The Parc Omega wolf cabin expertise is without doubt one of the most sought-after wildlife adventures in Canada. The following tips will assist you plan your go to.
It was nicely previous midnight once we had been woken by the howls. A unified cry erupted from the mouths of seven wolves standing simply on the opposite aspect of a pane of glass. My household jumped from our beds to gaze, in awe, at this majestic gathering occurring only a few ft from the foot of our beds.
The Alpha male should have heard us skittering throughout the ground, sleepy-eyed, to catch a glimpse of his pack. He turned and gave us an extended, glowing-eyed stare earlier than turning his face to the sky and letting out an extended, mournful wail on the moon.
This, unforgettable, expertise is the explanation that wolf cabins at Parc Omega, positioned in Montebello, Quebec, e book out months prematurely. And it was for that reason, that my household made the lengthy drive up from Toronto for our likelihood to have a horrible evening’s sleep.
What Is Parc Omega?
The Park Omega wolf cabin expertise is only one small a part of an enormous nature park that locations a few of essentially the most iconic wildlife in Canada in an accessible and interactive atmosphere that encourages interplay and up-close-and-personal encounters.
The park, which started its journey in 1985 earlier than launching to the general public in 1991, covers an enormous 2,000-acres of land within the Outaouais area of Quebec. The idyllic pure surroundings is specified by sections that mimic a few of Canada’s most spectacular landscapes together with the plains, the place bison roam, the Arctic tundra, the place you’ll find arctic foxes, and the rocky cliffs of the west the place mountain goats hop from ledge to ledge.
Parc Omega has change into probably the most widespread issues to do in Quebec. The driving path, which passes via all the iconic sections of the park, is a three-hour expertise during which elk, deer, wild boar, and even huge plains bison stroll lazily by your automotive window, often poking their heads inside in quest of a tasty carrot to munch on.
Not like animal experiences within the wild, the place you must by no means feed wildlife, at Parc Omega, guests are inspired to feed the wildlife. The fixed carrot treats imply that these animals have tailored to those partaking human interactions.
Though there are some animals whose temperaments are nonetheless too unpredictable to permit them to have interaction with the company. These animals, together with moose, bears, wolves, and mountain goats, might be noticed from a distance of their giant, fenced pens.
Past the interactive wildlife experiences, Parc Omega additionally has on-site eating experiences, out of doors playgrounds, a farm the place guests can find out about and have interaction with home animals, a sugar shack that serves up maple treats, and even dog-sledding and tubing in the course of the winter months.
There are additionally a great deal of out of doors experiences together with parks, a present store (that really sells cool stuff and never simply crappy trinkets), a really cool treetop trekking park for youths, and even horse and carriage rides. You’ll additionally discover an fascinating First Nations path created to pay respect to aboriginal experiences and cultures in Quebec.
The preferred attraction at this wildlife park is the Parc Omega wolf cabins. This assortment of chalets, cabins, and lodges is adjoining to a number of the wolf habitats, permitting for probably the most intimate experiences possible with these unimaginable predators.
The place Is Parc Omega?
This Quebec wildlife park, which is positioned simply an hour from the Canadian capital has change into of of the most well-liked aspect journeys for these visiting Ottawa with youngsters. It’s additionally a straightforward 1.5-hour drive from Montreal to Parc Omega, which means that this unimaginable nature expertise typically attracts guests from each giant cities. (Tip, for those who’re coming from Montreal and don’t need to drive your personal automotive via the park, you possibly can e book a guided tour from the town right here.)
Parc Omega is positioned within the small city of Montebello and has some fabulous eating places, small accommodations, and experiences that may simply flip a go to to Parc Omega right into a full long-weekend outing.
The Park Omega Wolf Cabin Expertise
For those who’re one of many fortunate few who’re capable of snatch up considered one of a handful of Park Omega wolf cabins, you’re in for an expertise in contrast to anyplace else on the earth.
There are seven Parc Omega lodging that permit guests the chance to sleep amongst the wolves. Two of those are the well-known Parc Omega wolf cabins, three are Parc Omega wolf chalets, and one is the ultra-spacious Parc Omega wolf lodge.
All of those lodging at Parc Omega are fabulous and can give you an unforgettable wildlife expertise that’s each secure and enjoyable for the entire household. However choosing the proper one will depend on what sort of expertise you’re in search of.
The cabin experiences aren’t the one lodging at Parc Omega, however they’re the one ones that supply the possibility to sleep close to the wolves. There are two seasonal bear habitat lodging, a number of distinctive “pod” glamping tents, and a number of other Wi-Tents, prospector tents, log cabins, and tipi’s that supply Parc Omega lodging at a a lot decrease fee, though they lack the in a single day interplay with the animals.
Parc Omega Wolf Lodge
The Parc Omega wolf lodge is the most important of all the lodging at Parc Omega. This two-level A-Body picket lodge has a full kitchen, an enormous rest room, and two separate bedrooms. One on the primary ground has a bunk mattress, and one on the mezzanine-level that has two queen beds.
There’s a important degree front room space that has a sofa and eating space that appears out onto the huge home windows overlooking one of many wolf habitats. The wolf lodge can sleep as much as six individuals.
Parc Omega Wolf Chalet
The Parc Omega wolf chalet is a barely extra intimate expertise than the wolf lodge at Parc Omega. Related in model, with an A-frame design and a second-floor mezzanine, this picket cabin has a full kitchen, eating desk, and enormous rest room together with a important residing space with a sofa overlooking the wolf enclosure. The wolf chalet can sleep as much as six individuals.
Parc Omega Wolf Cabin
The Parc Omega lodging that we selected had been the Parc Omega wolf cabins. This was the unique “sleeping with the wolves” expertise on the park and, for my part, nonetheless affords essentially the most intimate encounter.
The big panoramic home windows won’t supply as complete a view of the wolf enclosure, however the two queen beds face immediately into the enclosure, which means that, for those who don’t thoughts shedding somewhat sleep, you’ll have the ability to hear the wolves howling and be part of within the enjoyable with out lacking a beat.
The 2 wolf cabins have full kitchens, a wood-burning fire (full with wooden, though you’ll want to offer your personal lighter) a big rest room, and an outside seating space that’s excellent for summer time nights. The Parc Omega wolf cabin sleeps as much as 4 individuals.
Exploring Parc Omega
Whether or not you’re staying at one of many wolf cabins at Parc Omega or just making a day journey to take pleasure in this distinctive Outaouais wildlife park, the expertise will go away you with a very humbling imaginative and prescient of the huge array of Canadian wildlife.
For daytrippers, the Parc Omega expertise lasts about 3-4 hours from the second you enter the park till you lastly roll out of the park borders. That’s, assuming, you don’t flip round and attempt to do the complete factor once more.
As you enter the park, on the proper is the Maison du Parc or the “Park Home”. Right here you possibly can choose up luggage of carrots to feed the animals in Parc Omega, seize meals or snacks on the on-site cafeteria, or do some buying on the small reward store.
Professional-tip although, save your memento searching for the reward store on the finish. There’s some fairly cool stuff there.
The Parc Omega animal enclosures are separated by fences and enormous grates. As you drive over the grates, the animals are prevented from passing as they will’t navigate the areas in between. And virtually instantly upon getting into you’ll be greeted by a herd of elk and wild boar nudging as much as your autos to seize a mouthful of tasty carrot.
Subsequent, you’ll cross into the realm of the prairie bison. These huge animals, just like those that we visited whereas driving via Driving Mountain Nationwide Park in Manitoba, are sometimes grazing as a herd within the giant fields. But it surely’s not uncommon for them to wander out on the street to look at the numerous passing autos.
Though it’s doable to take action, feeding the bison in Parc Omega is discouraged after an incident the place a bison’s head was briefly trapped contained in the window of a customer’s automotive.
The Plains
Following the plains habitat, you’ll cross into the Tundra habitat. It’s right here the place we had flashbacks of our adventures throughout the Arctic Tundra on a Frontiers North Tundra Buggy journey up north in Churchill, Manitoba. On that incredible wildlife expertise, we encountered a wild array of unimaginable birds and even noticed a wolf search out and kill a goose.
Inside the tundra are lovable, fluffy arctic foxes, which reminded my two boys of Pokemon Pikachu’s bounding via the snow.
The Tundra
It’s within the tundra area that these visiting Parc Omega in winter could have entry to the canine sledding expertise that takes guests via a forested loup the place they’ve the possibility to see deer and elk roaming the woods as they zip previous pulled by a workforce of yelping, energetic huskies.
As a lot as we’d have beloved to do that, we’ve skilled dog-sledding quite a lot of instances, as soon as at close by Mont Tremblant ski resort, and one other time in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories the place had the chance to mush our personal sled canines on a tour of the sub-arctic wilderness.
This part additionally has the sugar shack the place, in the course of the winter, you possibly can take pleasure in some scrumptious maple taffy treats cooled over recent snow. That is, fairly truthfully, my favourite Canadian deal with, and I’ll order far too a lot of them at any time when I’ve the possibility.
The Mid-Level
As you exit the tundra you’ll cross via the midpoint of the park. This spot is the place most households visiting Parc Omega take a break. There’s a small take-out restaurant with a restricted number of meals accessible (assume rooster nuggets, scorching canines, and poutine).
The midpoint of the Parc Omega expertise isn’t one thing that ought to be rushed via although. There are many actions to take pleasure in. Even these visiting Parc Omega in the course of the winter will discover a great deal of unimaginable experiences that can add to their enjoyment.
Throughout our go to in February (we visited in 2022 close to the top of the pandemic on what would in any other case be a weekend spent having fun with the festivities at Winterlude in Ottawa and Gatineau). There was a tubing hill and snowshoe trails to take pleasure in (each tubes and snowshoes are complimentary with entry to the park).
Throughout good climate, there may be additionally a horse-drawn carriage trip accessible at Parc Omega. This takes you on a loop via a number of the forested trails and throughout a lined bridge.
Inside the advanced are heated eating tents, small museums, spots for household photographs, a farm with home animals to go to, and a mountaineering path that brings guests to an remark level overlooking one of many wolf enclosures.
That is additionally the place you’ll discover the park’s important reward store in addition to implausible playgrounds for households visiting Parc Omega with youngsters.
Valley of the Bears
Following the park’s midpoint, the Parc Omega loop passes via the Valley of the Bears. This part of the park features a small loop via a deer habitat and handed some arctic wolves. The Valley of the Bears affords a style of western Canada. You’ll discover mountain goats climbing sheer rocky cliffs whereas small foxes dart amongst their legs.
We had been visiting in the course of the winter months when the bears had been deep of their winter hibernation. However these visiting Parc Omega in the summertime will discover black each black and brown bears climbing timber and foraging for berries. The park additionally has considered one of Canada’s largest populations of blond bears, a species with a novel mutation that makes for a very beautiful pelt shade.
First Nations Path
Earlier than exiting Parc Omega, the First Nations path might be discovered by heading straight once you attain the Inukshuk marking the exit of the park (on the proper). This path affords considered one of Parc Omega’s few probabilities to exit your automobile and discover the park on foot.
The First Nations Path consists of a mountaineering loop round a small lake. Alongside the path, totems representing every of the eleven Indigenous Nations in Quebec are on show. There’s additionally a big rock carving of an owl introduced on a small cliff about midway via the hike that’s spectacular to gaze upon.
Ideas For Visiting Parc Omega Wolf Cabin
For those who’re planning on reserving a keep in a Parc Omega wolf cabin, there are some things to know earlier than you go that will help you make the expertise as enjoyable and memorable as doable.
- The doorway to the Parc Omega wolf cabins is definitely simply exterior of the park entrance. You need to go away the archway over the park and switch proper at a driveway.
- Whereas you should purchase luggage of carrots contained in the park, you might be additionally free to avoid wasting cash by bringing in luggage of carrots from exterior. I extremely suggest bringing at the least one bag per customer. You’ll undergo them shortly.
- Convey some apples for the wild boars. These pleasant creatures are inclined to benefit from the candy crunch of apples greater than carrots.
- Pull to the aspect once you need to spend a while in an animal space. This permits different vehicles to securely cross by with out being obstructed.
- For those who’re staying on the Wolf cabin, keep in mind to convey your meals and a lighter. It’s straightforward to get caught up visiting the animals and lose monitor of time. The following factor you already know, the native eating places are closed.
- Montebello has some glorious eating places. Plan to spend a while exploring the city somewhat bit earlier than you go.
Our Parc Omega Video
You’ll find out extra about Parc Omega and e book your tickets on their web site right here.
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