Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge - , Manitoba

St_Albans_City

This was my third trip with Churchill Wild, and my second attempt at Nanuk Lodge to see the wolves. My first, in Nov 2023 ended without a single wolf being spotted - that's wildlife viewing for you! - but this time we had some great sightings.|I was there at the same time as Sarah, so read her review if you want to know what we saw. I'll concentrate on saying yet again how great an organisation Churchill Wild is. From the handing out of polar gear in Winnipeg to handing it back 8 days later everything went smoothly - given how remote the lodge is, with absolutely everything having to be flown in, they've really got it all down to a fine art.|Tour leader Jad and the two guides Marko and Boomer were all extremely knowledgeable, consistently looking out for guests' welfare, and great at providing photography advice.|The food was all wonderful - plentiful and imaginative, and my only regret is the weight I put on while I was there

SShobrook

This was an amazing trip from start to finish. The trip begins in Winnipeg where you collect your warm weather gear and meet the rest of the group at an informal diner with a useful presentation about what to expect. We then left early next morning for a small local airport in Winnipeg and hopped on a 12 seater jet to Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. As the jet was only small we made a stop enroute at Gillam to refuel. We arrived at the Lodge late morning and were treated to an orientation talk from our guides and the Lodge Manager who outlined what to expect at the Lodge and on this adventure. Lunch (food was fresh and yummy all week) followed and then we geared up and headed out in search of the Opayastin Wolf Pack. This is the local pack of cloud wolves that roam this part of the coast of Hudson Bay and can often be spotted near the lodge as when the snow is deep they will follow the snowmobile tracks. To begin with the weather turned and we had snow and wind, temperatures dropped but we still preserved in our efforts to find the wolves. Along the way we spotted Moose, a number of red foxes who were real little characters and highly photogenic against the white snow. We saw a Great Grey Owl and a number of other birds such as Ptarmigan and Snow Buntings. When the snow cleared and we had blue skies we were treated to two nights of aurora viewing, where the sky came to life in a place of shapes and colours and the stars shone so bright you felt you could reach up and touch them. Half way through the trip 3 wolves were spotted out on the sea ice, so time to gear up, no breakfast that day as we headed out in search of wolves. The lodge brought us hot soup and hot drinks for lunch. Although we could see the wolves way out on the sea ice in area referred to as the jumble it was not possible to reach them. Then at the end of the day when we had just about given up on getting anywhere near the wolves a lone black wolf was sighted near the lodge. Once again we geared up and this time the wolf was not skittish, the black wolf was happy to be photographed. We followed the black wolf on snow mobiles and Komatecs down a frozen river and got final pics as the sun was dipping behind the horizon. On the Wednesday evening at dusk a hushed whisper passed through the Lodge, 'wolf pack on the runway' and sure enough there outside the lodge wandering by at dusk was the Opayastin Wolf pack. On the final morning we got news that the Opayastin pack were still around and had been spotted on the sea ice near an old ship wreck. We boarded the Komatecs and headed west to the wolves. The last day was really special as we spent most of the day observing the wolf pack sleeping on the sea ice and later in the willows by a moose kill . What interested me was the daring of the red foxes as they annoyed the wolves on the sea ice trying to pinch what looked like a dead frozen river otter. When the wolf pack left the sea ice they wandered off one by one and paused to howl at each other it was spine chilling to listen to. This was an amazing adventure in so many ways and the guides and the Lodge staff all worked exceptionally hard to help us find the wolves and keep us warm and well fed all week. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone with a sense of adventure who loves wilderness and the chance of being wolves in the wild.

Suie0515

Great trip and well organized. From pre trip information, to welcome dinner in Winnipeg, all the way back to Winnipeg, everything was well organized and informed. The staff are wonderful.Danny and Emma were great lodge managers. Our guides were informative and great (Mike, Emri and Colleen). Service staff also lovely (Shelby, Lynette and the Brit whose name I can’t recall), Food was incredible considering the location. Rotating meals that were nutritious and large. I especially loved the rotating Canadian wines at dinner - I’ve only really had sweet Niagara wine from Canada before and some of the BC wines were lovely. Beds comfortable and rooms nicely appointed. The only downside is hot water runs out at times. Of note, you have to stay 100meters from the bears for safety so bring a large camera lens. Mike won’t let you pet the bears (totally kidding about wanting to pet them). There are black bear who routinely hang around the lodge for close viewing. Wonderful experience and everyone was great.

V6918KRsylvias

Nanuk lodge is wonderful as are all three of Churchill Wild's remote, fly-in lodges. Located on the shores of the Hudson Bay, we saw wolves, polar bears, 3 Fox species, moose and much more. The guides are very knowledgeable, the lodge is extremely comfortable, the food is great and so are the staff. For anyone wanting to enjoy a true wildlife experience, these lodges are unquestionably worth visiting, both in summer and in winter.

Flyer686648

Just returned from Wolves of Kaska coast trip, what a fantastic experience! We were treated like royalty from the minute we arrived starting with a night in the brilliant new Blueberry Lodge. Arrived at Nanuk Lodge to two Polar bears on the runway! Emma , Danny and all the staff are obviously trained to cater to their guests superbly and the cuisine was top notch at every meal! Jad, Emeri and Michael provided excellent insights into the wildlife and we were encouraged to participate in the “ citizen science “ program that makes this experience so rewarding! Thank you so much! And then ….. at the last possible moment the wolf pack made its appearance right in front of the lodge , great photographic opportunity and a marvellous “ high” for all of us! What an experience! We’ll never forget it! Planning our next adventure already. Richard and Rina A

penelopeo344

Emma & Danny were the most wonderful hosts at Nanuk lodge. They made us feel so welcome and nothing was too much trouble for them. The lodge itself is magnificent , set on Hudson Bay but with the boreal forest behind as well. The facilities (including wifi) and meals are all excellent which is amazing considering the remote location. Wildlife is mainly viewed from the ATV drives and we saw moose, polar bears and a cross-fox but unfortunately no wolves. Overall it was a wonderful experience

Myles R.

Fabulous experience at Nanuk Lodge. An opportunity not many people will have to see Polar Bears in the field guided by consummate professional guides. Having seen the "tourist experience" in Churchill this was much more intimate and genuine. Added bonuses were Black Bears and wolves. The acommodation and food were excellent.

Scott A.

Polar bear bonanza! What an amazing expedition to Churchill Wild Nanuk lodge! From the initial contact with the team in Winnipeg to arrange our tour accommodations, to the remarkable staff at each stop, the team knows how to deliver a truly exceptional customer experience.

From the time we landed at Nanuk, you were embraced by the entire team. They quickly knew your name and were eager to accommodate any requests. As we sat down to have lunch, within an hour of landing, we had remarkable views of our first polar bear watching the new comers (I still think it was Danny dressed in a bear suit!). The bear gave us tremendous views, and as an avid photographer, my shutter was burning!

That was only the beginning, as we met our fantastic guides Emri, Michael and Karla. Safety was their first priority and they then put us on over 20 polar bears during our stay. On one occasion, we got very close to one curious, teenage bear. What an exhilarating experience! The guides were very personable and knowledgeable about their surroundings. It was a joy to listen to their passion about the territory. In addition, we saw a wolverine, moose, fox, owls and other boreal birds. A target rich environment for those that aspire to photograph wildlife as well as those with a cell phone to record memories.

We were pleasantly surprised that a very remote lodge could be so luxurious. The lodge was well appointed and warm, bedrooms had very comfortable beds and bathroom facilities and the entire Arctic safari was well planned from the provided apparel to the Rhinos!

Carl and staff provided amazing meals as well! From breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner, the team created tasty and very creative choices. I also took full advantage of the cookie jar!

I am in the travel business and we have had the opportunity to explore the world for both business and pleasure. While you go to the Arctic for the amazing wildlife, memories are also created with the people you meet. On this trip I even had the opportunity to meet and converse with the owner, Mike Reimer, who was filming the week we were at Nanuk. I often find successful owners instill the passion for the business with their employees. I can see Mike doing just that. Emma, Danny, the guides and the entire staff at Nanuk more than delivered on creating memories for us on this adventure. I highly recommend the Churchill Wild experience and Nanuk Lodge! We look forward to returning during the summer to witness more bears/cubs, Beluga whales and more!

Thank you,
Scott and Laura
Wisconsin USA