If you can’t get enough of seeing cute animals, then you need to add sleeping at the new Wolf Chalets at Parc Omega to your bucket list. It is the only experience of its kind in North America, and certainly worth the drive.
What Is Parc Omega
The animal safari park in Montebello, Quebec is only 1 hour from Ottawa, or 1.5 hours from Montreal and is sure to fill you with joy.
Unlike zoos, the animals aren’t inclosed into tiny cages but freely roam in massive spaces where they can choose to have no contact with humans if they wish. Another key difference is at Parc Omega; you drive through the zones and the animals come to you.
It is an incredible chance to get an up-close look at Canadian animals and even feed some of the deers and elk carrots.
I’ve been visiting for years and every time I go there is something new and exciting to see. Recently I was invited to do a press visit at the brand new wolf cabins — and it was one of the most extraordinary things I’ve ever experienced.
If you haven’t gotten the chance, you can read the article about my visit on Narcity.com, but I wanted to go more in-depth here about my first-hand experience.
New Wolf Chalets
Previously Parc Omega had a wolf cabin, but it was much smaller. The newly launched Wolf Chalets and Lodges are luxurious and spacious buildings that can comfortably sleep more people.
They are brand new and just launched this year. For my stay, I got to experience a night at the jaw-dropping wolf chalet, so I can only imagine the even grander Wolf Lodge would be even more extraordinary (I certainly want to try it one day).
The wolf cabin can comfortably sleep up to six people and would be perfect for a group of friends, one family, or three couples. There is an upstairs loft with two comfortable queen-sized beds, and one main floor bedroom with twin bunk beds.
The entire back wall of the cottage is a floor to ceiling window that allows you to enjoy an unhindered view of a pack of wolves. As such, when you are in either the living room or the kitchen, you can feel like you are lounging with several adorable wolves.
The kitchen has everything you need to prepare your meals, and as someone who loves to cook, I found it impressive. There is an oven, refrigerator, microwave, kettle, and Nespresso machine. Within the drawers and cabinets, you could find dishes, glasses, mugs, pots, pans, cooking utensils, bowls and more.
There even were Nespresso pods for making coffee and some hot chocolate packages too.
Meanwhile, the cozy living room had plenty of seating, so you could enjoy a mug of cocoa and watch beautiful animals roam. I also appreciated that they had a book on wolves so that you could learn more about the animals right outside your window.
Also on the main floor, you’ll find the bathroom which has a roomy shower and a porch with a large glass wall. Naturally, as I visited in the winter, I didn’t use the porch as it was covered in snow. But in the summer, it could be a great area to lounge outdoors while still being fully protected from the animals.
The Animals
Outside of the cabin, there was one of the many packs of wolves at Parc Omega. It was neat to watch them, as you could clearly tell who was the Alpha and Omega of the pack based upon how they all interacted with each other.
As the area behind the cabin is sprawling, you might not see all the wolves during your visit. It is up to each animal if they wish to investigate the window, and sometimes they might choose to hang back and playoff in the distance.
One thing I can’t stress enough is how well treated the animals are. Unlike in the wild where wolves often only live till the age of 5, here they can live up 4 times longer.
The Experience
As a travel writer, I’ve gone across the globe searching for the most amazing places to stay and things to do, and without question, this experience would be in my top 5.
My entire visit, I had a huge on my face, as I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to get this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I opted to spend my time next to the window to be as close to the animals as possible. Surprisingly, some of the wolves were just as curious about me, and some would put their nose to the window, while others would just sit directly in front and watch.
I could have easily spent days and days just enjoying the magical view.
Safety
Over on my Instagram account, one of the main questions I would get is how do you safely enter and exit the cabin. How it works is there is a fence that runs from the back of the building, dividing the human and wolf zones. As such, you can freely come and go from the front door, while the only way you can get close to the animals (or them to you) is from the windows in the cabin.
Comparison To Other Park Omega Accommodations
Parc Omega has a diverse range of lodging for any budget. The most affordable option is the tipi, which is $100 a night, all the way to the Wolf Lodge, which is $849 a night.
In the past, I’ve stayed at two of their glamping like experiences the Wi- Tent, which is $240 a night, and the Prospector Cabin, which is $200 a night.
Unlike the other two lodgings, the Wolf Chalet isn’t glamping at all. Here you are staying at a fancy cabin that has all the features you would expect when staying at a nice hotel or fancy Airbnb. There are plush beds with soft linens, a nice bathroom with plush towels, a kitchen with all the appliances you need, and beautiful wood crafted artworks everywhere.
If you hate camping, you can rest assured there is nothing camp-like about the experience it is a very comfortable stay where you every need is carefully looked after.
One perk I also enjoyed about the new Wolf Cabin is you can park directly in front. At many of the other older tents and cabins, you need to park further away. This means you need to load all your food and clothes into a wagon and wheel it down a hilly dirt path. If you are travelling with children, or tend to overpack the fact it is easy to transport your stuff inside is a real time saver.
Another key difference is at the Wolf Chalet you entry to the park is included for all the guests – something that is a huge perk.
Cost & Reservations
The Wolf Cabin is $749 a night for up to 6 people. While that number might seem high at first, it is actually rather affordable. It would be $124.00 a person but also includes your day admission ticket, which can be as high as $33.05 a person. Thus it is more like each person is paying $91.00 for their stay where you can an unforgettable experience, unlike anything else in Canada.
As it is the only lodging of its type in North America, there is a high demand for all the wolf dwellings. As such, you might need to book months in advance if you want to stay on the weekend. Bookings can be made easily online on the Parc Omega website.