CHURCHILL BELUGAS & BEARS

Please book early!: Our space being held for this tour can be taken away from us at any time if demand is high. The Churchill hotel, Churchill airline, and Tundra Buggy all impose strict cancellation policies due to the high demand and the difficulty of re-selling space if a late cancellation occurs. All payments that Wells Gray Tours makes to the Churchill tour operator are non-refundable. We must commit to using all contracted services by April 9, 2026, therefore early booking on this tour is vital. Penalties for cancellation are detailed on the next page. Therefore, waiting too long to book usually means “Sorry, wait until next time this tour is offered.”

Tundra Buggy: The tour spends most of one day in a Tundra Buggy, a large six-wheel drive vehicle specially designed and built for off-road travel. Riding on huge low-pressure agricultural tires, the Tundra Buggy can move safely over the ground. It has comfortable seats and is equipped with a heater (if needed), restroom, and radio communication to Churchill. Sliding glass windows permit an unobstructed view. With the floor at a height of 2.1 metres and the windows opening at 3 metres, passengers are high enough to be safe from animals. There will be other travellers on board.

Limited accommodation: Accommodation in Churchill is very limited and the demand for rooms is far greater than availability. Wells Gray Tours has never run a summer Churchill tour before, although we do offer the Churchill Polar Bears tour (next departure October 2027). This tour is limited to 15 people. Churchill lodging is best described as basic and comfortable.

Rooms for singles: Only 1 single seat is available. Don’t delay in booking if you prefer to travel single.

Gratuities: are included for local guides, museum docents, boat crew, and Manitoba drivers. The customary gratuity to the Wells Gray tour director is not included and left to your discretion.

Comprehensive travel insurance: Comprehensive travel insurance is required by the Churchill tour company including without limitation medical, emergency evacuation, trip cancellation, and interruption insurance. If you do not buy insurance through Wells Gray Tours, it is essential that you check your policy carefully. Insurance with your credit card or employee benefits may not cover what you need.

Wells Gray Tour Director: Wells Gray Tour Director is with you on August 11 (starting from Kamloops, Kelowna or Victoria) and August 12 and sees you onto your Churchill flight on August 13. A Churchill guide looks after all your activities from August 13 to 17.

Flight seating: We are unable to take requests for window or aisle seating on the planes. The airline will not accept them, as group seating is assigned as a block. If this is important to you, we suggest you take the “No Flight” option with a fare reduction of $900 and book your own flight which allows seat selection. This applies to the British Columbia to Winnipeg and return flights only.

Flight delays or cancellations: In the event flights are delayed or cancelled by airlines due to weather or other reasons, there may be additional costs to you. Wells Gray Tours will not pay for hotel rooms and meals during the delay. Most travel insurance policies cover expenses incurred for flight delays.

Payments: A deposit of $1,000 per person is requested at the time of booking and the balance is due April 9, 2026. By paying the deposit, you agree to the Terms & Conditions, Activity Level 3 Declaration, and Cancellation Policy outlined. Payments can be made by online banking or cheque (3% discount on tour fare), or by Visa or Mastercard.

Early Booking Bonus: Receive a $200 discount on the first 4 seats and $100 on the next 2 seats for booking early with deposit. The discount is not offered after April 9, 2026.

Cancellation Policy: Up to March 9, 2026, the cancellation charge is $850 per person. From March 10 to April 9, the cancellation charge is $1000 per person (your deposit). From April 10 to June 10, the cancellation charge is 50% of the tour fare. After June 10, there is no refund. Wells Gray Tours cannot adjust these penalties or dates as they are imposed by the Churchill package supplier.

Itinerary and Fare Changes: Our many suppliers may notify us about changes to the itinerary prior to departure and sometimes during the tour. We do our best to substitute a similar service if something cancels, but occasionally the only alternative is to provide a refund for the missed activity. Please note that if we are forced to cancel a tour component due to an issue beyond our control, the current penalties still apply if you choose to cancel the entire tour. Fuel surcharges and changes to taxes or other tour costs can occur at any time, therefore Wells Gray Tours reserves the right to increase fares due to such changes up to departure.

Travel Insurance: Travel in Canada's North is not like other parts of the world. You will be travelling to a remote destination. Comprehensive Travel Insurance coverage is mandatory. A Comprehensive Insurance policy is available through Wells Gray Tours and coverage is provided by Travel Guard. Policies purchased at deposit include a waiver of the pre-existing condition clause for medical and cancellation claims, otherwise policies can be purchased no later than at final payment. This tour stays in Canada, but medical costs can vary wildly from one province to another. While your BC Services Card may partly cover you for a medical issue that arises during the tour, you will probably benefit from trip cancellation and trip interruption coverage in case of illness or a mishap before or during the tour. Many other benefits such as luggage insurance are included. Medical questionnaire is not needed. Please contact us for details. If you have your own travel insurance, please read the policy carefully to be sure that you are adequately covered for medical, emergency evacuation, cancellation, interruption, and luggage.

Photo Credits: © Alex Cupeiro/Frontiers North Adventures (Zodiac Excursion on cover), Eric Lindberg/Frontiers North Adventures (Tundra Buggy and kayak), and Zhang Yongpeng/Frontiers North Adventures (Belugas with Zodiac).

Experience Points: This tour earns 155 Experience Points or e-points. Each time you travel on a Wells Gray tour, you earn e-points. One e-point equals $1. Redeem your points on select tours or accumulate enough points to earn a free tour! Redemptions offered until April 9, 2026.

Consumer Protection BC Licences:: Kamloops 178, Vernon 655, Kelowna 588, Penticton 924, Victoria 65842