5 Unique Desert Animals at Little Kulala

A fresh, new Little Kulala awaits you in the ancient Namib . Located in Namibia’s 27 000-hectare Kulala Wilderness Reserve (KWR), the lodge entices guests with its elegance – and adventures. Along with numerous activities, Little Kulala offers a vast amount of space, arresting landscapes, and peace. The ultimate pristine wilderness. You can’t get much closer to the renowned dunes of Sossusvlei and the haunting panoramas of Dead Vlei, accessible through an exclusive-use gate.

Inspired by Dead Vlei, the new design of the eleven luxury desert suites (ten twins and one family unit) ensured improved airflow to the brick and glass guest accommodation set under thatch. Each suite features a spacious deck, sala and private plunge pool, merging seamlessly into the timeless desert setting. A private rooftop area offers romantic stargazing, with sleep-outs on the bottom deck completing the experience. Interiors create an extension of the desert's natural beauty, replicated in colour choice, palette, decor and art.

See the desert come alive on walks, drives, e-bikes, quad bikes, or from the sky (in a hot air balloon). The Namib is deceptive, seemingly empty and lifeless – but appearances mislead. Nicknamed ‘The Living Desert,’ it supports an array of desert-adapted wildlife, including many tiny creatures not immediately visible. That’s part of the magic. Every inch of the KWR and the Namib Desert is teeming with life just waiting to be discovered, and our talented guides cannot wait to share their knowledge with you. From a distance it appears static, but those curious enough to take a closer look will know just how much there is to uncover.

Below are some of the more interesting creatures you can encounter during your stay at Little Kulala…

Namib Web-Footed Gecko

The Namib web-footed gecko Pachydactylus rangei is strictly nocturnal. With its very thin skin it is highly susceptible to UV rays. Its webbed feet give it a huge advantage when digging into the sand, as well as great traction when running over the sand hunting for silverfish, crickets, beetle larvae, spiders and other softer insects, which make up its diet.

Burrowing Scorpion

The burrowing scorpion Opistophthalmus flavescence is active at night. This scorpion is very hairy, and each hair acts as a sensor to help it find its prey – which consists of anything it can grab with its incredibly powerful pincers, including other scorpions! Ask your guide to take you on a night walk with a blacklight torch, to see it glow in the dark.

Dune Lark

The dune lark is Namibia’s only true endemic bird, and watching it looking for beetle larvae, termites, spiders and other insects is very entertaining. It is a medium-sized lark that has a rounded head lacking a crest, a slightly decurved bill, a plain face pattern, and diffuse pale streaking that is restricted to the breast. Upperparts colouration is mostly pale sandy-pink to buff, often matching the prevailing soil colour in the region.

Sidewinding Adder

The Peringuey’s, or sidewinding adder Bitis peringueyi pictured here displays the behaviour that gives it its name. These snakes can climb the side of soft dunes by slithering “sideways”, advancing in what appear to be steps. They are also able to move over very hot sand as less than half of their body is touching the sand at any one time. When they are cold, they move straight, like a puff adder.

Tok-Tokkie Beetle

One of the many commonly called “tok-tokkies” Tenebrionidae is the Onymachris plana – this one is also the fastest beetle in the world. They simply walk into the soft sand if it gets too hot, or if they need shelter. The toktokkie beetle is one of the best known of Namibia’s insects, with more than 200 species resident in the country, 20 of them living in the Namib Desert.