It sits on the shores of the Hudson Bay where many of the world’s polar bears make their home. The city of Churchill in Manitoba, Canada is also lovingly called the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.” Many tourists flock to the area in the fall season when the bears make their move from the shores of the bay and go further inland.
Special busses called “tundra buggies” have been designed for tourists to get a good, safe, view of the polar bears.
While the modified buses are used to carry visitors into areas where they can catch a glimpse of the city’s main tourist attraction; the vehicles have also been responsible for causing the local ecology to suffer from buggies being driven on non-designated paths. When hoping to see the polar bears up close, plan to visit during the late fall or early winter. During this time the bears can be seen in droves hanging out just waiting for the waters of the Hudson Bay to turn to ice. When this occurs, the bears are free to begin hunting their favorite food, the Ringed Seal.
The time of year when the Hudson freezes is also the time when unruly bears (usually of adolescent age) are released from “polar bear jail” back onto the frozen waters of the Hudson. In Churchill polar bears, which have a reputation for being solitary creatures, are said to make good friends with each other. Unfortunately, those friendships only last until hunting season begins again.
Whale watchers will also enjoy a visit to Churchill, as it is the location where hundreds of beluga whales come for the warm waters provided during summer months. No wonder July and August are the most popular months for whale watching fans to visit one of nature’s most beautiful attractions of summertime.
So what are you waiting for? find your cheap flights to Churchill now!