Kabania is nestled in a cozy little wooded area in Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci, along the Ouareau Regional Forest Park (Parc régional de la Forêt Ouareau) in the Province of Quebec. Separating Kabania from the Ouareau Forest is the Dufresne River which runs along Kabania’s Cabins on pilotis offering a variety of water activities.
Kabania’s Reception Cabin and Wagons
The simplicity and eco-friendliness of Kabania is evident from the second you pull into the parking lot. The reception desk is a small reception cabin on pilotis. An envelope awaits you on a board. It has your name, your lodging’s name and a map to your destination. In my case it was a small Cabanita treehouse named Totoche.
Name signs for Cabanits (Totoche)
You load up your belongings in a wagon and take the path down to your destination. It’s a 5 minute stroll through a well marked path to the heart of Kabania. The 3 sections are well marked and separated from each other. There’s no crowding at all since there are only seven Cabanitas and nine cabins on pilotis.
TOTOCHE the Cabanita Treehouse at Kabania
The Cabanitas are impressive and convenient for their small size. Built in a pine forest each Cabanita greets you with a hammock under the structure and a comfortable deck furnished with two chairs and a small patio table. You quickly start realizing that a great deal of energy was spent paying attention to all the construction details from the stoned line pathways to the simple rustic construction.
Kabania – Cabanitas – Totoche – Interieur / Inside – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
A small thirty inch door is your entrance to your palace. The Cabanitas come equipped with a battery lantern, log night-stand, two cushions and a large comfortable double size mattress. There’s a small screened window, a windowed wall. The door is also equipped with a bug screen curtain to keep flies and mosquitoes outside. Like a tent you can’t stand up in a Cabanita, but the slanted ceiling ranges from thirty to forty-eight inches giving you plenty of headroom while seated.
Kabania – Cabanita – Totoche (Treehouse / Cabane dans les arbres) #theta360 – Spherical Image – RICOH THETA
You don’t need to bring much to enjoy your stay at Kabania. Naturally season appropriate clothing, sleeping bag and a cooler full of food and beverages. If you want to cook your food on your deck a small gas stove can be used on a ledge. However the common area for Cabanitas as everything you’ll need.
Common area for Cabanitas at Kabania
The common area houses a barefoot lounge, bathrooms, showers and a full covered kitchen with cookware, utensils, dishes, BBQ and two coffee makers including a stove top espresso maker. You can buy your ice on-site and citronella products to keep mosquitoes away are also available at the administration.
Common area kitchen for Cabanitas at Kabania
The restroom area is compact but functional with two sinks, bathroom stalls and showers discretely tucked away at the rear of the structure. Everything is extremely clean and well taken care of. All of these amenities integrate well in the nature context of the establishment.
Showers in the Cabanitas common area
Although a flashlight or headlamp is recommended, the paths are lit up with solar lamps and the common area has ambient lighting at night. It’s also a good idea to store your cooler in your Cabanita for the night as I had my cooler chewed up by a little red squirrel.
Views: Kabana – Cabanita Common area at night by Steve Troletti (trolettiphoto)
The grounds are very Zen and peaceful. The guests were all respectful of this mood and even at the common fire pit, conversation was kept at a respectful tone not to disturb anyone around.
Cabanitas common fire pit
My true strive was to explore the adjacent forest and photograph the local flora and wildlife. A small pedestrian bridge from Kabania crosses the Dufresne river into Parc régional de la Forêt Ouareau. There you have access to miles and miles of hiking trails.
Dufresne River
Views: Kabania pedestrian bridge over the Dufresne river by Steve Troletti (trolettiphoto)
Kabania and the adjacent Ouareau forest are home to many creatures. Birds, hares, deer, fish, amphibians, garter snakes, turtles and tons of seasonal wild flowers. There’s something for everyone. Just about any creature that will make this coniferous environment their home can be found.
Wildlife at Kabania – Amphibians, snakes, birds, hares…
The folks at Kabania have put a great deal of energy in paying attention to the most minute of details, thus delivering with great success the nature treehouse camping experience. The amenities are just perfect. They remain rustic, luxurious to camping standards but won’t let you feel like you spent your time stuck in a hotel resort.
A volleyball court, pond and playground are also well integrated on the grounds to keep everyone busy and active. Yet there’s always a quiet corner to read or just take in the nature around you
For those looking for a more luxurious experience, year round lodging is available in cabins on pilotis at Kabania. Some of them are right along the river and can lodge up to four adults. (Six in the Kaboum)
For more information and reservations visit Kabania’s web site: http://kabania.ca/en/
Chemin du Grand Duc,
Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci,
QC, J0T 2A0, Canada
1.844.kabania (522.2642)
819.424.0721