Watching Polar Bears in the Wild

Churchill, Manitoba lies about a thousand kilometers north of Winnipeg, on the edge of Hudson Bay where bears gather each fall. Specially built tundra vehicles roll across the frozen flats and park within meters of wild bears, close enough to see their breath fog in the cold air. Summer expedition cruises around Svalbard, Norway, a short flight north of Oslo, spot bears from the ship along the ice edge. Churchill peaks late October through November as bears wait for the freeze, while Svalbard runs June through August. (Image: AI generated illustration.)