Money

What it costs and what happens if you cancel

We do not publish a headline price, because the operator does not publish one either — and inventing a number to win a click would make this guide worthless. Here is everything about the money that is published.

How payment is structured

• CAD 500 deposit plus applicable taxes holds a seat
• Balance due 30 days after booking, invoiced by email
• Booking inside 90 days of departure? Full payment due immediately
• Once the deposit clears, the total price is locked
• Prices are quoted in Canadian dollars and exclude taxes and added fees
• Major credit cards, Apple Pay, cheque and e-transfer accepted

What the package includes

The operator describes this as all-inclusive: return charter airfare, ground transfers in Churchill, the guided Tundra Buggy® excursion, guide and tour fees, breakfast, lunch and the banquet dinner, beverages, and gratuities.

What it does not include

• Travel insurance of any kind — the operator does not sell it
• Applicable taxes and fees, which sit on top of the quoted price
• Getting yourself to Calgary or Edmonton, and a hotel the night before
• Anything you buy in the Churchill galleries and shops

The refund rule, read carefully

This is the part worth ten minutes of your attention.

Money paid is non-refundable unless stated otherwise. That is the default position and it applies from the moment the deposit clears.

There is one mechanism that returns your money. Because these tours run full and the operator keeps a short-notice waitlist, if you cancel they will attempt to resell your seat. If they succeed, you can either move your reservation to a date the following year or take a full refund. If they do not succeed, cancelling 90 or more days out forfeits the deposit, and cancelling 89 days or fewer out forfeits the entire trip price.

So your refund depends on demand at the moment you cancel — not on how much notice you gave. That is unusual, and it is the single most misread clause in the contract.

Transferring instead of cancelling

A booking can be handed to another person aged 18 or over at no charge, provided they meet the travel requirements. Transfers must be arranged more than seven days before travel. If you have a plausible substitute, this is usually cleaner than cancelling.

If the operator cancels

They reserve the right to cancel up to 30 days before departure, with a full refund. Under force majeure — weather, mechanical failure, government orders and similar — they will reschedule or refund the tour booking, but will not cover your other costs such as hotels or flights to the gateway city.