Fish River Canyon lies in Namibia's far south. By road it is about 145 kilometres southwest of Keetmanshoop, and from Seeheim the gorge runs some 160 kilometres south to Ai-Ais, up to 27 kilometres wide in places. Most visitors see it from above, from the viewpoints on the eastern rim near Hobas. Getting to the bottom takes a hiking permit and five days.
- long, from Seeheim to Ai-Ais
- about 160 km
- maximum depth, depending on the source
- 549 or 550 m
- hiking trail, usually five days
- about 90 km
- national heritage site since 1 August
- 1962
You will often read that it is the second-largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. German Wikipedia says so. English Wikipedia only calls it the largest in Africa, which is the safer claim. The age varies too: 500 million years is the usual figure, while English Wikipedia starts the story with a rift valley about 650 million years ago.
From the Hobas camp, now run by the state company NWR as Hobas Lodge, it is about twelve kilometres to the main viewpoint. There and at the nearby lookouts you stand right at the edge. For the night there is Hobas, booked directly with NWR, and several private lodges in the area.
A river that rarely flows
If you expect a raging torrent, you will be disappointed. Most of the time the Fish River carries little or no water. Whatever falls upstream is held back by dams: Hardap near Mariental and, since 2018, Neckartal northwest of Keetmanshoop, now the largest in the country. After heavy rain the sluices open and the canyon fills within days.
The canyon began with movements of the earth's crust. The floor of a rift valley collapsed, and the river, which carried far more water back then, cut deeper and deeper into the rock. Most of it is now protected within the ǀAi-ǀAis/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, run jointly by Namibia and South Africa. Private reserves border the western rim, among them the Canyon Nature Park and the Gondwana Cañon Park.
The hiking trail: five days through the gorge
The trail starts at Hiker's Viewpoint near the main viewpoint and follows the river down to Ai-Ais. Allow five days for about 90 kilometres. The length depends on the source, from 86 kilometres on the old version of this site to 88 in English Wikipedia and 90 at NWR. There is no way out for roughly the first three days. You carry everything yourself, tent, food and stove; only water comes from the river. You sleep wherever you like, on sandbanks by the water.
Hiking is only allowed in winter. Permits run from 1 May to 15 September, though an older fact sheet from the Namibian embassy gives 15 April as the start. In summer the canyon gets well above 40 °C, and more than 50 °C has been recorded. Even in winter it can top 40 °C at midday, which is why NWR asks for a medical certificate.
The rules: at least three and at most 30 people per group. The old site and the embassy still said 40. The minimum age is 12 according to English Wikipedia and Tracks4Africa, while the embassy says children under 13 may not go. You also need a medical certificate, which you show at Hobas. The old site and travel blogs say it must be no more than 40 days old; check when you book. Away from the trail, descending into the canyon without a guide is not allowed.
Shorter hikes are on offer on the western side in the private reserves. Lodges there run guided walks along the canyon, and some trails you can walk on your own.
Today, as of October 2026Water shaped the 2026 season. The 1 May start was postponed because of high river levels, and hiking began on 15 May. In June NWR closed the trail again, and all 96 hikers in the canyon were brought out unharmed (allAfrica, 23 June 2026). It reopened on 17 July 2026. Bookings go through NWR; the online system was down in October 2026, but requests by email worked. The trail cost N$ 540 per person in October 2026. And since 1 April 2026 the canyon area counts as a premium park, at N$ 280 per day for foreign adults.
- Time needed
- two to three hours for the viewpoints; five days for the trail
- Cost
- park fee N$ 280 per adult per day, trail N$ 540 per person (as of October 2026)
- When
- viewpoints all year, best early or late in the day; trail 1 May to 15 September
Our tipDrive to the main viewpoint in the late afternoon and stay until sunset, when low light picks out the rock bands. The twelve kilometres back to Hobas take about half an hour, so you are in before dark.
Places to stay in Fish River Canyon
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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 Lodge
Klein
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €386per night on 7 January 2027
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Gondwana Canyon Village
Gondwana Canon Park, C37
- Pool
- Breakfast
- Restaurant
- Parking
from €194per night on 18 November 2026
Check prices on trivagoFish River Canyon: frequently asked questions
How deep is Fish River Canyon?
Fish River Canyon is 549 metres deep at its deepest point, and many sources round this to 550 metres. It is about 160 kilometres long and up to 27 kilometres wide.
Do you need a medical certificate for the Fish River Canyon hiking trail?
Yes. For the Fish River Canyon hiking trail you show a medical certificate of fitness at Hobas. Groups need at least three people, and bookings are made with NWR.
When can you hike Fish River Canyon?
The Fish River Canyon trail is only open in the Namibian winter, from 1 May to 15 September. NWR closes it during floods even then, as in May and from June to mid-July 2026.
Can you hike down into Fish River Canyon without doing the whole trail?
Away from the trail, descending into Fish River Canyon without a guide is not allowed. Lodges in the private reserves on the western rim offer shorter guided hikes.