Reviews of Kulala Desert Lodge
Wildlife sightings and reviews
366 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
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"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
The staff here are very friendly and are only to happy to accomodate any of your needs, and you can join in with singing and dancing on alternate evenings but don't worry they don't pressure you join in, it is good fun to watch to, or sit by the open fire!
We had a brilliant guide Piertrus taking us on a sundowner nature drive and to watch the sunrise on Dune 45 along with a drive to Deadvlei, you can do these excursions yourself and save a few quid but we found the information the guide gave us very useful and would recomend it." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia
"Kulala Desert Lodge"
Even the two guides who came upon us changing our punctured tyre before we had even reached the lodge could not have been any more helpful and cheerful!
Perhaps the only suggestion I would have is that if visitors are planning a hot air balloon trip, then to arrange this for their first full day in this area. Unfortunately we had ours planned for the day we were leaving and due to a sandstorm the previous day, the winds were still causing problems the following day so we were unable to do our balloon trip. If we had been staying another day, we might have then been able to do the balloon trip the next day." See all these reviews: 9n in Namibia; 2n in Zambia
"wonderful trip to the dunes & peacefull lodge"
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
The rooms were lovely and our two kulalas were attached by a short verandah which was nice. However, there was a lot of noise from the generator until quite late and from cars arriving late and leaving early. There was also some bad smelling water in front of our lodge, perhaps from a leaking drain? The pool area was nice.
Rather than pay the very high price for an organised trip, we drove ourselves to Sossussvlei, which was really not far and was much cheaper as we just had to pay the park entrance fee. It also gave us the option to spend as long or as little time at the dunes as we wanted. The canyon is easily missed with the excitement of seeing Dune 45, but was really worth the walk." See all these reviews: 18n in Namibia
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
A general point is that Expert Africa could perhaps give a little more guidance on self guided trips from some of the lodges, as an alternative to those provided (at quite a high cost) by the camps themselves. The Namibia guidebook provided is good, but some personal hints and tips from Expert Africa would be very helpful.
I did raise one safety point in my feedback to the camp - the ladders to the roofs on the lodges (on which you can sleep otdoors) were not secured at the top and an accident is likely to happen eventually." See all these reviews: 11n in Namibia
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
Very interesting river bed walk.
Excellent food first night but average second night." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
But we felt the activities are very expensive though, and what made it worse was the management couldn't explain why (we didn't think most of it was for the guide and it couldn't have been the transport cost or entrance fees, we checked the cost of the latter one...).
We asked two members of the management, once when confirming to go on the trip and in the end when paying. In general the quality of information by the management was not as good as in many other lodges.
Fortunately we did have an excellent guide on our trip to the dunes (Petrus), which is why I wouldn't rate service as "poor"" See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 2n in Botswana; 2n in Zambia
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
We had a wonderful trip to Dune 45 and a sundowner to Sesriem canyon with Christoph, the best guide we had during our holiday to Namibia.
All the other staff were very attentive , courteous and professional, so much so we were sad to leave this wonderful place." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia; 3n in South Africa
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
The staff were very helpful and friendly
The food was good but I did feel that the puddings (quality rather than choice) could be improved upon." See all these reviews: 5n in Namibia
1) About their Morning excursion to dunes:
Christoph, our guide, was great. He was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.
It was really great - just right. Plenty of time to explore or just to watch the sun rise.
2) About their Early morning balooning trip:
Unfortunately this was cancelled on both occasions (apparently no one was able to go ballooning all week) due to the wind.
"Kulala Desert Lodge review"
The evening nature drive with N'gway (sorry for the spelling) was very infomative and he assisted John in and out of the vehicle in a very helpful and friendly manner.
The tour was expensive (compared to Anib Lodge which was a third of the price) although perhaps that is fairly standard in the Sesreim area." See all these reviews: 13n in Namibia
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Other lodges in Namib-Naukluft National Park
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
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.
BullsPort Lodge & Farm
A traditional Namibian farm, BullsPort offers warm hospitality and a genuine rural experience, with excellent hiking and horseriding.
Sossus Dune Lodge
One of only two properties inside the Namib Naukluft Park, Sossus Dune Lodge has a superb location, for visiting the dunes.
Desert Homestead
With great-value accommodation in a lovely setting, Desert Homestead is a great base for exploring Sossusvlei.
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.
Rostock Ritz
The igloo-style chalets at Rostock Ritz offer exceptional desert views and make a convenient stopover between Swakopmund & Sossusvlei.
Barkhan Dune Retreat
Barkhan Dune Retreat is a welcoming lodge close to the impressive Spreetshoogte Pass, majors on hiking and relaxation.
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.
Namib Outpost
About 30km from the gate to Sossusveli, Namib Outpost is a great base for exploring the dunes and surrounding attractions.
Dead Valley Lodge
Dead Valley Lodge is inside the Namib-Naukluft National Park, affording guests almost unprecedented access to the dunes.
Desert Camp
Desert Camp is an economical option for independent travellers who want to self-cater, and is well situated for access to Sossusvlei.
Desert Quiver Camp
Desert Quiver Camp is an economical option self-catering, well located for access to Sossusvlei.
Elegant Desert Lodge
Elegant Desert Lodge can be used as a base to visit Sossusvlei. It offers comfortable accommodation and facilities in the desert.
Corona Guest Farm
In central Namibia, north-east of the Namib-Naukluft, Corona Guest Farm offers a traditional farm stay and rugged hiking.
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.
Sonop
Away from the hustle and bustle of the area immediately surrounding Sossussvlei, Sonop offers a luxurious stay in a remote part of the Namib Desert.
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.
Desert Hills Camp
Conveniently located for the renowned dunes of Sossusvlei Desert Hills Glamping Camp offers a simple but comfortable tents in picturesque surroundings.
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.
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.
