Little Kulala

About

Little Kulala’s home is the 27 000-hectare Kulala Wilderness Reserve, a pristine wilderness sited in Namibia’s Namib, nicknamed ‘The Living Desert’. A welcome oasis, the camp lies along the dry Auab riverbed. You can’t get much closer to the renowned dunes of Sossusvlei and the haunting panoramas of Dead Vlei, accessible through an exclusive-use gate.

Camp

Recently refurbished, Little Kulala entices with its adventures, its landscapes, its peace. Totally solar-powered, the new camp has cleaner, more modern lines than its predecessor, opening out more to the desert. Its 11 climate-controlled suites – each with its own plunge pool – honour the local geology, reflecting the surrounding grey and pink limestone in colour and texture. Each suite’s rooftop invites private sundowners and suppers, and a roll-out bed on a shaded sala is perfect for an afternoon siesta or starry sleep-out.

Activity

Climb the 300-metre red dunes at Sossusvlei and gaze upon oceans of sand. Hike through a canyon carved by water over the millennia. Float above the world’s oldest desert in a hot air balloon, and see it come alive on nature walks, drives, e-bikes, or low-impact quad bikes. Spot desert-adapted wildlife such as ostriches, springbok, gemsbok, brown hyaenas, black-backed jackals, bat-eared foxes, perhaps an aardwolf, or the endemic dune lark. At dusk hear the call of barking geckos; at night go with a guide on a scorpion safari. Stargaze in one of the darkest places on Earth, and sleep out under the stars, contemplating space.

Wildlife

Desert-adapted wildlife to be seen on the Kulala Wilderness Reserve includes ostrich, springbok, gemsbok, spotted hyaena and the occasional brown hyaena. Smaller creatures such as bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, porcupine, Cape fox and aardwolf can also be seen. One bird, the aptly named dune lark, has its entire global distribution limited to the area. A surprisingly diverse array of insects, reptiles and rodents make their home around Little Kulala. At dusk the call of barking geckoes can be heard, and walks reveal the smaller creatures - the buck-spoor spider with its multi-entrance burrow or the ambush specialist antlion, to name but a few.

Children

Children of 6 years and older are accommodated. For families travelling with children between 6 and 12 years, private activities need to be booked and paid for. Children between 6 and 16 years must share with an adult/s in the same room. While there is no age limitation for hot air ballooning, there is a restriction on height. Children need to be a minimum of 1.3 metres to comfortably see over the basket.