Churchill, Manitoba

Polar Bear Safari

On the shores of Hudson Bay in Canada's far north sits the town of Churchill. You have to arrive by plane or train as no roads connect the far-flung town with Winnipeg, which lies 1,000 kilometres to the south. The town of 900 lies along a polar bear migration route, which means that bears will wander into town on occasion. Because of this danger, residents leave their doors unlocked in case one of their neighbors needs to quickly run inside to escape a bear. To observe the bears, you board a 4wd tundra buggy and ride across the barren landscape with your eyes peeled. We were lucky in that we spotted bears each day we went out; bears napping, eating birds, and curiously looking our direction. These pictures don't do justice to the immense size and beauty of these creatures.