Unique Camping Experience in Alberta Gets Visitors Close to Wildlife

An Alberta campground allows visitors to get close with wildlife, including bears, cougars, and wolves. Volodya Senkiv/Shutterstock

An Alberta wildlife sanctuary offers visitors a special camping experience that lets them get up close to a variety of animals, including bears, wolves, and wildcats.

Discovery Wildlife Park, located in Innisfail, is open from May 1 to Sept. 30, offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy the different animals that call the park home.

The park offers presentations on the animals, and visitors can learn about the challenges they face when they live in the wild.

Younger visitors can also enjoy various play structures, including a rocket, helicopter, bulldozer, firetruck, and train, as well as a climbing wall, tractors, and sand pits for treasure hunts.

A quiet family room is available where parents can change and feed babies. The room also has kids’ books and toys for toddlers.

A concession is available, offering hot dogs, smokies, nachos and cheese, popcorn, and other snack items.

The park has four-seat electric golf carts available for guests.

Pets are not permitted in the wildlife park, but they are welcome in the campground and need to be kept on a leash at all times.

Camping at the Park

The campground is open until Sept. 2 for families and guests to stay overnight. Cabins are available, and come with a mini fridge and electricity but don’t have kitchens or bathrooms. The site can accommodate RVs and tents, and it’s recommended campers bring cooking devices and supplies, as well as bedding.

The 49 powered sites and 17 cabins are built around a stocked rainbow trout pond where campers can fish.

Visitors to the campground are also able to book special experiences with the animals at the park, including:

Behind the Scenes Cat Tour

Involves a 15-minute experience with the big cats and a zookeeper. It provides an opportunity to get to know the animals better, and get a close-up photo of the cats.

Walk with the Wolves

Bring your camera to capture the experience of walking with one of the park’s timber wolves for 15 minutes. Children can participate but must be 52 inches tall. Those under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult.

Bear Encounter

Interact with one of the resident bear family members for 15 minutes. Children must be 8 years old to participate. Those under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult. Cameras are welcome to capture the moment.

Up-close Bear Encounter

This experience allows guests 30 minutes to get to know some of the bear family members who live at the park. Children must be 8 years old to participate. Those under 12 will need to have an adult present. Don’t forget your camera to capture the experience.

Visit with Several Cats

Learn more about these African cats and have a chance to feed them through the fence.

Visit with the Camels

Get closer to these amusing animals and offer them some treats through the fence.

Visit with the Raccoons

Share some treats with raccoons and learn some facts about these masked bandits.

Winter Wolf Walk

During the winter months, a winter wolf walk experience allows visitors to walk for an hour in the woods alongside keepers and one of the park’s wolves.

Other experiences at the park include the Winter Light the Night drive-through light display, which takes about 25 minutes to complete. Be sure to bring your camera. A gift shop and concession is open at the end of the show, and occasionally the Grinch turns up to entertain visitors.