Polar Bear Safari

Guided polar bear viewing from specially equipped tundra vehicles or boats in one of the world's most dramatic wildlife encounters. Churchill, Manitoba offers the world's most accessible polar bear encounters, where bears gather on the Hudson Bay shore in October–November awaiting freeze-up. Svalbard offers boat-based viewing in summer, where bears hunt seals along the ice edge.

📅Season: October to November (Churchill), July to September (Svalbard)

📍2 destinations

🌍Available in Arctic and Subarctic destinations.

Planning notes

Before you book polar bear safari

Best destinations

Choose places where this activity is established, not just technically possible:

Svalbard Churchill

Operator check

Verify licensing, safety briefings, cancellation terms, equipment, group size, pickup details, and current season dates before paying.

Good fit if

You are comfortable with variable weather, early starts, and plans that may shift.

Skip if

You need guaranteed conditions, fixed timing, or a low-effort activity with minimal exposure.

Activity planning brief

Where polar bear safari is actually strongest

Coverage

Polar Bear Safari appears in 2 PolarTourist destinations: 1 arctic, 1 subarctic.

Season filter

Use the listed season (October to November (Churchill), July to September (Svalbard)) as the first filter, then check local operators. Destination pages can be technically suitable even when tours are limited.

Aurora-led choices

Svalbard and Churchill have the strongest aurora scores among places offering this activity.

Budget-led choices

Churchill ($220/day) and Svalbard ($280/day) are the lowest daily-budget options in this activity set.

Common best-month coverage across this activity: Jan · Feb · Mar · Oct · Nov · Dec. This is a planning signal, not a guarantee of tour operation or weather.