Manitoba – On The Road with Tall Guy & JET

I was born in Tokyo, Japan, and flew to the US for the first time when I was six months old. By the time I reached 21, I had seen more of the world than many people do in a lifetime.

my first very own passport, issued in 1973 (back in those days, young children were listed with their mother)

After TG and I tied the knot, we continued to travel and have experienced a lifetime of adventures together.

Before COVID-19 shut the world down in 2020, we had planned several bucket list destinations. After countries opened again, we took one international trip, an experience we were not eager to repeat any time soon. In the meantime, we discovered the joys of road trips with our two pups, and as of this writing, we have traveled with Oscar and Maddie to 29 states and four Canadian provinces.

But one dream remained close to my heart: to see polar bears in the wild. The thought of being in the presence of these majestic creatures filled me with an overwhelming sense of awe. The journey to reach them is not easy, as they are not accessible by car, and the cost of airfare and the remote location make it a significant investment. Since TG did not share my passion, we decided I would take this trip solo while he stayed home with the pups.

The most practical place to see polar bears is in Churchill, Manitoba. Peak bear season is from mid-October to early November when the bears tend to be most active, gathering on the shores of Hudson Bay and waiting for the ice to freeze before setting out to hunt seals. So, it’s a short season with limited options for accommodations and tour companies.

After thorough research, we settled on the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. Their six-day/five-night “learning vacations” cover everything: accommodations, meals, and the opportunity to see polar bears up close. In addition to bear sightings and other wildlife encounters, they include a helicopter tour of Hudson Bay and an afternoon of dog sledding.

Churchill Northern Studies Centre Welcome Package

The prospect of learning from experts each evening, which appealed to the “science geek” in me, was a bonus. And the group setting—sleeping dormitory-style with shared meals—was perfect for a solo traveler like me.

You can find more information about this trip, as well as their other learning vacations here:

Learning Vacations – Churchill Northern Studies Centre (churchillscience.ca)

The facility is located inside the Churchill Wildlife Management Area, 14 miles from town. Curious polar bears and other wildlife will sometimes approach the building,

And there was a chance I might even see the Northern Lights during my stay.

the Centre has a webcam where you can watch the aurora live! (screen grab from 10-10-24)

We booked the Oct 31-Nov 5, 2024 “Lords of the Arctic” dates and roundtrip airfare from Atlanta to Churchill, with an overnight in Winnipeg at the front and back of the trip. All I had left to do was pack my suitcase!

So, zip up your warmest jacket, grab your sense of adventure, and join me on a thrilling journey into the Arctic wilderness, where polar bears reign as lords!

Coming Next: My Lords of the Arctic learning vacation

The drive from Stewart, B.C., to Excel, Alabama, takes at least eight days and seven nights. This is too far to attempt straight through – too many back-to-back nights in hotels would not suit us or the pups. So, after our first three nights, including a quick drive through Jasper and Banff, we stopped in Ochre River, Manitoba, for four nights.

Ochre River, a quaint town with a population of about 1000, is strategically located just 20 minutes from the north entrance to Riding Mountain National Park, one of two national parks in Manitoba. We chose to stay at Lois’s Airbnb, a charming old farmhouse on the outskirts of town that offered a peaceful retreat and a convenient base for our adventures.

You can find her listing here:

Mountain view – Houses for Rent in Ochre River, Manitoba, Canada – Airbnb

Riding Mountain National Park consistently makes the Top Ten list of things to do in Manitoba, and it’s easy to see why – the sheer beauty of the over 1,100 square miles makes it a perfect destination for nature lovers. Plus, it’s three overnights from Casa-Bama, making it a convenient place to stop for R&R while on road trips. This brief “layover” was a chance to check it out for future visits, either as a stand-alone destination or as a place to catch our breath on longer trips.

Most of Riding Mountain’s visitors are there to hike, bike, or horseback ride on the 250 miles of trails. But since our visit was so short, and at the end of a two-month road trip, we chose to drive along the scenic roads.

The Visitor’s Center, all the shops, and most campsites (hence most people) are in the park’s southern end, in Wasagaming. Once we were north of the hustle and bustle, the park was quieter, with more wildlife activity.

Riding Mountain National Park Visitor’s Center

On our first morning, we drove into Dauphin, about 20 minutes away, to stock up on the few groceries we would need for our stay. That afternoon, we checked out Riding Mountain. A considerable amount of rain had fallen in the past few weeks, and the unpaved roads were muddy. We drove the Lake Audy Road to the bison enclosure, splashing through puddles and potholes the 15 miles each way. We did not see much on the drive, and by the time we were back on 10 – the main road that runs through the center of the park – our poor car was covered in mud!

Opting for paved roads for the rest of our stay, we headed to Wasagaming and saw several deer.

white-tailed deer near Wasagaming townsite

We stopped at the Visitors Center, and as we started our journey back north, we were graced by the sight of a beautiful cinnamon morph black bear. After experiencing the chaos of Yellowstone bear jams, it was refreshing to witness such a calm encounter. She was happily grazing along the side of the road, unfazed by the few cars that had stopped to watch her. No one blocked traffic, and no one got out of their vehicle. It was a serene moment, a stark contrast to the frenetic energy of Yellowstone.

Thrilled with such a magnificent sighting on our first visit to the park, we headed home, our hearts racing with excitement, to plan the remainder of our stay.

We were at the park by 6:50 the following day, and within two hours, we saw four black bears—one a cinnamon morph—and several deer.

Multiple cars drove by as we watched alongside the road, but no one stopped. We once again marveled at how “chill” Riding Mountain wildlife sightings were compared to the frenzy of Yellowstone.

However, the recent rains had made the mosquitoes relentless. The moment we lowered the windows, they swarmed the car. Merely an annoyance to me, TG was instantly covered in painful bites, making photography almost insufferable. Pack your insect repellent if you plan a trip to Riding Mountain in July!

We went back for a late afternoon drive through the park. During this visit, we spied three more bears, all in the park’s northern half. In our limited experience, we had already concluded that there were two types of bear sightings: if the bear was on the move, running across the road, there was no point in stopping. That bear wanted nothing to do with us.

But if she were going about the business of grazing, paying us no attention, we could stop for photos and sooner or later get the “full face” shot we hoped for.

We stopped at a quiet spot for a picnic supper and watched a pine marten run across the road. Our bear count was up to eight for our three visits, and although we did not see another on this trip, we were thrilled with the sightings we had and the photos we took.

If I’ve piqued your interest in Riding Mountain and you would like to plan a trip, here is an excellent article by Road Trip Manitoba. It covers everything from the park’s history to places to stay to the best hiking trails.

The COMPLETE Guide for Visiting Riding Mountain National Park (roadtripmanitoba.com)

To view our joint photo set from Riding Mountain, click below:

Happy planning and stay tuned for more from On the Road with Tall Guy & JET!

Tag: Manitoba

My Learning Vacation: Prelude

Trip Report: Riding Mountain National Park