Dream Vacations: Whale and Polar Bear Photo Safari

Fortunately, several companies offer photo tours like that, including Gregus himself. One of the most well-known is Churchill Wild, which operates several remote, high-end lodges focused primarily on polar bear viewing. I’ve only seen polar bears once in the wild, in Svalbard, Norway, and I’d absolutely love to see them again. That’s why traveling to Churchill for a trip focused not just on seeing wild animals, but photographing them, too, is extremely high on my 2026 travel bucket list. Churchill Wild runs multiple tours throughout the year, and you’ll see photographers with multiple camera bodies slung across their chests on all of them, but my top pick would probably be the “Arctic Discovery Tour.” It’s an eight-night tour scheduled during the best time to view beluga whales, hosted at the company’s most remote lodge: Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge.

Photo: Frontiers North Adventures/

But at more than $20,000 CAD per person, or at least $17,000 USD, I’d be looking at close to $40,000 to make the trip happen. So if I found myself with a bit of extra money to travel, but not quite that much, I might instead book a tour with Frontiers North. The trips are cheaper, though still not inexpensive. There’s a trip to travel with a beluga whale scientist at $11,000 CAD per person, though I’d opt for either the “Photo Adventure” tour, or the “Belugas, Bears, and Blooms by Train” trip.

The first one includes several nights at the Tundra Buggy Lodge, ideal for 24/7 polar bear watching in their habitat, while the latter includes polar bear viewing tours and on-the-water activities in the “Beluga Capital of the World.” At $18,259 CAD ($13,252) and $9,221 CAD ($6,693), respectively, they’re both still too expensive for my journalist salary. But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming, and the opportunity to spend days on end near some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth is enough to land it very near the top of my “one day” travel bucket list.

In the meantime, if I ever find myself in the area, I’d probably try to book at least a quick photography trip. Frontiers North offers one-day excursions starting at $385 (about $310 USD), while Gold Star Canadian Tours offers all-day tours that include charter flights from cities like Edmonton, Calgary, or Ottawa for those very tight on time, starting around $2,800 CAD (about $2,000 USD).

• Day 1: Arrive in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
• Day 2: Fly to Churchill, Manitoba, whale viewing in Churchill
• Day 3: Paddling/whale viewing in Churchill
• Day 4: Fly to either Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge or Tundra Buggy Lodge
• Days 5-8: Polar bear and other wildlife viewing around Churchill
• Day 9: Return to Winnipeg, depart for home