Here’s my review of the above trip. I might have some of the details in the wrong order, but here goes:
25 October
After checking in, we made our way to the Lounge where we were welcomed by our tour manager Yvette Barnett. The group consisted of 17 travellers (15 ladies and 2 gents with 7 doing the add on).
12.00 LHR to Toronto – 7+ hrs flight
18.55 Toronto to Winnipeg – 2+ hrs flight
Overnight Winnipeg – Hilton Suites Hotel
26 October
No breakfast at hotel instead depart at 8.30 for trip to Assiniboine Park Zoo where we walked to breakfast and presentation from a member of the conservation team and viewing captive polar bears en route. Saw other captive polar bears swimming, playing, being fed.
Tour of Winnipeg by coach on and off.
Lunch in the Promenade café beside the Red River in the French Quarter.
Depart for flight to Churchill @ 15.00 – the plane was smaller than anticipated and very cold though the stewardess worked tirelessly to welcome us on board. On arrival at Churchill airport be sure to pick up the leaflet about visiting polar bear country.
Note – both Winnipeg and Churchill are on a different time zone to Toronto, very confusing when we had a shift from Daylight Saving Time to Eastern Standard Time on 1 November too!
On arrival at Lazy Bear Lodge cases were placed outside our rooms and we had about half hour before we assembled for dinner. After dinner some of us went for a walk to acclimatise ourselves – it was very cold and windy!
27 October
After breakfast, we went on our first adventure on the arctic crawler to view the polar bears and we were not disappointed. Our first encounter was a dot on the landscape far out on the ice. We saw a few more bears in the distance who were not tempted by our snack and lunch of bun, soup and crisps! Later we were rewarded with a polar bear lying down resembling a rock until it moved. After what seemed like hours, the polar bear got up and decided to walk to our vehicle, passing a pickup truck on the way which unnerved it. The polar bear with its remarkable gait continued towards our vehicle, the group were so excited as it sniffed all around – it really wanted to eat us. There was a school party further up the road that was on a field trip. One man was placed as look out with a gun on high ground whilst the kids went on their studies at the edge of the water. Once the polar bear had finished with us, it sauntered up the road toward the school party, by which time the children had been herded back on to their bus. The polar bear continued on past the bus out on to the ice without incident.
Early evening, the hotel owner Wally, gave us a presentation on the Lazy Bear Lodge and surrounding area with photos.
The group ate in the Gypsy’s Bakery, a Portuguese owned café where at last we could have alcohol!
28 October
Tour of Churchill by coach on and off. We were visiting Cape Merry when we noticed the sound of helicopters and vehicles in the distance. A conservation officer appeared asking us to get back in the coach as a polar bear and her cub were being driven out of town towards our area. We waited a while but only saw the conservation vehicles. At the Churchill post office you can get your passport stamped which includes a design of a polar bear.
Back at the hotel, you have the rest of the afternoon to yourself. Most of us hit the shops in Churchill and some went to the railway station. Four of us had our dinner at around 5pm in the Seaport Hotel café.
We went off for our 10 minute dog sled ride that evening. As there had not been much snow, the dogs were hooked up to a cart and were very excited to see us.
29 October
After breakfast, we went on our second adventure on the arctic crawler to view the polar bears and after a very slow start we were not disappointed. We viewed a polar bear that was coming towards us, but was scared off by the dreaded pickup trucks. We joined another arctic crawler later in the day that had spotted a polar bear. The polar bear strutted towards the two crawlers again unnerved by the many pickup trucks. It walked past the first crawler and came towards ours. We were all thrilled as it sniffed around the vehicle, came up to back viewing platform and reared up to us. Absolutely magical. A few people missed the great photo opportunity as the TM was closest to the polar bear and jumped back!
Farewell dinner at the Lazy Bear Lodge before departing for the airport. Another sighting of a mum and cub, which I missed, behind the hotel as they were being chased away by the conservation people.
20.15 Churchill to Winnipeg – 2+ hrs flight
This flight was on a more modern, bigger plane and was so warm, most of us fell asleep.
Overnight Inn at the Forks, Winnipeg
30 October
Check out of rooms at 11am with time to explore Winnipeg until departure to the airport in the afternoon. The TM organised a lunch in a restaurant across the way from the hotel, which I think was called Muddy Waters or something similar, advertised as a sports bar but very nice and popular with the locals.
18.35 Winnipeg to Toronto – 2+ hrs flight
22.02 – arrival at Toronto where we went our separate ways. I suggest you say goodbye to your fellow travellers in Winnipeg as on arrival in Toronto you appear in a departure lounge!
The Toronto 7 gathered by the carousels to collect our luggage and I was nominated as tour manager – don’t know how that happened! We followed the JY instructions and proceeded to the exit. I had to phone Bloomingdale Limousines and gave my name but they did not have a booking in my name or any of the other travellers – it was booked in another name. JY please rectify this and provide the correct info for next year’s trips.
Overnight at Chelsea Hotel (Eton appears to have been dropped from the name)
31 October
The Toronto 7 agreed to meet for breakfast at 8am. We split up into two groups and went off to explore Toronto. We stopped off for various photo opportunities on the way to the CN Tower. We then went on a boat to Toronto Island and spent an hour there before returning. On a slow walk back to the hotel we dined at Baton Rouge.
1 November
Six of us booked, via the concierge the day before, our trip to Niagara Falls on Sunday. Pick up from hotel 9am and back by 7pm. A long day but well worth it. We dined at Frascati. I called the limousine company to confirm our return transfer details.
2 November
On our final day in Canada, after checking out and leaving our suitcases with the bell captain, we walked to Dundas Square to pick up the first hop on hop off bus and stayed on all the way round. The driver had a near miss collision with a fire truck responding to an emergency. We were sitting upstairs at the front of the bus and the incident was captured on video!
We did some last minute shopping before dining at The Pickle Barrel. We took a slow walk back to the hotel before departure for the airport at 8.30pm for our midnight flight.
Conclusion
Before the holiday I was tempted to try the Arctic Summer in Churchill. Having experienced the journey – 3 flights both ways – I have changed my mind. If JY could explore whether direct flights to Winnipeg are available and stay longer in Winnipeg before and after, say two nights either way, that would make it more attractive for me and maybe others to revisit.
On the first day in Canada, Winnipeg, I would have preferred breakfast in the hotel rather than having to wait until reaching our destination at Assiniboine Zoo.
Being up close and personal with the polar bears in the wild made this a very special holiday and a once in a life time experience and I’ve done it!
Regards
Sylvia
