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how to dress when out on the tundra
We leave for the Polar Bear trip in a week and wonder what exactly people wear when out looking for polar bears?! We're bring warm jackets, hats and gloves plus long undies but I just wonder what else we'll need.
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I would add warm scarves for the neck, sunscreen for the face and sunglasses. Footwear with sturdy soles for walking about while not actively exploring for the bears. Have a great time.
We leave November for Manitoba & appreciate your clothing discussion. We just bought each of us a pair of North Face Polartec Denali fleece pants for Polar bear days. Do you think they could be overkill & could just long undies be sufficient? (A lot of comments on this trip are from awhile ago. Curious how global warming is —or is not—affecting the weather there too.)
Since you already purchased the pants, take them. It's the wind in that region that makes the temperatures bitterly cold. Yes, with the ravages of global warming it is anyone's guess what the weather will be like. What is known is that the polar bear population is dwindling. You are fortunate to be able to witness those majestic creatures. Enjoy the tour and please consider posting a review afterwards.
Bring a good moisturizer/cream for your face and protection for your lips.
You won't be getting off the vehicle while bear watching!!!
Dress for extreme cold. Polartec pants and wind proof pants over them preferably ones that zip from the ankles to the waist so those cDNA be easily taken off. That’s what I did.
Of course you do not leave the vehicles.
Onthego - if you can post any comments on your experience upon your return - that would be. (We leave on Nov.5)
Thanks all for comments
@onthego - My daughter and I went on this trip last October. It was wonderful. The tundra vehicles are heated so wear layers so that you are comfortable while looking for polar bears! When on the outside platform on the vehicle, it was often windy. You'll want all your skin covered. Recommend snow boots for when you are outside. You'll need all your layers for dogsledding! Have a great time!
When I was on Tauck's Manitoba tour a few years ago, we all were inside a "tundra vehicle" and never stopped anywhere to get out of it to see the polar bears. I do remember seeing some cars stop (they were not on any tour that I could tell from inside our tundra vehicle), where people got out of their cars to take pictures of some of those polar bears; quite dangerous if you ask me but people are nuts. It is similar to when some people approached animals in Yellowstone National Park to take pictures of them and get into trouble. The only time I ever wore thermal underwear, heavy coats, boots, etc., was a few years ago on a cold snowy February day when I and 8 others each with our own snowmobile road 100 miles all day long throughout Yellowstone National Park, half the time in a blizzard, following taking Tauck's "Winter in Yellowstone" tour. A wonderful experience and yes, I did need to wear all of those clothes that day. :-)
Just came back and posted my suggestions on the travel forum. I said to bring WARM clothes - long underwear, warm hats, gloves, boots, neck warmer and scarf and gloves!! It's cold AND windy!!! also bring snow pants especially when dog mushing!!! Was a wonderful trip - it's icing over so the bears are coming. We saw 7 on the second day, including a mother and cub!!! I hope this is helpful Travelam28.!
Onthego - thanks for posting - helpful to hear current comments & experiences. Glad you enjoyed!
Returned from Manitoba trip few days ago. Loved those Polar Bears! Enjoyed watching 30+ over our 2 days on the tundra. Our coldest time was the half-hour outside at the Dog Sledding location. Great group of people on our trip. Kudos to Rob—our tour director— for leading us this unique adventure.
So glad you enjoyed it. We saw 12 bears and thought that was good. The later, the better!!! Rob certainly was a great tour director! As we think about that trip, it certainly was one of our favorite - short but unusual!
If you haven’t been to Africa or Antarctica; those are the most memorable trips that I feel are on the planet.