Have you ever imagined sleeping out under the stars where nothing stands between you and the beauty of those sparkling twinkles of light? Where the last thing you see before drifting off to sleep are specks of diamonds gleaming in the cool black desert sky?
Have you ever dreamed of climbing one of the largest sand dunes in the oldest desert in the world?
Or drifting peacefully high above miles and miles of rippling red and pink sand dunes in a hot air balloon, ending with an elaborate champagne breakfast in the middle of nowhere?
These incredible experiences are only offered in a select few locations in Africa, and I had the pleasure of experiencing all three during my stay at Little Kulala Camp.
Tucked away in the private Kulala Wilderness Reserve, Little Kulala takes its inspiration from the surrounding environment with soothing pastel tones of the desert, creating a mood of deep serenity. Each of the 11 climate-controlled villas comes complete with its own private deck, plunge pool and rooftop “skybed.”
The reserve has its own private gate into the Namib-Naukluft National Park, home to Sossusvlei and its spectacular towering sand dunes in vibrant shades of pink to orange to red. The dunes in this area are among the highest and oldest in the world.
When we arrived at Little Kulala Camp, we were warmly welcomed, as is normally done by the Wilderness Safari staff, but here they were different. I immediately took to their smiling faces, and they just made me happy to be around them. Meals here were not only delicious, but I truly enjoyed when the dining staff all danced and sang to us after dinner. Their smiles were so genuine, and you could just feel their energy and how they loved being there with the guests. Our chef was especially entertaining as he swirled around dancing and singing like nobody was watching!
As I rested in my skybed gazing up at the stars, I didn’t want to close my eyes, but knew I had a very early wakeup call the next day.
Five o’clock came quickly, but I was so excited about my first hot air balloon flight that I jumped right out of bed and was sipping my morning cup of coffee within minutes.
As we approached our launch area, Namib Sky Balloon Safaris was already filling the balloons with gas. After our briefing, we climbed into the baskets and slowly started floating off the ground into the cool morning sunrise. No words can describe the view below as we sailed silently in endless space above ripples of vibrant colors, surrounded by stark contrasts of the desert floor below.
Soon after we landed, we were greeted with a glass of champagne before indulging in an elaborate breakfast deep in the Namib Desert.
Just when I thought my day couldn’t get any better, we departed on another great adventure by climbing the tallest sand dune in Sossusvlei. Big Daddy stands at approximately 1,066 feet high, dwarfing the other dunes in the area, and is probably the most famous and most photographed dune in the world. With colors changing in the morning and evening light, Sossusvlei is a photographer’s paradise. Should you want the ultimate bragging rights, trek to the top of Big Daddy where you can look down onto the white clay pans of Deadvlei.
After being thoroughly entertained at dinner by the staff, I returned to my room and headed straight for my skybed. As I slowly drifted off to sleep, I marveled at the Earth’s immensity, and thanked my lucky stars for this unforgettable and beautiful experience in the Namib Desert.