Seal River Heritage Lodge

Wildlife
Culture
Luxury
Photography
Birdwatching

Spot polar bears at this cosy lodge at the edge of the Arctic

Seal River Heritage Lodge sits on the shore of Hudson Bay, 60 kilometres north of Churchill and reachable only by small plane. Founded in 1994 by Mike and Jeanne Reimer, it was the first place in the world where guests could walk with polar bears on foot, and the lodge itself has grown organically from a two-bedroom research cabin into eight en-suite double rooms in a fenced, remote compound. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the dining room and a viewing tower maximise chances of spotting bears from indoors.

Walk the tundra to observe polar bears at close range in summer and fall, or pull on a dry suit to swim alongside beluga whales gathering at the Seal River estuary in July and August. Watch for Arctic fox and hare on the fenced grounds, and stay up for the northern lights. Staff will wake guests if a good display gets underway.

Sustainability

Climate & conservation

Runs almost entirely off-grid on solar energy with battery storage
Ground-level, on-foot polar bear viewing with no vehicles or roads
Minimises single-use plastics and composts food waste

Community & culture

Family-owned and run by Mike and Jeanne Reimer, pioneers of walking polar bear safaris
Works with local suppliers and Indigenous communities on conservation tourism

Commercial

National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World member

In brief

Price bracket: ££££
Type of property: Lodge
No. of rooms: 16 rooms
Max guests per room: Eight guest rooms (queen, king, twin, family), each sleeping 2 or more
Facilities: Restaurant, Bar, Tours desk, Library, Fireplace, Airport transfer
Activities: Wildlife viewing, Photography workshops, Birdwatching, Cultural experiences, Arctic research
Setting: Arctic · Tundra · Remote

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome; those 12 and under receive a 10 per cent discount, and the physically demanding tundra treks should be discussed with the operator in advance

Accessibility

Reached only by a 30-minute charter flight from Churchill; the lodge and viewing platforms are set on tundra terrain, not step-free or suited to limited mobility

££££pp / night Visit website

Guide price · £ <£100 · ££ £100–300 · £££ £300–800 · ££££ £800+ pp / night