Places · South

Fish River Canyon

Half past six in the evening, the dust of the C37 still hangs in the low light, and at the Hobas campsite the first braai starts to hiss. The canyon rim is twelve kilometres away.

If you want to see the Fish River Canyon, you sleep at Hobas or at one of the lodges along the C37 to the east. Hobas is the gateway to the park, twelve kilometres from the main viewpoint and the start of the 90-kilometre hiking trail. From Keetmanshoop it is 144 kilometres, a good 110 of them gravel. Ai-Ais, at the southern end of the canyon, is another 65 kilometres.

to Keetmanshoop, mostly gravel
144 km
from Hobas to the main viewpoint
12 km
hiking trail from Hobas to Ai-Ais
90 km
by road from Hobas to Ai-Ais
65 km

The canyon is part of the ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, which Namibia shares with South Africa. Since 1 April 2026 it has been in the higher fee tier: N$ 280 per foreign adult per day, as of October 2026. That applies even if you only drive to the viewpoint.

Where to sleep

Hobas is closest. The state-run camp of Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) is now called Hobas Lodge and has bush chalets, campsites, a pool, a restaurant and a small shop for basics. Hobas is not in the accommodation feed, so book it directly with NWR. On 13 October 2026 online booking was down and NWR was taking requests by email.

Rates as of October 2026: a bush chalet with breakfast costs N$ 1,890 per person from November 2026 to June 2027 and N$ 2,340 from July to October. Camping is N$ 480 per person per night.

East of Hobas on the C37 are the Gondwana Collection properties, including Canyon Lodge and Canyon Roadhouse. The Roadhouse is about 14 kilometres north of Hobas, with 24 rooms, a campsite and its own filling station. On the west rim of the canyon is Fish River Lodge with 20 rooms. You reach it on gravel roads from the west side, not via Hobas. In April 2026 several of those roads were closed after rain.

Getting there and fuel

From Keetmanshoop, drive 31 kilometres west on the B4 to Seeheim, then 81 kilometres on the unsealed C12 past the Naute Dam and finally 30 kilometres on the C37 to Hobas. Allow two and a half to three hours. From the south you come from the Noordoewer border via the B1 and C37, about 165 kilometres.

After heavy rain the C12 gets difficult. In February 2026 a cloudburst near Naute swept away a tourist vehicle, and in April 2026 the C12 from Grünau was reported as passable by 4x4 only. In the rainy season, ask in Keetmanshoop or at your lodge before you set off.

NWR lists no filling station at Hobas itself. You can fill up at Canyon Roadhouse and in Keetmanshoop. The filling station at the Ai-Ais resort ran dry several times in 2025, and NWR pointed travellers to Keetmanshoop and Karasburg.

Hiking trail dates

NWR opens the trail from Hobas to Ai-Ais only from 1 May to 15 September, for groups of 3 to 30 people. It costs N$ 540 per person, as of October 2026. Hikers usually spend the night before at Hobas. A shuttle from Ai-Ais back to your car costs N$ 500 per person with NWR.

Today, as of Since 1 April 2026 the park has cost N$ 280 per foreign adult per day, up from 150. And 2026 showed what floods mean here: NWR delayed the start of the hiking season by about a week, opened the trail in mid-May, closed it again in June and only reopened it on 17 July 2026.

Time needed
one night at Hobas or on the C37, with the viewpoint in the afternoon and again in the morning
From Windhoek
655 km, 525 minutes

Our tipFill up in Keetmanshoop before you turn onto the C12. Count on fuel again only at Canyon Roadhouse, as NWR lists no filling station at Hobas.

AngolaZambiaBotswanaSouth AfricaAtlanticOrangeEtosha PanWindhoekOkahandjaRehobothGobabisOmaruruUsakos and ErongoSwakopmundWalvis BayHenties Bay and Cape CrossSesriem and SossusvleiSolitaireMaltahöheMariental and KalahariKeetmanshoopAusLüderitz and KolmanskopFish River CanyonFish River CanyonFish River CanyonAi-AisKarasburgEtosha South (Andersson Gate)Etosha East (Von Lindequist Gate)OutjoOtjiwarongo and WaterbergTsumebOtaviGrootfonteinOshakati and OndangwaKamanjabTwyfelfonteinKhorixasSesfonteinOpuwo and KaokoveldRunduDivundu and BwabwataKatima Mulilo and Zambezi200 km
Where Fish River Canyon lies. Click a dot to open the place.

Places to stay in Fish River Canyon

AdvertisementThe links lead to trivago. If you book through them we receive a commission; it does not influence the selection. Prices are examples for the night shown.

Gondwana Canyon Lodge9.2/10

LodgeSouth

Gondwana Canyon Lodge

20 KM East of the

  • Pool
  • Breakfast
  • Restaurant
  • Parking

from €177per night on 23 November 2026

Check prices on trivago
Fish River Lodge9.2/10

LodgeSouth★★★

Fish River Lodge

Klein

  • Pool
  • Breakfast
  • Restaurant
  • Parking

from €386per night on 7 January 2027

Check prices on trivago
Gondwana Canyon Village9.1/10

VillaSouth★★★

Gondwana Canyon Village

Gondwana Canon Park, C37

  • Pool
  • Breakfast
  • Restaurant
  • Parking

from €194per night on 18 November 2026

Check prices on trivago
Canyon Roadhouse9.1/10

GuesthouseSouth★★★

Canyon Roadhouse

C 37

  • Pool
  • Breakfast
  • Restaurant
  • Parking

from €226per night on 23 November 2026

Check prices on trivago

Fish River Canyon: frequently asked questions

Where do you stay at the Fish River Canyon?

Closest to the main viewpoint of the Fish River Canyon is Hobas, the NWR camp with chalets and campsites twelve kilometres from the rim. There are also the Gondwana lodges on the C37 east of Hobas and Fish River Lodge on the west rim.

Is there a filling station at Hobas?

NWR lists a pool, a restaurant and a small shop at Hobas on the Fish River Canyon, but no filling station. You can get fuel at Canyon Roadhouse, about 14 kilometres north on the C37, and in Keetmanshoop.

When is the Fish River Canyon hiking trail open?

NWR opens the 90-kilometre trail from Hobas to Ai-Ais from 1 May to 15 September. In high water NWR delays or closes it, as happened in 2026 until mid-July.