Arctic Hare


Husky


Our Tundra Vehicle


Linda Driving our Tundra Vehicle While Talking on Cell Phone. Don't try this at Home!!

Sunset On The Ice


Sun Dog in the Early Morning

These are totally awesome :app: I didn't realize it was Churchill you were visiting when you said polar bears.The photos are fantastic.

Fantastic! Thanks Ken

WOW! The size of that bear paw :ohmy: Such beautiful animals and your photo's are gorgeous!

Ken,

Thanks so much for sharing....excellent photography as usual. The pic of the bear's paw is great.

Oh my gosh...Ken, your photos are incredible!! There are no words - so awesome!!

Gorgeous pictures! It looks awfully cold there.

Yes it is VERY cold. You can't see Polar Bears and not have it cold.

You have to dress appropriately. The bus is heated going to the Tundra Vehicles and the Tundra Vehicles have heat but when you open the windows or go outside the temperature drops rapidly. Of course the restaurants and motel are heated.

It is better when it is cold as the bears are more active. We had one sunshine day, with below zero temperatures and it was fantastic. The bears were everywhere and in perfect sunshine.

It is colder than the Antarctica trip for sure but you are not out in the weather that much.

Ken's photos are terrific.
Alan and I are very interested in this trip - probably in 2009.

Wow! great pictures. There is no place in the world where we have the opportunity to see these magnificent predators in such numbers and fascinating behaviors. Arctic trips will see occasional solitary males and sometimes a female with cubs. In Churchll, groups are seen as captured by Ken's eye and lens - a true and unique wildlife spectacular. Understand, no Four Seasons hotels here - it is a short season - 3 to 4 weeks for the bears and another brief opportunity to see beluga whales in the summer. Go now when you can!

That one day of sunshine really paid off!

Ted

We may go back - let us know!

Ken,
I can only echo the others; once again, your photos are magnificent! What an adventure!

Ken, your pictures always take my breath away. I loved the bear paw and the hare but then I saw your amazing sunset. Truly spectacular!

What my other half said. Wow.

Masaki

Ken - thanks for postin the pix so quickly. They capture the imagination .. it's like being right there with all of you.

We really appreciate it!

Cheers, Anne

I agree with Amanda, the pix took my breath away! Even something as common as the rabbit was STUNNING!

hrprof - the only thing we did not get a good picture of was the sparring. (This is when two male bears "practice" fighting) Fantastic to see. We did see it several times but it was always behind the willows. Ken was frustrated with that so I guess he has to go back again.

We had two males right in the clear resting. They got up and walked a short distance behind the willows and went at it for ages. Just impossible to get a shot but watching them was incredible.

In a word...... WOW!!!!!
Thanks Ken!

These are fantastic pictures Ken!! I want to go on your next trip....I've only seen the polar bear in the Central Park zoo, would love to see the real deal!!!

OMG! These are unbelievable! You could put these directly in a Polar Bear Calendar (there are at least 12 which are perfect "as is" right now) and send out to everyone on LCT!

Thanks for taking and posting such wonderful pictures.

Jan

Ken, as usual you have the eye for great photographs. I would like to be kept informed if this trip comes off. It would be a fascinating experience.
Lynn

WOW!!!

I am speechless with amazement.

Just amazing, Ken. Loved your polar bear photos. I like the bear paw one, also. What a great shot!

Okay anyone who SERIOUSLY wants to do this send me or your BK consultant an email.

We will mark your name on a list and when it all comes together I have a feeling it will be 2009. Remember the deposit is NON REFUNDABLE so be sure. 2008 deposit is $600 per person do not know the 2009 deposit amount.

It will be a different package than they offer on their web site. I will customize it this way.

Day 1. One night Hilton Winnipeg. Hotel and Welcome dinner included.

Day 2. Mid Morning flight to Churchill on Calm Air. Lunch at Gypsy's and afternoon at leisure for helicopter (if you want it) Dog Sledding, bus tour of the town or just vegging. Dinner in town at Gypsy's.
Overnight at the Aurora Inn

Day 3, 4: TWO FULL DAYS on the tundra with the bears.
Two nights at the Aurora Inn.

Day 5. Last day FULL DAY on the tundra with the bears.
Taking the 7.30 pm flight to Winnipeg
Overnight Winnipeg Hilton.

End of package.

All meals at Gypsy's are included. It does get a little boring at the same place but based on what I heard from many people going anywhere else we would be very disappointed. The restauarant is run by a family. They are so nice and very efficient. Portugese heritage.

I will include all the additional tips necessary for the Tundra Buggy Driver and the guide in the price as well so you dont have to think about tipping and Susan will tip on your behalf.

There are only going to be 9 rooms available (single or double) so it will be first come first served once pricing etc is announced.

In 2008 it is a $550 single supplement.

Sent you an email, Ngaire.

Great pictures! I had completely lost the fact that you were doing this, since we talked about it last year but nothing happened. I'd love to do this some year while there's enough ice for the poor bears. But can't plan anything for November yet, not until David retires. I might go by myself some time, but will wait and see how 2009 pans out.

Ray and I are interested for 2009 (2008 is already pretty full).Polar Bears and Northern lights are on our "to do" list,even though Ray spent many many summers in the Artic,he has never made it to Churchill.

I looked up Via Trains and they run a train from Winnipeg to Churchill as well BUT it takes a day AND 12 hours.Two nights on train. Might be interesting one way ,who knows.

Ken, once again WOW! Those photos should be sold professionally. Calling National Geographic! :)
I have a friend that was there the same time you all were. I'll have to find out how her experience compares with yours. I can't imagine it could top this!

The trains often run as much as 12 hours late. They go very slow and stop all the time to off load freight etc. If you are a train buff you might like it but be sure to plan to come in one day earlier than you think to ensure not missing a day on the tundra.

The flight is so easy at 2 1/2 hours.

sent an email to Linda.

Ngaire
Reading your review of the Churchill trip made me dig out the materiels from our stay there back in '93. We stayed 3 nights in a motel and 3 nights in the "bunkhouse". The bunkhouse is a semi-permanent arrangement of 4 or 5 T'buggy like strucures arranged like RR cars out on the Tundra on the shores of Hudson Bay - 2 for sleeping a dining car and a lounge. Positives - You're living with the bears.They're attracted by the kitchen aromas and are always around - you see behaviors around the clock, there are windows beside each bunk, watching them moving silently in the pre-dawn light is magic.

Negatives - BASIC living conditions - like London during the Blitz! And, not cheap.

Question, Is it still utilized or has it gone away? Just curious. I'm not sure that I could still manage getting dressed and undressed in the confines of one of the pullman type berths!

Ted

your right I forgot about delayed trains and stopping at every cross road.Also its quite expensive.I would rather fly

Yes, there are two of the tundra motels. One run by Great White Bear (better of the two ) and on run by Tundra Buggy. It is nice to consider not having to make that two hour trek in and out each day BUT I dont think I could handle those living conditions. I thought about it before I went this time.

Shared bathrooms are not my style nor I believe the style of most of the people on LCT that would want to go. Each person has a bunk room so married couples have to be separated. At least I know it is that way on the Great White Bear motel not sure about the Tundra Buggy Motel.

Think the drive in and out is preferable.

Did you eat at Gypsy's? Has a boat out front, very fast service and good food? What operator did you use?

Six nights is a long time. I am not sure I would want to do it for that long. Three nights was just fine for me. We had great weather for the most part. If there was a bad day on the tundra I might have wanted one more day. The cold does start to get to you, and it is tiring getting up early each day. We ate dinner at 6.30 pm though so we were home in the motel by 8.00 pm. So you can get an early night.

One evening I taught people to pooch with POLAR BEAR cards.

Deleted.

Ken, as usual your pictures are beyond belief. Absolutely beautiful. Gail actually saw them before I did. I'll be sending an e-mail to B&K to gather more info about this.

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Eugene

Churchill was the featured destination this week on our public TV's "Travelscope" program. It sure looked like Gypsy's had a little air time. Both summer & winter visits were covered.

Check your local listings. Churchill Travelscope program

Cheers, Anne

Ken posted more Polar Bear pictures on SMUGMUG for those waitlisted for Polar Bears.

http://ngaire.smugmug.com/gallery/3873618#P-1-15

Bravo, Ken! Just beautiful!

Thanks, Ken. Enjoyed these very much.