Welcome to the kingdom of the polar bear -- also known as Churchill, Manitoba, tucked into the western shore of Hudson Bay about 650 miles north of Winnipeg.
Each fall, for about seven weeks, the shoreline is alive with huge polar bears, anxiously waiting for sea ice to form. Once the bay freezes over, hungry bears move out onto the ice, where they will spend the winter months hunting seals.
It's probably because polar bears look so irresistibly cuddly that they are so popular, and why tour packages to Churchill are in high demand. Of course, in reality, polar bears are powerful and potentially dangerous wild animals that need to be viewed with caution. Adult males weigh as much as 1,500 pounds or more, and females with cubs have been known to rear up and leap in attempts to ward off helicopters.
The ideal solution to close-up viewing is the Tundra Buggy, which is featured on itineraries offered by the Great Canadian Travel Co.
The vehicle is designed to enable visitors to get close enough to observe and photograph migrating bears. It accommodates 36 passengers, is heated and is equipped with a washroom. Its 10-feet-diameter tires allow unparalleled and low-pressure access onto the fragile tundra. Onboard are a naturalist guide and a driver well versed in local conditions and the best spots for photography.
Clients can watch and photograph the mammals from inside the buggy (its windows open and are well out of reach of even a polar bear standing on its hind legs) or from an outside viewing platform.
The Great Canadian Travel Co. has been operating polar-bear observation tours to this area since 1980. It has a selection of two- to six-night packages that can be reviewed online at www.greatcanadiantravel.com.