Did you ever have a deer lick your face or an elk gently nuzzle your neck for another carrot? I thought Parc Omega was going to be an interesting wildlife encounter but it was way beyond my expectations. Parc Omega is a safari park in Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours, Quebec. A 12 km nature route takes you along lakes, meadows, small valleys, forests, and rocky hills to meet moose, elk, bison, wolves, and bears all within their natural environment. Come along for the ride through Parc Omega with us and we’ll show you why it’s one of our favorite family adventures in Quebec. 

Our visit to Parc Omega began at the Park House where we purchased carrots to feed the animals. We each had a bag and we broke the carrots in half to give the perfect bite size to our hungry friends.

As we entered the gate, we had to pay an entrance fee of half a carrot to each of the greeters. Huge elk lined up for the fee. Luckily, I captured Athena’s expression as the first one stuck his head in the window of our vehicle. Her expression was priceless.
Ok, ok. I wasn’t any calmer when another elk stuck his head in my window either. They are massive, and he didn’t politely chew with his mouth closed. It looked like he was going to eat my head.

The more elk we fed, the more comfortable we felt. They weren’t aggressive or forceful. They were gentle and calm. It was the closest I’d ever been to such a beautiful wild creature.

Up next, we stopped at a deer-feeding area along a beautiful lake. I crouched down to take a photo and a small deer rested his head on my shoulder like he was posing for a selfie. I loved it. I wanted to pause that moment and live in it for at least a few more minutes. It was like I was a princess in a Disney movie and all the wild creatures were my friends.

I was certain the deer selfie was going to be the greatest experience of our visit until a deer licked my face at the next stop. While we were walking around one of the picnic areas, I crouched down again to get a photo with the many deer that were near by. This little cutie walked up to me and licked my face just as I was taking the photo. I didn’t pull a still from a video; this was the actual timing of the shot. It was magical.

Now, if you’re not already convinced that I have the best timing ever, I managed to capture a bear in his den before going into hibernation. I thought the bears would have been fast asleep since we visited so late in the season but nope. This guy wanted to say one last goodnight and I was the lucky guest to see him.

Even the wolves and coyotes wanted their time in the light. Was I in a dream? Could all of this actually happen on one visit to Parc Omega? It was bizarre and beautiful and more than shocking.

I’m going to return again in the winter since the park is open all year and see if I’m blessed with a similar encounter. Was this all beginner’s luck? If I visit the park a dozen more times, will I ever capture a deer licking my face again? Who knows what’s to come but I’m going to be thankful for this one and hold the memories tight.