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Trip Report

As guests arrive from Churchill to our Tundra Buggy Launch site, I see (as usual) many smiling faces eager to get on the tundra and to find out where we are going. After a quick introduction to the Tundra Buggy, and to our plans, we bounce away headed for the Tundra Buggy Lodge. This is my favourite time of the day, seeing beautiful dusk colors and feeling the days calm before nightfall. We’re trying to get to the lodge before dark but keeping our eyes open for any wildlife all the while. Everyone is so eager to see our first bear, and finally one of our guests has spotted one as we near the lodge. This is a good time for our first stop! The excitement is contagious. A young bear sleeping in the distance in the willows. I can’t help but smile as I know that it is going to get so much better over the next few days. On we go to the lodge where we park, board, and settle in before dinner. What better to way to finish off the day but with a wonderful home cooked dinner while watching a young female bear approach the side of the lodge curious about us inside.

Day two begins early with breakfast so we can get out and start exploring by daybreak. This is the best thing about staying at the Lodge. We are out here first! Just us! What a way to start the day! As we depart the Lodge we don’t get far as there are a number of bears that we can see with the naked eye. Let’s find a good parking spot and see what happens. As we watch a sleeping bear, another lumbers over to investigate. This is our best chance so far to get a good look at these awesome animals and to see them so close.
We still have so much of the day left. After some great viewing we decide to do some exploring along the coast of Hudson Bay making stops to discuss the ecology of this area and to have a coffee break and snack. As our day progresses and then finally comes to an end, we have seen several different polar bears and have had some awe inspiring scenic views on a marvelous day.

Day three starts out windy and cloudy and challenges us a little more than the previous day. We had such a great polar bear day yesterday. Lets not forget to keep our eyes open for arctic fox, arctic hare, ptarmigan, and anything that we possibly might see out here. We decide to explore some trails that we haven’t traveled on yet. It pays off. Along our way we spot an arctic fox foraging through the willows and then come upon a group of ptarmigan croaking. We’re quite happy to find some other wildlife and learn how they survive out here. We make many stops this day to see bears and talk about the geography and local history. As we make our way back to the Lodge for the day, we once again find ourselves alone out here, this time with a new large bear walking towards the Lodge from the tidal flats in the east just as we see our first rays of direct sunlight for the day. The colors are amazing as this big bear approaches. The wind has finally died and it is so quiet now. Hopefully the clouds clear so we have a chance to see the Northern Lights tonight. What an end to the day!

We are up early on Day four and get prepared for our departure from the Lodge after breakfast. It’s a quiet ride back to our Launch site as everyone reflects about their experiences in the last few days. The sun just barely peeps above the horizon. It has been a wonderful trip.