Fall Is The Best Time To Visit This Tiny Canadian Town Called The World's Polar Bear Capital

While the world's largest polar bear exhibit is in the Detroit Zoo, there's nothing quite like seeing one in the wild. One of the best places to do it is in Churchill, Manitoba, which is situated on the Hudson Bay in Canada. It's a small town of about 900 people and almost 1,000 polar bears, earning it the nickname the "Polar Bear Capital of the World."

When it comes to Mother Nature, little is guaranteed, but you have the best chance of seeing polar bears in late fall, from October to November. There are many bears in and around Churchill at this time because the animals are getting ready to feed on seals. Hudson Bay freezes sooner than other nearby bodies of water, so polar bears are able to get out to their food source more quickly from here than anywhere else. Indigenous people also used this hunting area for ringed seals during the winter, and at the Itsanitaq Museum, you can learn more about the Canadian Inuit people who've lived on this land for thousands of years. For more information on the local wildlife, Polar Bears International House helps people understand more about the mammals, their current conservation efforts, and how you can help.

Churchill is around 640 miles north of Winnipeg, just south of the Arctic of Canada. The temperature lowers significantly from September to December, and it can often get below freezing. Bring warm clothes and layers to stay comfortable and safe. You should also bring extra batteries for your camera or an external charger for your phone since being in the cold can drain them more quickly than usual — and you won't want to miss getting shots of the polar bears in their natural habitat.

Being prepared with the right gear for the cold weather is just the start of the logistical considerations for a visit to Churchill. There are no roads into the town; it's only accessible by plane or train. With prices starting at around $200, trains to Churchill leave from Winnipeg twice a week, and it takes nearly 48 hours to get there. Flying to and from Churchill cuts the travel time down to just 2.5 hours, though prices can be over $1,500 for a round-trip in the fall.

Given how remote Churchill is and the fact that there can be polar bears wandering through town, you should plan to go with a tour group or a guide. One popular option is to go out on a tundra buggy day trip — the massive vehicles will keep you safe from any bears you might encounter. For more immersive options, stay at lodges in or near Churchill, where you can go looking for polar bears on foot or experience the animals coming right up to your cabin. Some companies offer all-inclusive tours for eight to nine days to help maximize your chances of seeing polar bears. Many of these tours include the cost of the flight from Winnipeg.

Like other once-in-a-lifetime vacation destinations, it is going to cost money and time to get to Churchill. Sadly, the number of polar bears in the Hudson Bay area has been dropping due to the effects of climate change. So it could be one of those things to see while you can, and if you love animals, it will definitely be worth it. You could also see other tundra wildlife, like Arctic foxes, snowy owls, beluga whales, and more. Plus, Churchill is one of the great places to see the Northern Lights. You can see an auroral display over 300 nights every year, and there are even heated domes a short drive from town where you can watch them comfortably. To complete your autumn trip, head to one of Canada's best places to view Northern Lights for a fall-colored haven.