Travel Document Requirements –
If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Canada. You do not require a visa for the short duration of this tour.
If you are frequent traveler to Canada from the U.S., you may benefit from the NEXUS program, which is a joint initiative between the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency and the Canada Border Services Agency that allows pre-screened and approved travelers faster processing at dedicated processing lanes at designated northern border ports of entry, at NEXUS kiosks at Canadian Preclearance airports, and at marine reporting locations. For further information, you may log on to the Nexus Internet site by clicking here.
If you are a citizen of another country, please contact a Canadian embassy or consulate to determine what travel documentation will be required. If you will be visiting the U.S. before or after your tour, you may need a multiple-entry visa for the U.S. and should contact an embassy or consulate of the U.S. before booking your tour.
Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.
Anyone with a criminal record (including some misdemeanors such as Driving While Impaired (DWI) charges) may be excluded or removed from Canada, and should contact a Canadian embassy or consulate well in advance of any planned travel to ensure proper travel documentation.
We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Travel with Children –
Age Recommendations ― Children 5 years of age or older at the time of travel are welcome on this Tauck journey. Based upon our experience with family travelers, we have a minimum recommended age for each journey to encourage comfort and enjoyment for all of our guests. All activities are available for children 8 years of age or older. All children must be accompanied on activities by a parent or guardian. At least one guest in the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older in order to make a reservation.
Babysitting ― Our journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. if you require babysitting services, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer on-site babysitting services; however, babysitting services may not be available at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility ― We welcome the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with us, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children
Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a notarized note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (parent deceased, sole custody, etc.), other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, or a death certificate, will be useful.
Many other countries also share this concern for children who travel without both parents. To ensure smooth travel, we require you to comply with the travel regulations of each country visited. This information may be obtained from a country’s consulate or embassy.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents (including other pertinent documents as cited above) authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
Children who are U.S. citizens must have a passport valid for at least six months beyond the completion of the journey.
We are not responsible for the disruption of travel caused by the improper documentation of any guest, including children traveling without both parents. While there is no definitive format or standard, click here to view a sample letter for guardians or one parent traveling with a child.
Air Conditioning – The Inn at the Forks and the motor coaches used on this tour are air-conditioned for your comfort; the Lazy Bear Lodge is not.
ATM and Credit Cards – We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing on this tour to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be “suspicious” charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of both sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Clothing and Packing – Your journey through Manitoba is casual. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering as it will be cold. Comfortable, cotton or fleece clothing is suggested. We recommend bringing warm and layered clothing like long underwear, snug but comfortable fitting outerwear, a fleece jacket or sweater. Outer clothing should consist of a windproof material, with an attached hood or a very warm hat. For travel in October and November, you will experience cold temperatures and will need to dress accordingly. Although no special attire is required for dining, you may wish to dress more formally for the welcome and farewell receptions.
Most importantly, bring comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes for Winnipeg and waterproof boots for Churchill, that have already been broken-in. It is important that your shoes and boots have good ankle support, as we visit some sites where paths and stairs may be uneven, unpaved, slippery and wet.
Valet laundry services are available at Inn of the Forks, but not at the Lazy Bear Lodge.
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.
We recommend that tyou pack the following items for travel to Manitoba:
- Comfortable, cotton clothing
- Long pants
- Long sleeve shirts
- Long underwear
- Snug but comfortable windproof outerwear with an attached hood or a very warm hat
- Pair of wind or ski pants
- Fleece jacket or sweater
- Lined gloves with an upper extension to cover your wrist
- Warm insulated boots
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Gym wear
- Comfortable walking shoes with adequate ankle support
- Camera, lenses, extra batteries, memory cards and plenty of film
- Battery-operated travel alarm clock
- Collapsible umbrella
- Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling
Elevation - The maximum elevation on this journey is 781 feet (238 meters) in Winnipeg.
Health – You should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances over moderately uneven terrain, sometimes covered with snow and ice. To participate in the dog sledding experience, you will choose either to travel inside a cozy dog sled wrapped in a “polar bear” blanket or drive on the back of the sleigh with your musher and feel the fresh, cold, Arctic air on a ride along well-groomed trails. During the two full-day polar bear sightseeing excursions, you will travel in a tundra vehicle, which has a modest restroom facility onboard. No one is allowed off the vehicles for the duration of the eight-hour excursion. A picnic lunch is served onboard.
The Inn at the Forks is a smoke-free property.
The Lazy Bear Lodge does not serve alcohol. The town of Churchill has several restaurants and bars that do serve alcohol, so it is not a dry town. You may have alcohol in your room, but not in a public space while at the Lazy Bear.
We regret that we are unable to accommodate wheelchairs or scooters on this tour. We also regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you require such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.
Throughout the tour, we will provide you with clean and safe drinking water.
If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify Tauck as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.
If you are a citizen of the U.S., no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Canada. For complete vaccination information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). To inquire about international travel health advice from a CDC representative, you may dial 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636). You may also log on to the CDC Internet website by clicking here.
If you are a citizen of another country, please contact a Canadian embassy or consulate to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.
Luggage Restrictions -
Special Luggage Restrictions for this Tour
Due to on-tour flights, only one average-size piece of checked luggage per person, weighing up to 50 lbs (22.7 kg) is allowed. Luggage exceeding these restrictions is at risk of being left behind, or, if permitted on board, may be subject to additional excess luggage charges. In addition, guests are limited to one carry-on bag per person.
Checked Luggage – General
While it is common that airlines allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
In addition, airlines have adopted more strict policies in enforcing size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, Tauck cannot be held liable to the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage size and weight may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers.
Tauck cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage size, piece or weight policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!
Carry-on Luggage – General
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and only those items you need handy during the day such as purses, make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or in the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may not be accessible during daytime travel.