Fish River Canyon★★★
The Fish River Canyon is the second-largest canyon in the world — after the Grand Canyon in Arizona — and the largest in Africa. The numbers are impressive: 160 km long, up to 27 km wide, and 550 meters deep. And unlike the Grand Canyon, you stand here completely alone at the edge, without railings, without souvenir shops, without other tourists.
The canyon was carved over hundreds of millions of years by the Fish River into the rock layers. At the main viewpoint (Hell's Bend/Hobas), you look down on a dramatic river loop — the panorama is overwhelming, especially at sunrise and sunset, when the rocks glow red and gold.
Fish River Hiking Trail
The 90-km trail through the canyon is one of the world's legendary multi-day hikes. In 4–5 days, you hike along the canyon floor along the river from Hobas to Ai-Ais. The trail is only open from May to September (too hot in summer and risk of flooding) and requires a medical certificate. The stages are long (20–30 km/day), there is no infrastructure — just you, the canyon, and the starry sky.
For the less ambitious: The viewpoint at Hobas is easily accessible by car (paved access), and a short hiking trail leads along the canyon rim to several spectacular viewpoints.
💡 Tipp
Stand at the main viewpoint at sunset — the canyon transforms into a sea of gold and red. Be sure to bring warm clothing: In southern Namibia, it gets bitterly cold at night in winter (June–August), down to below 0°C!
