When we boarded the tiny plane in the far north of Canada, we weren't sure if the butterflies in our stomachs were the fear of flying in such a small plane or the excitement of the adventure. trip to come.
In just an hour, we would be landing in a remote camp by Hudson Bay, where we would spend the next 5 days hoping to cross paths with the Arctic's apex predator – polar bears
We have been lucky enough to embark on a number of amazing wildlife encounters, from swimming with orcas to visit a family of wild gorillasbut something made me think that this would be one of our most amazing events yet, and looking back, I can say that feeling was absolutely right.
The Arctic Kingdom camp is a collection of 6 small cabins located on the main Arctic polar bear migration route. Our cabin was decorated perfectly to match the vibe of the experience with polar bear pillows, polar bear wall art, and lots of quirks to remind you how remote this camp is. Our 'sink' was a metal mixing bowl with a hot water dispenser, and our shower drew water from a nearby frozen river. In addition to the cabins for sleeping, there was a communal cabin where we would eat and rest together.
We barely had time to settle in because, just as we were heading to the dining cabin, our guides announced that there was a polar bear just outside the camp. And with just outside the camp, they meant less than 10 feet from the fence.
Our Inuit expert, Moses and Cam, gave us a real-time tutorial on how to handle a polar bear encounter, using the 'green light red light' technique: moving closer only when the polar bear was moving towards and stopping when they stop.
I can't think of a better word to describe this experience than falling apart, and even that seems like an understatement. For more than 30 minutes, this polar bear looked at us so strangely as we looked at him and played around in the snow. It was so close that we could hear the polar bear breathing as we looked into each other's eyes.
The emotions of this meeting were so insane that we would have been very happy not to see another polar bear for the entire trip, but just as the first polar bear went away, ANOTHER polar bear approached the camp. This magical place wasn't just a polar bear migration route, it was a polar bear highway!
For the next 3 days, it felt like we were living inside a National Geographic documentary. We woke up every morning to the chef, Mish, dishing out amazing dishes like fluffy pancakes and eggs that would inspire us on our adventures. Our afternoons were spent taking hundreds of photos of every polar bear that came our way and the snow-white arctic fox that decided to make itself at home in our camp. We filled the polar bear-free hours with trips outside the camp and games of Canada's favorite sport, hockey. When our fingers were too stiff to move, we would go into the common room to warm ourselves with soup and coffee by the fire.
On the second to last day, we woke up to what could only be described as a dream come true – a mother and two polar bear cubs. The puppies were so curious, going closer to our camp and making little noises as they tried to say hello to us. This perfect little family positioned themselves outside our camp while the babies rolled around in the snow and shared a snack with their mother. Kara's eyes filled with tears, which could have been from the icy wind or the inexplicable experience of watching these majestic creatures in their natural habitat.
For those who know us, it will come as no surprise that we decided to end this magical journey with a polar plunge in the frozen Hudson Bay. It seemed to us that this was the best way to be one with the polar bears. Having done polar plunges in both Antarctica and the North Pole, we consider ourselves polar experts, but the adrenaline rush we get each time never gets old.
On our last night, as if to say goodbye, the northern lights made it a grand finale. The vibrant ribbons of green dancing across the night sky were some of the most spectacular we've seen in our lives – well worth standing outside in the bitter cold.
It is difficult to describe this experience in a way that does justice to how amazing it was to come face to face with all the wild polar bears. Check out our video documenting this once in a lifetime opportunity to experience it with your own eyes – we promise it will be well worth your time.
