Tundra Buggy. It’s a fun thing to say and even more fun to ride on. Picture your childhood school bus painted white, thrown into the air on top of six-foot-high wheels, tripled in width and with windows — that are basically the same as regular school bus windows. There’s still a driver who will ask you to behave and sit down when you’re supposed to. But if all goes well they will take you right up to some Polar Bears.

This vehicle is where you’ll be spending most of your quality time on a Polar Bears Conservation Journey with Frontiers North Adventures, and it’s one of the richest travel experiences you’ll ever have. The trip begins with a charter flight from Winnipeg, Canada all the way up north to Churchill, just shy of the Arctic Circle. The town is billed as the ‘Polar Bear Capital of the World’ and the bears pass through this area every fall as they wait for ice to form over Hudson Bay.

Polar bears are very curious creatures but they do not feel threatened by the vehicle or the people on it. Some will walk right up and stretch up to the bottom of your window — being ten feet above the ground puts you safely out of their reach. Others will walk by and completely ignore you. A few will be shy and avoid the buggy altogether. Strict rules are in place: no calling to the bears, making noise or doing anything to get their attention. And especially: nothing to do with food. Violating any of these guidelines cancels your buggy ride for the day – and will earn the wrath of your travel mates.

The unique experience of seeing Polar Bears in the wild creates a camaraderie among the group. Many have booked the expedition years in advance. While every passenger has their own window, people are very accommodating about sliding over and making room if the action is taking place on the other side of the bus. The sounds of slamming windows down to take photos and then slamming them back up to keep the Tundra Buggy warm is a constant rhythm on the trip.

Before heading out to the tundra you’ll spend your first day and evening in Churchill, visiting the local museum, a Polar Bear experience center and taking a dogsledding ride with Wapusk Adventures. Owner Dave Daley will also give a talk on the local Métis culture; people who share both European and Indigenous ancestry. Then you’re taken to the outskirts of town where you’ll walk up 12 steps to a landing and enter the Tundra Buggy. After that it’ll be a few days before you set foot on the ground again.

And where else would you drive in a Tundra Buggy but to a Tundra Buggy Lodge. This will be your home for the experience — high up above the ground in a group of interconnected large train-style cars that are wheeled in and out every season. There are two sleeping cars for guests divided into berths of upper and lower bunk beds — out on the tundra this is five-star luxury. Rest assured the beds are comfortable and have privacy curtains and outlets. Each car also has full showers and bathrooms.

There is a lounge car for socializing with games and wifi where most people gather before and after dinner. It’s also where lectures are given by wildlife experts and researchers from Polar Bear International. Frontiers North Adventures supports the work of the organization by giving them their own Tundra Buggy, facilities and donating a portion of the proceeds from their bookings. And if bunk beds are a necessary compromise for the experience, the dining car, known as Dan’s Diner, is true gourmet — and along with more familiar fare also specializes in local delicacies like bison lasagna, elk and arctic char.

While most of your sightings will be from the Tundra Buggy don’t be surprised if there is a sudden rush to the windows during dinner because some Polar Bears have come by to explore the outside of the lodge. Or you might have dessert interrupted when someone yells out that the Northern Lights are visible. There is an observation deck above the lounge car just for occasions like this.

The ‘Conservation Journey’ trip has you out for three full days on the Tundra Buggy. You’ll leave the lodge early in the morning after breakfast and will not return until late afternoon. A lunch of soup and sandwiches is served onboard. Similar to a safari trip, drivers from multiple vehicles connect with each other to see where Polar Bears have been sighted that day. Unlike safaris, however, the Tundra Buggies stick to a set of pre-worn tracks to help protect the environment. They also try their best not to track and follow the animals or get in the middle of their path. The drivers know the territory and aim to park the vehicle in the best position and then stay put.

Using your phone you can get some amazing photos and video, but if there’s one trip where you want to up your photography skills and gear this is it. A zoom lens of at least 100-400mm is recommended, but if possible I’d go even longer. Members of your Frontiers North Adventures team are experienced photographers and they will do their best to help you get great shots with whatever you have with you. And while Polar Bears are the main attraction, there is plenty of other amazing wildlife to get in front of your lens. On my journey we saw Arctic Foxes, Willow Ptarmigans (birds that lose their red and brown colors for winter and become white) as well as an extremely rare sighting of an Arctic Wolf. Our driver said it was the first one he had seen in years.

Watching Polar Bears in their natural habitat is an experience that will never leave you. Our group saw mothers and cubs taking naps together and going for walks. We spent quality time with one male Polar Bear who liked to bury himself in a snow bed and then poke his head out like a game of hide-and-seek. One bear fell through an ice hole and then struggled for fifteen minutes to get back out (he made it). And one time I was on the outdoor viewing deck in back while I was photographing an approaching bear. As he went under the platform I was racing to the other side to keep shooting and then realized — I could see him beneath me through the grated metal floor. I was only inches away from the world’s largest carnivore — right under my feet.

Frontiers North Adventures is a family-run company that has been operating since 1987. Along with providing experiences of a lifetime for guests they are also dedicated to local conservation efforts. They are a Certified B Corporation, focussing on sustainability, as well as a financial supporter of Polar Bears International and the Raincoast Conservation Foundation. And their entire team, from the dining crew to the drivers to the guides, made sure this was a special experience for all the guests.

A common question I’ve gotten: is it safe to be out among the Polar Bears? When you first enter the airport in Churchill you’ll see a ‘Welcome To Polar Bear Country’ sign along with the world’s only 911 hotline dedicated to one animal. Except it’s not ‘911’ — it’s a full 10-digit number with no cute mnemonic to memorize so it’s best to have it programmed beforehand if you need it. Most likely you won’t — but having a ‘Polar Bear Alert’ number in your phone contacts is a great conversation starter. There is always a chance of a Polar Bear straying into town — but the only one I saw was on the latte art of my morning coffee.

The Frontiers North team is constantly with you in Churchill, and once you leave the town you are always safely above the Polar Bears in both the Tundra Buggy and Lodge. Remember, what makes this experience so amazing is its authenticity. Follow the common-sense rules of the area and you’ll protect yourself, the Polar Bears and the environment and have one of your most unique adventures ever.

Experiences with Frontiers North Adventures are often booked a year or more in advance. Check here for 2025 and 2026 schedules.

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