The Camp

Location: Sossusvlei, Namibia
Number of Tents: 11

The luxurious desert retreat of Little Kulala is situated in the private 67,000-acre Kulala Wilderness Reserve—the gateway to Namibia's Sand Sea with its towering dunes and fascinating desert-adapted wildlife. Accommodations at Little Kulala consist of 11 climate-controlled, thatched "kulalas" (meaning "to sleep" in Oshiwambo), which merge seamlessly into the desert landscape. Each stylish chalet has a private plunge pool and a rooftop 'sky bed' for romantic stargazing or sleeping under the stars, as well as indoor and outdoor showers. The camp’s elegant common areas includes a pool, library, wine cellar, craft boutique, lounge, and indoor and outdoor dining areas. Dining under the dark, clear Namibian skies is one highlight among many on offer here. The extensive use of neutral colors, rich textures and natural light were inspired by the soothing pastel tones of the desert, most notably from the magnificent Dead Vlei in the middle of Sossusvlei. The overall mood and feel is cool, serene, organic and sheltering.

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Facilities & Amenities

• En suite bathroom with indoor/outdoor showers
• Family Accommodation: 1 family unit with 2 en suite bedrooms each with private entrances connected by shared deck
• Shampoo, soap, lotion and insect repellent
• Hair dryer
• Air conditioning
• Tea/coffee in room
• Mini bar
• 220v charging outlets in room
• In-room safe
• Private plunge pool
• Central plunge pool
• Sleep-out platform on roof
• In-room massage (extra cost)
• Wi-Fi in rooms (can be intermittent and unreliable at times)
• Laundry included
• Local drinks included (house alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks)
• Credit cards accepted (Visa and MasterCard)
• No telephone or cellular coverage

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Wildlife Viewing & Activities

World-famous Sossusvlei is an enormous clay pan, flanked by the famous red sand dunes that stand out starkly against the blue sky. On guided nature drives and walks guests can enjoy the wonders of the unique desert-adapted wildlife, including ostrich, springbok and gemsbok, as they struggle for survival in this unforgiving landscape. Larger predators found here include spotted hyena and the occasional brown hyena, a mystical shaggy-coated scavenger. Smaller creatures such as bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal, porcupine, Cape fox and aardwolf are often seen at night in the cool desert air. Despite the lack of vegetation and low rainfall, a surprisingly diverse array of insects, reptiles and rodents make their home around Little Kulala - surviving thanks in part to the coastal fog that creeps up off the sea each dawn and penetrates as far as 30 miles inland. Optional hot air ballooning may be available at additional cost (weather permitting)—for a two-night stay, you will have to forego your scheduled morning activity to balloon.

Although Sossusvlei is not a primary wildlife viewing destination, typical sightings may include ostrich, springbok, occasional nocturnal mammals, such as the bat-eared fox, aardwolf, jackal and porcupine, and a number of reptiles and most often the gemsbok or oryx, which is the national animal of Namibia. Exact sightings will depend on weather and wildlife movements.

Climate

Conservation

When you visit Little Kulala, you are helping support wilderness conservation and critical wildlife research. The camp is situated in the private 90,000-acre Kulala Wilderness Reserve. Until 1996, this area had been used for subsistence goat farming, and little indigenous wildlife remained. Yet after the removal of stock fences and exotic species, wildlife slowly began to return. The area was then extended to adjoin the massive Namib Naukluft Park, becoming the Kulala Wilderness Reserve. The Small Carnivore Research Project began here 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. The project also focuses on educating farmers and local communities about the differences between an aardwolf - an insectivorous small carnivore - and a hyena. Farmers often kill aardwolves, mistakenly regarding them as threats to their livestock.

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