Swim with Polar Bears

Number of people that have walked on the moon: 12

Number of people that have been diving with polar bears: 5

Could you see yourself joining this epic BigAnimals Expedition to be the sixth?
Are you ready to join this BigAnimals Expedition into the aquatic life of the polar bear?

*Dates and pricing are subject to change without prior notice due to weather conditions, animal behavior, and currency fluctuation.

Location

Northern Canada

Guests

2

Duration

11 Days

Transportation

Charter flights and two vessels

Activities

Photography
Swimming
Hunting on rocks for birds and eggs

Price and Dates

Choose an option

August 5 - 16, 2023

$147,000.00

2 in stock

Dates (Swim with Polar Bears)

Clear

33% Deposit = 33% per item

33% Deposit Full Amount

Schedule

Day 1
Fly to Winnipeg, Canada and transfer to our designated hotel

Day 2
Early morning fly to the remote settlement on Baffin Island, Baker Lake, our first staging area. Review and check all diving and cold weather gear. Pack personal, cameras and team gear, fuel, compressor, tanks, weight and generator.

Day 3
With favorable weather conditions, we prepare two charter planes. We load fuel, 2,200 gallon on one plane and gear on the second plane with the team on a three hour flight to an isolated and remote location. Upon arrival, we coordinate with the Inuit team arriving from their village some 400 miles away by two vessels. With the planes landing on a dirt strip, we unload all the gear and fuel and reload the gear on board the Inuit vessel transferring us to the selected beach our base of operation and tent accommodation.

Days 4-9
For the next six days, weather allowing, the Inuit guides will decide if and when we shall go to sea in search for polar bear family swimming. At this time of the year, most of the ice is already gone. Bears in this remote location are move between islands in search of food other than seals such as birds and eggs. After earthy breakfasts and strong coffee from the Inuit chef, we prepare dive and camera gear, load the vessel and search for polar bear family swimming. On every dive, only one guest will be in the water while Adam and Amos guide, protect and film the guest in the water. Guests alternate the order of getting in the water.

Day 10
We unpack our camp, pack all gear, collect our fuel drums, and leave nothing behind. We leave the place as we find it with limited impact on the bear and the pristine environment. We load the vessel and transfer back to the dirt strip where we previously landed. When the two charter planes arrive, we load the fuel drums and gear, say goodbye and thank the dedicated Inuit that brought us here and guided us safely into this extreme adventure. We then arrive at Bakers Lake, unload the planes, take hot showers and prepare for our flight to mainland Canada.

Day 11
Transfer to the airport with our personal gear on the flight to Winnipeg. Enjoy a farewell dinner and spend the night.

Day 12
Transfer to airport according to flight schedules

Conditions

Temperature
Day 23 – 50°F (-5 – 10°C)
Night 14 – -4°F (-10 – -20°C)
Visibility
50 – 100 feet (15 – 15 meters)

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Accommodations

4 hotels nights on the way ot the staging area
Camping

Included

6 days and 7 nights on remote beach
4 charter flights
4 hotel nights on the way to the staging area
Charging station (camera and computer)
Diving equipment (compressor, tanks, and weights)
5 Inuit guides for support
Two vessels
Expedition leaders

Excluded

International and domestic flights
Overweight baggage fees
Alcohol and soft drinks (soda)
Additional cost incurred due to personal travel arrangements
Personal charges such as laundry, fishing, or telecommunication charges
Gratuities

Getting there

Book your flight to Winnipeg, Canada, where we will then transport you to the destination via private charter.

Our dedicated Inuit team facilitates transportation, food, sleeping arrangements, and more. They ensure we have everything we need to sustain ourselves in this harsh environment. We search for polar bears by boat all day. The preferred times to be in the water with them are around sunrise and sunset because of the superior photographic quality of low angle light.

We will eat salmon, caribou, reindeer, and any animals hunted by our Inuit guides and stay in minimalistic tents with mattresses and sleeping bags.

Amos and Adam have worked for years to create a safe environment for this unique encounter and they will be in the water with our guests at all times. In this incredibly harsh yet surprisingly fragile northern polar region of our planet, we offer the opportunity to be part of an experience more exclusive than walking on the moon. This journey will try your patience, test your endurance, and show you the Arctic in a way few humans have experienced.

Logistically, this is the most sophisticated operation we have run in the last 35 years. The intricacies of this challenging expedition rival the complexities of the security protocols for Area 51. The expedition location is extremely remote. We must travel 700 miles to even reach the desired region. There is nowhere to obtain the fuel we need throughout the journey, so all 2,200 gallons must be flown out in barrels that will be returned to their place of origin once they are empty. The planes are small. Consequently, we charter two of them, one to carry fuel and the other to carry guests and their gear.

It is of utmost importance to us throughout this trip that we conduct ourselves in the most sustainable way possible. No trace of our expedition will be left behind and we interact with the wildlife in the most respectful of ways to make sure our actions never alter the animal’s natural behavior.

Once we have arrived at our destination, we begin our transformation into a team of adventurers setting out together in search of an unprecedented experience in the wilderness of our polar north. There is only space for two guests. They will be sharing their time in the Arctic
with two extremely committed and experienced trip leaders, Amos Nachoum and Adam Ravetch, along with an incredibly knowledgeable ground team of Inuit guides and hunters.

Expedition Video

Expedition Leader

Amos Nachoum

Reservations

You can reserve now by either paying a 33% deposit through our online reservation system or by by mailing a check (Please see Payment Policy, Deposit, and Cancellation Information below — a 3.5% processing fee is applied to all online transactions)

If you’d prefer to mail a check to our office or arrange for a wire transfer, please get in touch with us via the Contact BigAnimals form below

Reserve Online*

Choose an option

August 5 - 16, 2023

$147,000.00

2 in stock

Dates (Swim with Polar Bears)

Clear

33% Deposit = 33% per item

33% Deposit Full Amount

* 3.5% processing fee applied to all online transactions — All prices $USD

*Dates and pricing are subject to change without prior notice due to weather conditions, animal behavior, and currency fluctuation.

Reserve by Check*

Please mail deposit check to:

Big Animals LLC
189 Evans Avenue, Suite A
Pacific Grove, CA 93950 USA

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Payment policy and deposit

When we receive your deposit, we will send you a comprehensive and detailed trip preparation document about the experience and the destination. All trip costs are subject to change without prior notice until your reservation is confirmed. All trips require you carry trip, health, and dive (if applicable) insurance. This information as well as your passport photo will be requested after you place your deposit.

Full payment is due no later than 90 days before departure. We reserve the right to sell any space that is not paid in full by 60 days before departure.

Additional information

Additional information

Dates (Swim with Polar Bears)	August 5 – 16, 2023, August 8 – 19, 2022