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Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge
Kulala Desert Lodge

Reviews of Kulala Desert Lodge

Wildlife sightings and reviews

362 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Kulala Desert Lodge and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in May-2018, 71 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Kulala Desert Lodge.
Leopard

0% success

Cheetah

0% success

Oryx

96% success

Zebra

23% success

Brown Hyena

14% success

Wildebeest

12% success

Spotted Hyena

6% success

Giraffe

4% success

Meerkat

2% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Showing 1-10 of 362
Duration
Arrival date
Mr&mrs A
london

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 20 Oct 2024
"Lovely setting. Food could be better.

Not too keen on buffets all the time" See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Oryx

Multiple sightings

Zebra

1 sighting

A & K
Bolton

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 11 Oct 2024
"It's not far from Dead Vally Lodge to Kulala but they don't let you use the good road, even if you have a NP pass, so you have to drive the long way round and once inside the estate the road is pretty rough. It was over 40C and after a tour of the facilities we were able to go to our room. Having been up since 5am we were ready for a nap. The room door was open (as opposed to unlocked) and as we walked in it was like stepping into an oven. It wasn't just the wall of hot air but the bed clothes were very hot to the touch. There's no aircon but there are fans that should help but it was too bad for them to be much use. The problem was clear - none of the canvas shutters had been closed up to keep the sun from heating up the room and even the door had been left wide open so the room was almost uninhabitable. The actual room itself was better than the rating below but not in the condition we found it. I slept for a short while and awoke to find the sheet and pillow drenched in sweat.

We were one of three couples staying there and the others said exactly the same to us. One couple had a second night and were dreading it! We all went ballooning the next morning and shared experiences. We didn't have breakfast as we had that at the ballooning. We did have dinner at night and it was reasonable but almost as soon as we arrived we were told we had to choose which courses/dishes we were going to have. No-one wants food waste but the emphasis was very much on staff rather than customer convenience.

The woman on reception didn't have a grip on what was going on, culminating her claiming not to know where the tip box was when I asked as we were leaving. The guy seeing to the luggage showed me it, taking me passed her. Again, despite having our passes for the NP we were refused directions to take the short and much better road back to Sesriem. We left wondering how this lodge could be so badly managed, glad we only had one night there and apprehensive about future nights at Wilderness venues." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Poor

Location:
Good
Service:
Average
Rooms:
Poor
Food:
Average
Sightings Report

Oryx

Multiple sightings

Alan and Di
Chippy

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 9 Oct 2024
"A lovely location.

The signage to the Lodge needs improvement." See all these reviews: 17n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Oryx

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Ms C.
Switzerland

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 6 Oct 2024
"A great place to stay and enjoy the views across the Namib Desert.

All staff are very welcoming and accommodating." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms R.
San Giuliano T.

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 7 Sep 2024
"We were upgraded to Little Kulala and are very grateful for it.

It was an amazing place which we loved at first sight.

We had never been to a place like that before and there couldn't have been a better way to begin our holiday in Namibia and fall in love with the country ." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Oryx

10 sightings

Mr & Mrs B
Avon

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 6 Sep 2024
"We really liked the lodge, the room was great and the setting was perfect for access to the dunes using the lodge tour." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia; 2n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Oryx

Multiple sightings

B & N
San Diego

"Kulala Desert Lodge review 2024 July"

3 nights Arrived 26 Jul 2024
"Kulala Desert Lodge was fantastic!

Being on the Kulala Wilderness reserve in the Namib-Naukluft National Park, the location is ideal, the lodging/rooms are amazing, the food and drink are excellent and plentiful, and the staff are superb. Indeed, the friendliness of the staff stood out as a highlight of our entire tour of Namibia. The guide, Anna, was brilliant and knew everything about the flora and fauna; we were so impressed. And she was a real pleasure to talk with, as she was willing to share a bit about herself when asked - providing a fascinating view into the local culture. Thereza, Emilie, and the rest of the staff were equally a pleasure talk with and to get to know.

The night sky was amazingly clear and the sunsets were stunningly gorgeous - we have never seen such vivid, saturated orange and blue colors. The sky is matched by the vibrant hues of the sand dunes and mountains. The view from the room of the sky and distant dunes was wonderful.

Deadvlei was spectacular, much like the photos we've all seen. Expect a lot of people, but if you are patient you can find a pretty quiet and private area. There isn't much to see at Sossusvlei itself, but do expect the most intense "African massage" you can imagine - the intense/violent vibration from driving on the rough and sandy road should be taken seriously (more on this later). And we did see several vehicles stuck in the sand, one of which was stranded overnight. Sesriem was an interesting canyon and a chance to do a short hike. Seeing the campsites and lodging nearby, it made us appreciate how special Kulala Desert Lodge is.

Among the animals we saw were springbok, oryx, blackback jackals, ostriches, social weaver birds, and a Ruppall's Koorhan bird." See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Brown Hyena

1 sighting

Oryx

5 sightings

Mr and Mrs B
NZ

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 5 Jul 2024
"A gorgeous first camp for our family holiday. Lovely dining and lounge areas. Pool beautiful, but a bit cold for a winter swim. Still lovely though. Accommodation was super - tents very comfortable and plenty of room for our gear.

We felt a tad disappointed by the staff around mealtimes. Staff seemed to be a bit confused or reluctant when we ordered drinks and food. Almost like they were in training ... not fully confident with the guests and the menus. All were lovely and helpful, but it just felt like they weren't up to speed on their services." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 5n in Zimbabwe; 4n in Namibia; 1n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Average
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Oryx

Multiple sightings

Miss Honey T.
Greece

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 26 Jun 2024
"Great walks to be had from the hotel.

Very friendly staff.

Beautiful approach by car to the hotel." See all these reviews: 14n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms R
N. Yorkshire

"Kulala Desert Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 22 Jan 2024
"Beautiful place, and lovely to be able to sleep on the roof.

Excellent food and beautiful main lodge. Appreciated the wildlife and plant info boards.

We did the early morning drive in to the dunes/ Dead Vlei, which was amazing - we would happily have gone earlier to take more advantage of arriving before the crowds, as Kulala has its own gate (although they may have found that other guests don't want such an early start?).

Our guide was friendly but not particularly informative, so we decided not to do a guided afternoon activity." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Oryx

10 sightings

Showing 1-10 of 362
92%
362 reviews of Kulala Desert Lodge by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
244
96
16
6
0
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Other lodges in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Hoodia Desert Lodge

Hoodia Desert Lodge

The owner-run Hoodia Desert Lodge offers a high standard of accommodation, delicious food and excellent service in a stunning, peaceful setting just 22km from Sesriem.


97% (228 reviews)
BullsPort Lodge and Farm

BullsPort Lodge & Farm

A traditional Namibian farm, BullsPort offers warm hospitality and a genuine rural experience, with excellent hiking and horseriding.


90% (198 reviews)
Sossus Dune Lodge

Sossus Dune Lodge

One of only two properties inside the Namib Naukluft Park, Sossus Dune Lodge has a superb location, for visiting the dunes.


89% (142 reviews)
Desert Homestead

Desert Homestead

With great-value accommodation in a lovely setting, Desert Homestead is a great base for exploring Sossusvlei.


91% (108 reviews)
Zebra River Lodge

Zebra River Lodge

Zebra River Lodge offers a range of hikes around the Tsaris Mountains from a comfortable and homely base.


91% (94 reviews)
Little Kulala

Little Kulala

A high-end lodge with spectacular views, Little Kulala, makes a great base for visits to Sossusvlei or a balloon ride over the Desert.


98% (74 reviews)
Rostock Ritz

Rostock Ritz

The igloo-style chalets at Rostock Ritz offer exceptional desert views and make a convenient stopover between Swakopmund & Sossusvlei.


89% (45 reviews)
Barkhan Dune Retreat

Barkhan Dune Retreat

Barkhan Dune Retreat is a welcoming lodge close to the impressive Spreetshoogte Pass, majors on hiking and relaxation.


94% (40 reviews)
Sossusvlei Lodge

Sossusvlei Lodge

Sossusvlei Lodge is one of the larger options in this area. However, it occupies a convenient location next to the Sesriem gate into the Namib-Naukluft Park.


92% (34 reviews)
Namib Outpost

Namib Outpost

About 30km from the gate to Sossusveli, Namib Outpost is a great base for exploring the dunes and surrounding attractions.


97% (21 reviews)
Dead Valley Lodge

Dead Valley Lodge

Dead Valley Lodge is inside the Namib-Naukluft National Park, affording guests almost unprecedented access to the dunes.


90% (21 reviews)
Desert Camp

Desert Camp

Desert Camp is an economical option for independent travellers who want to self-cater, and is well situated for access to Sossusvlei.


94% (17 reviews)
Desert Quiver Camp

Desert Quiver Camp

Desert Quiver Camp is an economical option self-catering, well located for access to Sossusvlei.


98% (10 reviews)
Elegant Desert Lodge

Elegant Desert Lodge

Elegant Desert Lodge can be used as a base to visit Sossusvlei. It offers comfortable accommodation and facilities in the desert.


75% (8 reviews)
Corona Guest Farm

Corona Guest Farm

In central Namibia, north-east of the Namib-Naukluft, Corona Guest Farm offers a traditional farm stay and rugged hiking.


97% (7 reviews)
Namib Desert Lodge

Namib Desert Lodge

Namib Desert Lodge is a good budget option in the Namib-Naukluft although, it is further from Sossusvlei than we'd typically suggest.


100% (3 reviews)
Sonop

Sonop

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100% (3 reviews)
Camp Sossus

Camp Sossus

Camp Sossus is a offers top notch guiding in a remote wilderness area of the Naukluft Mountains with easy access to the famous dunes of Sossusvlei.


100% (2 reviews)
Desert Hills Glamping Camp

Desert Hills Camp

Conveniently located for the renowned dunes of Sossusvlei Desert Hills Glamping Camp offers a simple but comfortable tents in picturesque surroundings.


90% (2 reviews)
Le Mirage Lodge

Le Mirage Lodge

Le Mirage Resort and Spa offers accommodation and a range of massage and beauty treatments in a Moroccan-style building in the desert.


80% (2 reviews)
Desert Grace

Desert Grace

A stylish offering giving access to the famous dunes in the Namib-Naukluft National Park as well as to activities on a private nature reserve.


100% (1 review)
The Nest at Sossus

The Nest

Designed to emulate the appearance of a sociable weaver nest the opulent Nest at Sossus is arguably the most exclusive private property in the Sossuvlei area.


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