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Wilderness Kulala Desert Lodge
Sossusvlei, Hardap Region, Namibia · Wilderness · Core Luxury
Wilderness Kulala Desert Lodge sits on what was, until 1996, degraded goat-farming land; Wilderness bought the 27,000 hectares and spent decades removing fences and reintroducing indigenous wildlife to create the Kulala Wilderness Reserve, since expanded past 30,000 hectares. The lodge's own gate onto Sossusvlei gives its 21 thatch-and-canvas rooms, each with a rooftop sleep-out deck, faster access to the park's red dunes than the public Sesriem entrance, at a lower price point than sister lodge Little Kulala.
- 21 rooms
- Opened 1996
About Wilderness Kulala Desert Lodge
- The Kulala Wilderness Reserve was degraded small-stock and goat-farming land when Wilderness began rehabilitating its original 27,000 hectares in 1996; the reserve has since grown past 30,000 hectares of restored desert habitat.
- The reserve borders the Namib Sand Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and helps protect the Aub and Tsauchab rivers that feed Sossusvlei's clay pans.
- Guests can hike the 30-meter-deep Sesriem Canyon on foot or book a dawn hot-air balloon flight over the dunes, landing to a champagne breakfast.
- Kulala Desert Lodge has its own private airstrip inside the reserve, closer to the dunes than the public Sesriem park gate used by day visitors.
History
The lodge was established in 1996 as part of a conservation initiative to rehabilitate 27,000 hectares of former goat farmland into the thriving Kulala Wilderness Reserve. It serves as a more accessible sibling to the renowned Little Kulala, designed to blend into the arid landscape using traditional thatch and canvas construction. The property was a pioneer in desert-based ecotourism in the region, focusing on restoring indigenous wildlife populations.
Amenities
- Private rooftop sleep-out decks for stargazing
- Exclusive-use gate for early access to Sossusvlei dunes
- Swimming pool with desert vistas
- Guided nature drives and walking trails
- Wraparound veranda overlooking a productive waterhole
- Complimentary laundry services
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More Wilderness hotels
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- Wilderness Desert Rhino Camp — Palmwag, Namibia · High Luxury
- Wilderness Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp — Sesfontein (nearest town/conservancy area), Namibia · High Luxury
- Wilderness Little Kulala — Sossusvlei, Namibia · High Luxury
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More hotels in Sossusvlei
- Wilderness Little Kulala — Wilderness · High Luxury
- &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge — andBeyond · Grand Luxury
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