Kulala Desert Lodge is situated within the arid Namib Desert on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, and is closest to the iconic red dunes of the Sossusvlei. The camp comprises 15 thatched and canvas "kulalas" ("to sleep" in Oshiwambo) with en-suite bathrooms and verandas. Each room is built on a wooden platform to catch the cooling breezes and has a deck on the flat rooftop where bedrolls are placed for guests to sleep under the myriad stars that Namibia's clear skies portray.
The main area, with décor inspired by northern Africa, has a lounge, pub, dining area, plunge pool, and wrap-around veranda overlooking the waterhole - a perfect location to view and photograph the desert vista. The overall setting is a true delight to the senses, bringing together the rhythm of Namibia, French cuisine and intimacy. A waterhole in front of camp attracts a number of local wildlife (such as gemsbok, springbok, ostrich and jackal) and provides a perfect location to view and photograph the desert scenery.

Early morning guided nature drives to the spectacular dunes of Sossusvlei are through a private gate on the Tsauchab River. World-famous Sossusvlei is an enormous clay pan, flanked by the famous red sand dunes that stand out starkly against the blue sky. These dunes have developed over millions of years, the wind continuously transforming the contours of this red sand sea. The 'vlei' itself only fills after rare heavy rainfall when, in a complete turn-around, it becomes a spectacular turquoise lake.

Nature drives and walks are also offered on the private reserve with those incredible views, and to catch a glimpse of the denizens of the desert. Another option, at an extra cost, is early morning ballooning, beginning at first light. The balloon safari offers a truly unique experience to soar silently above the magnificent sand dunes and desert, with a champagne breakfast being served at your landing site.

Sossusvlei itself means 'the gathering place of water' in the local Nama language, and, odd as it may seem, in good years seasonal rains in the foothills of the Naukluft and Tsaris Mountains succeed in reaching the vleis, creating temporary lakes that mirror the sand dunes surrounding them. The vleis have evocative names such as Hidden Vlei and Dead Vlei, while the dunes rise up to 300 metres above the valley floor with razor-sharp edges that stand out against the blue sky.
Sossusvlei is situated within the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, which itself is part of the Namib Naukluft National Park that stretches 400km south of Walvis Bay and is sandwiched between the west coast and the escarpment that runs parallel more than 100km inland. Its huge red dunes and flat valley floors make up the archetypical view of the Namib that is world famous.

Desert-adapted wildlife such as ostrich, springbok and gemsbok eke out an existence and are sparsely distributed here. Larger predators include spotted hyaena and occasionally brown hyaena, a mystical shaggy-coated scavenger. Smaller creatures such as bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, porcupine, Cape fox and aardwolf can be seen at night in the cool desert air, and one bird, the aptly named Dune Lark, has its entire global distribution limited to the area, so dependent is it on the area's characteristic sands.

Despite the lack of vegetation and low rainfall, a surprisingly diverse array of insects, reptiles and rodents make their home here - surviving thanks in part to the coastal fog that creeps up off the sea each dawn and penetrates up to 50km inland. At dusk the call of barking geckoes resonate around you, and walks reveal the smaller creatures - the buck-spoor spider with its multi-entrance burrow or the ambush specialist ant-lion to name but a few.

The dunes are also evocatively known as the Sand Sea. The dunes nearest the coast are most mobile and no vegetation grows on them, as they are constantly evolving. Rainfall at the coast can average dramatically less than 50mm a year, and even further inland it measures a paltry 50-100mm annually.

In 1996 Wilderness Safaris set up an operation on land close to the spectacular Sossusvlei. As this locale had previously been used for subsistence goat farming, precious little indigenous wildlife remained. Yet after a removal programme of stock fences and exotic species, the wildlife slowly began to return. The area was then extended to adjoin the massive Namib Naukluft Park - and became the Kulala Wilderness Reserve.

With the creation of the Reserve arose an opportunity to study and assess the rehabilitation of this 40 000-hectare area after years of intensive subsistence farming. The Small Carnivore Project thus began in 2000 when bat-eared fox were studied on the reserve as an indicator species for land rehabilitation, followed by studies on aardwolf, black-backed jackal, Cape fox and African wildcat.

Rooms: 15 thatched and canvas rooms

In the Rooms:
Each “kulala” is especially adapted to the unique desert conditions, built on a platform to ensure maximum airflow; a thatch roof provides a cool respite from the sun, ceiling fans ensure a breeze at all times, en-suite with shower, flush toilet and hand basin, each room has a veranda with view of the dunes, a private rooftop area on top of the bathroom gives guests the opportunity of spending a night under the magnificent night sky for which luxury bedrolls are available any time, safe in each chalet

Facilities:
The thatch roofed main lodge has been built entirely of clay bricks in an African desert style, reception, lounge, pub, dining room and veranda, swimming pool with shaded area, stargazing deck

In the vicinity: /5 things to do
• Nature drives into the desert in 4x4 vehicles
• Walking trails, including the Tsauchab River Trail
• Visit to Sossusvlei and Sesriem
• Balloon safaris (additional cost, closed 15 January to 15 February)
• Horse riding safari (on request and at an additional cost)
• The scenic sundowner tour, one of the best scenic safaris in the Namib
• Private vehicles can be booked at an additional cost, subject to availability

Children: Children of all ages welcome - 2 family rooms accommodate 4 guests and there are 2 extra beds available for extra children.

Restaurant:

Credit cards accepted: Visa and Mastercard

Additional Information:
Local drinks and house-wines are included but premium imports are not.
Flight times from Swakopmund is 1 hour
Flight times from Windhoek is 1 hour
Self drive ± 5 hours from/to Windhoek (350 Km)
Self drive ± 6 hours from/to Swakopmund (380 Km)