We are always happy when we can visit during our travel the many different zoos in the world. On our 670-kilometer journey from Tadoussac on the St. Lawrence River to Ottawa in the southeastern part of the province of Ontario, we visited a very special zoo: Parc Omega – a safari park where we could even drive through independently with our large camper.
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Things to know about Parc Omega
Omega Park was founded in 1985 and opened its doors to the public in 1991. The park’s original concept was a place to spot North American wildlife on a 2,200-acre site in the region’s natural landscape. Gradually, the park was expanded taking into account nature, so that today more than 20 different animal species can be observed in their natural environment. The aim is to show visitors the beauty and simplicity of nature while providing unforgettable and respectful experiences with the wildlife, culture and history of Québec and Canada.
The location of Parc Omega in Canada
Parc Omega is open every day of the year, including public holidays. Depending on the season, the opening hours are different, usually the park is open on weekdays from 10 am to 5 pm and on weekends from 9 am to 5 pm, with the last entrance possible at 4 pm. Due to pandemic, it is currently only possible to buy the entrance tickets online. You can therefore not just go there and buy tickets at the ticket booth, unless you have an annual pass or other free tickets.
Our tip: Buy one (or preferably several) bags of carrots in a supermarket beforehand. These may be fed to the deer and moose. Alternatively, you can also buy carrots in the visitor center.
A map of the Safari Park
On the following overview map you can see very nicely how the Parc Omega is laid out. Along a route of about 12 km you will pass lakes, meadows, small valleys, forests and rocky hills. You can discover many different species of wild animals such as.B beavers, moose, raccoons, wolves, coyotes, musk oxen, deer, turtles, wild boars, red foxes, ibex, caribou, black bears, moose, wild turkeys and bison.
The Parc Omega in Canada
With our caravan on Drive-Through Safari
The Parc Omega is a drive-through park. So you stay in the car as a visitor and drive on a wide, well-signposted path through the park – this is even possible with a motorhome or with school buses. In addition, there are some designated places where you can leave the car, e.B. at hiking trails, playgrounds or picnic areas.
Reindeer, Moose, Deer & Roe Deer
Most of the animals in the park – in addition to countless wild geese – are reindeer, moose, deer and roe deer. You can find them almost everywhere in the park. The special thing is that they all walk around completely freely and are totally trusting. As soon as you stop somewhere with the car, it does not take long for the first animals to come to the car and wait longingly for a carrot.
Feeding them from the car and being able to observe them up close is an incredibly great experience. Our little mouse also liked this very much and she was very interested in the animals 🙂
Black Bears & Cinnamon Bears
The highlight of our park visit was waiting for us at the end of the trail: a group of black bears and cinnamon bears. The black bear is the most common bear species in Canada and is perfectly equipped for the cold winter due to its thick, shiny coat. Although black bears are omnivores, they eat 75% plant-based. One color form and subspecies of the American black bear is the so-called cinnamon bear, of which there are two pairs in Omega Park. Cinnamon bears are native primarily to the central, eastern, and western areas of the United States and Canada. The most striking difference between cinnamon bears and all other black bears is their brown or reddish-brown fur, which is a bit reminiscent of cinnamon. We were able to convince ourselves that cinnamon bears are excellent climbers. The sight of this big bear in the tree was really gigantic and we could hardly believe our eyes. A great experience!
Other animals in the park
On our way through the park we saw some more animals, such as wolves, raccoons, coyotes, foxes, wild boars, goats, geese, ducks, turkeys and bison.
In total, we spent just over 2 hours in the park. We had the impression that all animals are housed in sufficiently large enclosures, many even run around wild and are therefore not really locked up.
All travel reports from our camper round trip through Canada
Vacation with the camper or motor home in Canada - for many probably quite normal, but for us it was actually the first time. We have never been on the road with a camper, but always wanted to try it. In total, we drove almost 3,300 kilometers with our camper and explored beautiful regions and cities in eastern Canada.
» Our Holiday in Canada 2021 - Flight, Entry & Itinerary» Camping in Canada - Our Questions, Experiences & Tips
» La Mauricie National Park - A hike on the Les Cascades Trail
» Québec City - Things to do, Sights & Photo Spots
» Canyon Sainte-Anne - Waterfalls, Cascades & Suspension Bridges
» Tadoussac - Whale watching on the Saint Lawrence River
» Parc Omega - Drive-Through Safari in Quebec
» Ottawa - The capital city of Canada
» Algonquin Provincial Park - Lakes, forests and magnificent viewpoints
» Bruce Peninsula National Park - Dreamlike bays at Lake Huron
» Niagara Falls - The largest waterfalls in North America
» Toronto - Things to do, Sights & Photo Spots
» Thousand-Islands National Park - 1.864 Islands in the Saint Lawrence River
» Montreal - Things to do, Sights & Photo Spots