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Lodge · Sossusvlei
Kulala Desert Lodge
Wilderness Kulala Desert Lodge sits on the 37,000-hectare private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, with its own gate into Sossusvlei and the closest access to the towering red dunes of Namibia's Namib Desert. Twenty-three thatch-and-canvas tents on raised wooden decks open to sweeping desert vistas, and guests can sleep out under the stars on private rooftop skybeds.
From R 10 970 per person sharing, per night
Lodge · Sossusvlei
Kulala Desert Lodge
From R 10 970 per person sharing, per night
Enquire nowWilderness Kulala Desert Lodge sits on the 37,000-hectare private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, with its own gate into Sossusvlei and the closest access to the towering red dunes of Namibia's Namib Desert. Twenty-three thatch-and-canvas tents on raised wooden decks open to sweeping desert vistas, and guests can sleep out under the stars on private rooftop skybeds.
About the lodge
An overview of Kulala Desert Lodge.
Wilderness Kulala Desert Lodge sits on the 37,000-hectare private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, with its own gate into Sossusvlei and the closest access to the towering red dunes of Namibia's Namib Desert. Twenty-three thatch-and-canvas tents on raised wooden decks open to sweeping desert vistas, and guests can sleep out under the stars on private rooftop skybeds.
Highlights
- Private gate into Sossusvlei, with the closest access to the iconic red dunes and Deadvlei
- 23 thatch-and-canvas tents on raised wooden decks, each with a private rooftop skybed for sleeping under the stars
- Optional hot-air balloon safari over the Namib Desert (extra cost, weather dependent)
- Guided nature drives, walks and fat-wheeled e-bike rides across the 37,000-hectare Kulala Wilderness Reserve
- Newly rebuilt main area (2024) with stretch-canvas roofs, lounge, bar, pool and firepit
You Should Know
- Well-suited to families, groups and self-drive guests, with a comfortable, down-to-earth character
- Hot-air balloon flights are closed on 25 December and 1 January, and from mid-January to mid-February
The Details
Location
The lodge stands on the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve in the Namib Desert, a 37,000-hectare wilderness that borders the Namib-Naukluft National Park. A private access gate gives guests the shortest possible drive to Sossusvlei, Deadvlei and the towering red dunes that define this corner of Namibia.
The setting is genuinely otherworldly: ancient gravel plains, ephemeral riverbeds, and the world's oldest desert stretching to the horizon.
Accommodation
Twenty-three thatch-and-canvas guest tents sit on raised wooden platforms to maximise the desert views. Each tent has a roomy private deck for in-room dining or a quiet drink, and a rooftop skybed so guests can sleep out under one of the clearest night skies on earth.
The main area was completely rebuilt in early 2024, with modern stretch-canvas tents replacing the previous thatched roofs. Light, airy neutral tones run through the lounge, bar and dining space, which open onto sweeping views across the reserve. A pool and firepit anchor the social heart of the lodge.
Dining
Meals draw on fresh, seasonal ingredients and are served in the main area, on the deck, or at private bush settings for celebrations and honeymoons. The cellar carries a thoughtful selection of South African wines, and evening drinks around the firepit are part of the rhythm of every stay.
Activities
Activities centre on the dunes and the wider Kulala Wilderness Reserve. Guided excursions head into Sossusvlei to climb Big Daddy dune and walk the cracked white floor of Deadvlei, while nature drives, guided walks and fat-wheeled e-bike rides explore the reserve itself. Sundowners are taken on the open plains as the sky turns. Hot-air balloon flights over the Namib are available at extra cost, weather permitting.
Price Includes
- Accommodation in a thatch-and-canvas tent with private rooftop skybed
- All meals
- Twice-daily scheduled lodge activities including excursions to Sossusvlei and Deadvlei
- Park fees
- Laundry
- All local drinks (excludes premium imported brands and champagne)
- Namibian VAT and Tourism Levy
- Excludes road and air transfers to and from the lodge, and hot-air balloon flights
You pay the lodge's rate, never a markup.
The same as booking direct
Rates and dates.
Per person sharing, per night. Final pricing depends on dates, room category and party size.
Valid until 28 Feb 2027
Peak / migration
1 Jun 2026 – 31 Oct 2026
All Inclusive - Accommodation, all meals, select local drinks and twice daily scheduled camp activities
Included. Complimentary travel insurance, with cancellation cover of up to $5,000 per person, on bookings paid by 25th September 2026. Details
R 10 970
per person · night
Shoulder
1 Nov 2026 – 19 Dec 2026
All Inclusive - Accommodation, all meals, select local drinks and twice daily scheduled camp activities
Included. Complimentary travel insurance, with cancellation cover of up to $5,000 per person, on bookings paid by 25th September 2026. Details
R 8 210
per person · night
Festive
20 Dec 2026 – 5 Jan 2027
All Inclusive - Accommodation, all meals, select local drinks and twice daily scheduled camp activities
Included. Complimentary travel insurance, with cancellation cover of up to $5,000 per person, on bookings paid by 25th September 2026. Details
R 10 970
per person · night
Rates are per person sharing, per night. A single supplement may apply for solo travellers. We offer a price match guarantee, just ask your safari specialist.
Current offers
Special offer available.
Honeymoon
Spend your honeymoon at Kulala Desert Lodge, and one spouse will receive a 50% discount on their accommodation. Travel must be within 6 months of the wedding
Family policies
Travelling with children.
What our safari specialists know about bringing children to Kulala Desert Lodge, current as of May 2026. They plan family trips here all the time, so anything below that needs arranging, they will sort. For the bigger picture, see our guide to safari with children .
- Minimum ages
- Stay All ages · Game drives 13+ · Walking safari 13+
- Child rates
- 0–2 years FOC year-round; 3–16 years 65% off adult rate in off-peak (06 Jan–31 May & 01 Nov–19 Dec) and 35% off adult rate in peak (01 Jun–31 Oct & 20 Dec–05 Jan); 17+ pay full adult rate. Discounted rates apply only when children share with adults in family rooms or standard twin rooms. SADC: 50% of adult rate for children 6–16 sharing with 2 adults in a family unit.
- Family rooms
- Family unit available.
- Care
- No dedicated kids' programme · Babysitting available
- Exceptions
-
Kulala Desert Lodge is a Wilderness Classic camp. Children under 17 must share accommodation with at least one adult at all times. At Classic camps, parties with children 12 and younger must book and pay for private activities unless the camp is booked on exclusive use or they have filled a vehicle (6 guests). For game drives: 6–12 year-olds require a private vehicle; 13–16 year-olds do not. Triple share accommodation is on request and only allowed for children 16 and under sharing with adults. Hot air balloon excursion: children under 6 only allowed if taller than 1.2 m; children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult; smaller children may follow the balloon with the ground crew in a transfer vehicle with a babysitter provided free of charge. Pregnant passengers not allowed on the balloon flight.
Imagery
A closer look.
Your specialist for this lodge
Safari Specialist - Southern Africa & East Africa
Knows Kulala Desert Lodge backwards. Your direct contact from first enquiry to the day you come home.
With Lana across the team.
"Jolene was simply extraordinary. She put together what became an absolutely incredible African trip for us in the space of barely three weeks, and from the outset her responsiveness, knowledge and genuine enthusiasm were exceptional. Nothing was ever too much trouble, responses were almost immediate, and she very quickly understood exactly what we were looking for, our expectations and the way we like to travel. More than simply being an expert at what she does, Jolene genuinely cared about making the trip special for us, and that came through in every aspect of her planning. What particularly impressed us was the flexibility with which she brought everything together. We already had some of our own arrangements in place, including international flights and staying with friends in Cape Town, but Jolene seamlessly incorporated those into the overall itinerary and still organised all the surrounding logistics and transfers. The safari component she designed was outstanding, taking us through Kruger, Victoria Falls, Chobe and the Okavango Delta, before finishing in Cape Town and the Stellenbosch wine region. Every part flowed beautifully and the lodges, experiences and logistics were exceptional. Just as importantly, Jolene stayed in contact throughout the trip at all the key moments, which made travelling so much easier. She would check us in for our internal flights and send through the boarding passes, confirm transfers the day before each pick-up, and make sure everything was in place before we ever had to think about it. That attention to detail, and the fact that she was always one step ahead, removed so much of the usual travel stress and allowed us simply to enjoy the trip. It was genuinely the trip of a lifetime, put together in an extraordinarily short timeframe, and Jolene deserves enormous credit for making it all happen. We could not recommend her highly enough."
Speak to a safari specialist
Let's design your stay.
From your first enquiry to the day you come home, one named safari specialist looks after every detail. We can handle the whole trip, not just the stay at Kulala Desert Lodge: multi-country itineraries, internal flights, road transfers, tipping guidance, travel insurance, the lot. A safari specialist will be in touch within as little as 15 minutes during working hours.
Planning something beyond the ordinary?
Private & bespoke travel