Fishriver
Visit Africa’s largest canyon
Fish River: Namibia’s longest river
Fly camping in the canyon
Fish River Canyon is located in the south of Namibia. At 160 km long, up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 m deep, it is the largest canyon in Africa, and the second largest in the world after the Grand Canyon.
The canyon can be seen quite simply from above or explored while on excursions offered by the lodges. Multi-day trekking is also an option, but only during the winter months, as the Fish River Canyon can reach temperatures of up to 50°C, which makes walking rather difficult.
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At over 650 km long, the Fish River is the longest in Namibia. Its source lies east in the Naukluft Mountains, and it flows southwards until blocked by the Hardap Dam at Mariental. The river only flows through the canyon during the wet season; it dries out entirely during the winter months. Luckily, there are places along its length where groundwater breaks through to the surface, providing a lifeline for the animals that live here.
The canyon itself begins at Seeheim and ends at Ai-Ais. The Fish River continues further south before meeting the permanently flowing waters of the Orange River, which marks the border to South Africa. Surprisingly, the canyon wasn’t formed over millions of years by the constant flow of the river, but first and foremost by the collapsing of the earth’s crust, which can be deduced by the very broad valley floor.
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