I paid $1,600 to stay at a lodge at Parc Omega, where wolves come right up to your window

Before I booked a lodge, I regularly checked the cabin availability on Parc Omega's reservation page. I didn't have any specific dates in mind, but knew I wanted a two-night stay during the winter months.

Finally, in May 2023, a two-night stay for February 2024 opened up. I eagerly booked a cabin with two of my friends.

The total for a two-night stay with taxes and fees was $2,160 CAD, or about $1,600 USD, which I split with two friends.

When I booked, I noticed prices for the wolf cabins started at $570 CAD per night. The rates seemed to fluctuate depending on demand and season.

We could choose from a cabin, lodge, or chalet. Since we weren't sure if more friends would join us, we chose a lodge that could house up to six people.

The drive from Ottawa to Montebello, Quebec, was about an hour long, but we arrived just in time for the 4 p.m. check-in. When we entered the park, we drove to the check-in cabin, which was located near the entrance.

A receptionist handed us maps of the lodges and the whole park, told us we'd be staying in the Artique Lodge, and gave us directions to our housing unit.

Our lodge was located near a 13-member-wolf-pack habitat. At check-in, the staff explained we'd see different wolf behaviors dependent on the season.

For example, they said in the spring, parkgoers may see wolf pups emerging from the den with their mother.

At check-in, a staff member gave us an emergency number and reminded us not to feed the wolves. A very tall fence also separated the wolf habitat from the lodge's yards and patios, so the animals couldn't get to the parkgoers.

We also couldn't open the windows overlooking the wolves' habitat.

We saw beautiful Canadian gray wolves standing at our floor-to-ceiling window when we entered the lodge.

We immediately sat on the floor, pressed our noses against the glass, and forgot about unpacking the car and putting groceries in the fridge.

I felt so lucky to see the wolves greeting us as new guests. Some of them even started howling, which gave all of us goosebumps.

Eventually, my friends and I put a few blankets and pillows on the floor to get cozy as we watched the majestic animals.

The wolves howled well into the night, which felt magical during the snowfall.

I thought the Artique Lodge was large enough to fit six people comfortably.

The kitchen had a fridge, stove, microwave, Nespresso machine, and plenty of cookware and utensils. There were two sofas and a coffee table in the living room, four beds around the lodge, and a bathroom on the ground floor.

We also enjoyed an outdoor fire pit with a cooking grate and a seating area.

The next morning, we cooked breakfast and enjoyed our meals as the wolves fought over their own food in front of us.

We continued to watch the wolves sleep, fight, howl, play, and roam around their habitat. I loved observing their behaviors, which I imagine are similar to wolves in the wild.

Parc Omega offers a large wildlife safari park with about 20 animal species, including moose, caribou, arctic foxes, and bison. As lodge guests, we had free access to the park.

People not staying at Parc Omega's accommodations can access the wildlife safari with a ticket, which costs about $44 CAD.

With the help of the park map we received at check-in, we drove along the 7 ½-mile marked path, which took about an hour and a half. It was an amazing, lively drive as the deer, moose, and caribou approached our car so we could feed them carrots.

The wolf lodges at Parc Omega were a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

I loved how the lodge's panoramic floor-to-ceiling bay windows allowed us to be so close to the wolves. I felt like I was living in a fantasy novel.

Although it was an expensive trip for me, I thought the unique excursion was a great value, especially since we had access to the park trails. I'm ecstatic I crossed the wolf lodges off my bucket list.