Answer the call of the wild wolves and discover the thrill of tracking, watching, photographing and studying these enigmatic creatures.

Whether you are a wolf lover dreaming of seeing and hearing them in the wild, a photographer chasing National Geographic-worthy images, or a naturalist craving field experience—or all three!—our nine-day Cloud Wolves Expedition will take you on an unforgettable journey.

Your base is the beautiful Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge in the heart of the Kaska Coast, an uninhabited wilderness ten times the size of Yellowstone National Park. Far from civilisation and never hunted, the resident packs of cloud wolves (Canis lupus nubilus) have no fear of humans, making for encounters and photography unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

Together with the naturalist guides and National Geographic photographer Jad Davenport, you will venture on foot and by snow machine and komatiq (Inuit sled) through spruce forests and over tundra and sea ice on your quest to find and follow the wolves. White and black and every shade in between, these wolves are among the largest on Earth and the only ones known to hunt polar bears. But cloud wolves aren’t the only creatures out here. Depending on ice conditions, polar bears are sometimes seen; more regular visitors include moose, red and silver fox, ptarmigan and snowy owls.

DATES:

2022: November 16-25, November 23-December 2 

2023: November 16-25, November 23-December 2

PRICES: From £18,499 per person based on twin share

ITINERARY

Arrive in Winnipeg where you will enjoy a relaxing stay at our choice hotel, The Grand by Lakeview at the Winnipeg Airport. Before meeting the rest of your group at an orientation dinner hosted by a Churchill Wild representative, you will be kitted out with top-of-the-line winter gear for your adventure.

Arrive in Churchill by air, met and transferred by fixed wing aircraft to Nanuk Polar Bear Lodge. This exciting 75-minute flight takes you over Wapusk National Park as well as the historic York Factory. Keep a sharp eye en-route for wildlife including the great ice bears. Upon arrival, your hosts will provide a tour of the Lodge and get you settled into your room. A thorough orientation on travelling in polar bear country will be provided prior to any outings. Time permitting, you’ll head out for a shakedown hike. Dusk falls around 4:00 pm. which means it’s time for sundowners and the first of many fine meals from the award-winning Blueberries & Polar Bears cookbooks.

Days 3 to 7 - Kaska Coast

Enjoy a hearty breakfast and morning briefing. After breakfast, it’s time to head on safari! These daily safaris (usually one in the morning and one in the afternoon) are a chance for your guides to track the wolf packs and get you as close as possible to observe and photograph their behaviour and social interactions.

While it’s possible to observe wolves right from the viewing decks at the lodge, wolves regularly travel to hunt and mark their territory; they can easily cover 40km a day. Hosts keep in close radio contact with our scouts as they monitor activity at various points along the coast. With your small group size and high-guide ratio, you are able move quickly along a network of established safari trails.

After morning safaris, you’ll head back to the lodge to enjoy a light lunch and some well-earned downtime. By early afternoon you’ll head back into the field. Some days, depending on wildlife and weather, an all-day safari may be offered.

For those interested in becoming involved with the citizen-science wolf study, the safaris are also a chance to conduct field work. You’ll have opportunities to collect trailcam images, cast animal tracks, study social relationships, map territories, conduct and record howl surveys, and gather traditional knowledge from First Nation oral histories. Participants will receive a yearly update on the study.

Evenings at Nanuk are a chance to unwind beside the fire and enjoy a nightly happy hour followed by a delicious dinner. Some nights there will be short presentations on wolf biology and natural history, storytelling and wildlife photography.

The Kaska Coast boasts over 300 nights a year of Auroral activity, making it one of the best places in the world to see the dazzling Northern Lights. November can be stormy, but if the skies are clear and the solar winds are active, your hosts will wake you up for a dazzling show. Jad will be on hand to help you set up your cameras and capture the haunting beauty. This is your expedition.

Take an afternoon or morning off if you wish (or a couple) and have the lodge to yourself. Relax by the fire with coffee and brownies. Some ofthe best wildlife viewing happens right from the lodge. You never know who might wander up to the window and look in on you.

After breakfast it’s time for one last goodbye-howl to the wolves before you fly back to Churchill and on to Winnipeg. Back in town, you’ll spend the day with one of the tour guides exploring the town and surrounding area and learning about its rich history as a seaport and ex-military base.

Your tour will include highlights such as the Parks Canada exhibit, the Itsanitaq Museum, the Polar Bear Jail, chatting with the Cree and Inuit ladies sewing moose-hide mitts at the Arctic Trading Post, or learning about the Lost Franklin Expedition while gazing at the stained-glass memorial in St. Paul’s Anglican Church. Along the way, your guide will point out murals that were commissioned in 2016 as part of the SeaWalls mural festival. Before a group dinner, your guide will give you free time to shop for last-minute souvenirs at the unique gift stores in Churchill.

Your flight south to Winnipeg will take place this evening. Upon arrival, collect your bags, head out of the arrivals doors and back to The Grand Hotel.

After a restful sleep back at The Grand by Lakeview, you will pack your bags in preparation for your flight home.