Located 1 hour from Ottawa in Montebello, Parc Omega is a year-round wildlife parc where you can experience Canadian animals. Spreading across 2200 acres the park is divided into several different regions (forest, meadow, mountain, lakes, and boreal) where you can see Canadian animals up close.
Some of the animals you can find in each region at Parc Omega include:
- The Meadow – elk, red deer, white-tailed deer, fallow deer, coyote, bison, red fox, and wild turkey
- The Forest – moose, grey wolf, black bear, boar, and raccoon
- The Mountain – Alpine ibex and bald-headed eagle
- The Lake – beaver, Canadian goose, blue heron, turtle, and duck
- The Boreal Region – caribou, reindeer, arctic wolf, arctic fox, and musk ox
Unlike a zoo, Parc Omega is a wildlife park which means the animals roam freely in large enclosed areas designed to mimic their natural habitat as closely as possible. When you are visiting that means the animals have ample space to roam away from the public if they wish, and provides for a positive living area for the animals.
The vast majority of Parc Omega is designed to be driven through, where you can see the animals from your car (and at times feed them from your car too). Yet, if you aren’t inclined to risk an animal scratching your car, there also are caged buggies you can rent and drive around the park instead.
After visiting Parc Omega a few times, I finally decided to test out the caged buggy and loved the experience. It was particularly nice to feel the wind. If you are a bit nervous about animals sticking their head in your car, this is also the perfect solution as you can feed the animals without them getting as close as they could get with your car’s windows fully open.
Within the park, there is a 15km car trail where you can find over 15 species of animals, and there is also plenty of walking paths to explore as well. When visiting make sure to bring carrots to feed the animals as you drive around the car trail or when exploring the Colonization area. The parc is a joy to explore as you will have plenty of animals who walk right up to your car looking to see if you might offer them a carrot to eat. Within the Colonization area, you can also watch the bird of prey show, or watch wolves up close from a viewing platform.
Normally when visiting Parc Omega I’ve opted to have lunch at the Parc House (the main building by the entrance where you can buy souvenirs and carrots), but this summer I was excited to see the brand new Lumber Camp. Here you can buy BBQed items, poutine, and fries but the focus is on local produce. The meat is locally sourced, and the cheese comes from Montebello. It offers a large patio area and is such a great addition to Parc Omega, I highly recommend checking it out. Another must-visit spot for food in the Colonization Trail is the ice cream shop. Here you can get super creamy ice cream cones or sundaes. I can personally vouch that not only is the quality outstanding, but the servings were massive. On a hot summer day, it was exactly what I needed to cool off. For those who rather have a picnic, there is also plenty of picnic tables around the parc too.
Related: Top Things To Do In Montebello
Parc Omega is open all year round and depending on when you visit there is always something different to do. In the spring and summer you can see the baby animals, while the fall you can see the beautiful fall landscape as you explore the park, and in the winter there is the addition of a sugar bush and the option to go snowshoeing.
There also is a small zoo a 15-minute walk away from the Colonization Trail. The hike to the farm is rather nice as it is mostly in the shade, but if you want you can rent a golf cart (you pay by the hour), or you can take the free wagon ride to the farm. At the farm, you’ll find all the standard farm animals such as pigs, donkeys, horses and chickens and young kids can even enjoy a pony ride.
No matter how many times I visit Parc Omega, I always leave with a huge grin on my face as it is hard not be filled with joy seeing some of my favorite animals such as wolves, deer, and foxes up close. Parc Omega is such a peaceful place where you can reconnect with nature and be surrounded by the beautiful animals that make up this country that is impossible for anyone who visits not to have a wonderful time.
Did you know you can spend the night at the park? Read about the accommodation at Parc Omega.