There stood the King of the North. An off-white, yellowish coat, giant padded paws and black beady eyes that blinked a sleepy stare before he continued on his way through the flat and icy tundra.

Aboard the Frontiers North Tundra Buggy, this was my experience multiple times throughout the full-day tour from Churchill, Manitoba.

So if you’re thinking about exploring the open tundra near Churchill, Manitoba, onboard one of these giant Roving Buggies, this honest review of Frontiers North Tundra Buggy Tour will give you a rundown on exactly what to expect, as well as the pros and cons on one of the most popular tours out of this small town.

 

Why is Churchill known for polar bears?

Churchill is known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”, but not all year round. The small town of Churchill lies on the southern coast of Hudson Bay. With the influx of freshwater from the Churchill River, the sea ice begins to form here first, around the middle of November.

Eagerly waiting for solid sea ice so they can begin their seal hunting season, polar bears pace the shoreline and wide-open areas around Churchill.

July to November is roughly regarded as “polar bear season” before the ice freezes enough to support the weight of a polar bear (they can get to over 500kg!).

These hunters are incredibly smart and not one you would like to run into without an escape route – and they do venture into town often enough.

 

My experience on the Frontiers North Tundra Buggy Tour

All up, this full-day experience just outside of Churchill got me close enough to watch 12 different polar bears and a range of other wildlife that calls this tundra home.

This all-day tour from Churchill begins at 8am and ends around 5pm – it’s a packed day of looking for polar bears out in the open. With the boreal forest to the south, exploring the expansive Churchill Wildlife Management Area was a memorable experience.

You would think a giant 500+ kilogram bear would be easy to spot in such an open field – they are not. To make it more difficult, there are plenty of bear sized rocks waiting to trick visitors and get their heart pumping.

Not only was my guide unbelievable at spotting far off polar hunters, Mark gave some information about polar bears;

• Polar bear fur isn’t white. While it appears yellow, it’s transparent and hollow, like fiber optic cylinders.
• The skin and tongue of polar bears are actually black

Mark drove the giant Buggy, with wheels as tall as me, across the bumpy old army trails in search of these unique carnivores and we got close enough to see a curious bear blink.

These bears are totally wild but at peace with human visitors in the vicinity. With nothing to do until Hudson Bay freezes, some showed signs of boredom by ripping out plants and climbing rocks – while others walked the endless tundra and a few napped in the bright sun.

Alongside these hunters are a range of other wildlife – from birds, hares, and foxes. There is always something more to see if you look a little harder (binoculars definitely help).

As around 40 visitors watched a couple of bears touch noses and sniff each other, a red fox was on the hunt right beside the giant Buggy wheels. The classic fox pounce into the fresh snow was an unreal thing to witness. Also pretty adorable.

It’s one of those experiences I’ll never forget. Both the bears and the fox – and Frontiers North definitely made experiencing the tundra and polar bears easy and accessible.

 

Pros and cons of the Tundra Buggy Tour with Frontiers North

As with anything, there are pros and cons for each traveler. In my opinion, the full-day tour offered by Frontiers North is a great way to experience polar bears, other animals and the natural tundra, as well as being safe and environmentally conscious at the same time.

 

5 Pros aboard the Tundra Buggy

1. You get close to the bears and other wildlife

You might be in a large vehicle, but you’re able to get as close as you would want to. You’re close enough to watch these amazing creatures go about their day, while being completely safe at the same time.

Sometimes, bears will be curious enough to approach these Tundra Buggies, and may even stand on their hind legs on the side of the Buggy to get a closer look.

The idea is that the Buggy parks close to the bear without bothering it. Or if the bear is moving, park where the bear might get curious enough to come a little closer to the unmissable white Buggy.

There are other forms of life out in the tundra. Even the small fox was comfortable enough to get close enough to hunt something under the snow.

 

2. You are completely safe while viewing polar bears

The tour aboard the Tundra Buggy with Frontiers North is 100% safe. I mentioned the giant tires are as tall as me – this prevents the bears from getting up into the vehicle.

Even a full-grown, adult male polar bear on his hind legs is out of reach of everyone on board. Whether you’re snapping photos from the inside windows or out on the back deck watching in awe, you’re totally safe onboard the Tundra Buggy.

There is a little viewing platform out the back of the Buggy that allows window-free views of these amazing creatures.

 

3. It is easy and well organized

Passengers are told to meet in the town itself, at 7:45am the morning of their tour, and we were off by 8am. Tours leave from Churchill and head out on a bus into the never-ending flat and icy wilderness.

After changing to the Buggy, the driver and guide goes through all you need to know to stay safe – such as remaining seated while the Buggy is moving. Some of the bumps are more like craters than potholes!

Lunch and coffee is served on board, so you don’t miss a second of polar bear viewing throughout the day.

All up, everything runs smooth and efficient – giving you more time to work out if that is a polar bear or just a “rock bear”, and it isn’t as easy as you’d think!

 

4. Environmentally conscious tours

To provide guided tours through the tundra, also known as the Churchill Wildlife Management Area (CWMA), companies are required to have a permit ensuring all environmentally-minded rules are followed.

These Tundra Buggies follow trails created in the 1950s by the military. By driving on specific routes, the fragile tundra is spared severe and possibly unrepairable damage.

Polar bears are not fed. Ever heard the saying “a fed bear is a dead bear”, these incredible creatures are smart. If they associate humans with food, they will return for an easy meal. This creates “problem bears” and often leads to these bears being destroyed. You’re not allowed to take any food or drink into the open part of the Buggy – bears have an incredible sense of smell.

Because of this incredible sense of smell, you’re not allowed to bait or lure polar bears closer with food or intriguing smells. This can disturb the wildlife, not just polar bears, and can cause a tour to be immediately canceled.

Traveling environmentally conscious should be a major selling point for any tour we take as travelers and Frontiers North takes this aspect very seriously.

 

5. Friendly and knowledgeable guides

Mark was my driver and guide for the day, and he was fantastic. Not only did he know how to navigate the trails and how to spot a polar bear so easily, with over 20 years of experience, he kept the long day enjoyable and fun.

Frontiers North selects great drivers/guides for their Tundra Buggies – super friendly and made the rules for each and every passenger clear and easy to follow.

One of my favorite points that were made was to “share the love”, if you had got your pictures, move away from the window and allow the next person to get a view of the bears.

 

2 Cons aboard the Tundra Buggy

1. The full-day tour from Churchill isn’t cheap

I definitely regard myself as a budget traveler, if you’ve read much of Horizon Unknown and the travel stories, they are usually focused on cheaper destinations – and even though the price is high, it is well worthwhile.

For a full-day tour of the Churchill Wildlife Management Area on the Tundra Buggy, it isn’t cheap. $499 CAD ($379 USD) for an adult and $399 CAD ($303 USD) for a child. This includes transport from the start of your day, until the end. It also includes lunch.

Frontiers North do offer summer tours at a lower rate, at $219 CAD ($164 USD) for adults and $179 CAD ($134 USD) for a child. This less expensive day tour comes some considerations. Depending on the ice melt, there may be fewer polar bears entering the tundra around Churchill. Therefore, you have a lower odds of viewing polar bears in the summer, than peak season.

 

2. The Tundra Buggy can be busy

This is not the tour where you sit in the back of a truck, always have a view out the window and have complete control over things you like to see.

There are roughly 40 seats on each of these Buggies. Even though there aren’t enough windows for passengers to permanently have their own viewpoint, I got everything I wanted and more from the views offered by the windows and back section of the Buggy.

The guides also give out a friendly reminder to share the viewing spaces so every guest has an amazing experience, and I found most guests were great about this.

As long as you have a sliver of patience, you will get plenty of amazing views and hopefully, some very unforgettable encounters with the wildlife of the northern tundra.

 

Frontiers North Tundra Buggy Video

 

Is the Frontier North Tundra Buggy Tour worth it?

In my mind, yes, the Tundra Buggy Tour with Frontiers North is worth the cost. They do everything they can to get you close to these amazing hunters while being totally safe.

It is one of those experiences you can’t get many other places around the globe, and Frontiers North do a great job at accommodating each and every visitor on board, from professional photographers to those shooting with a flip phone and mostly there for the once in a lifetime experience itself.

If you’re thinking of visiting Churchill, make sure you book your accommodation well in advance – there isn’t many hotels in the small town and they book out fast.

Have you explored the northern tundra near Churchill, Manitoba? Did you go through Frontiers North? I’d love to hear your experience, along with any questions you might have, below in the comments!

 

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Thanks for reading!

Happy and safe travels,

Ben – Horizon Unknown