Things to do in Fish River Canyon
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Fish River Canyon
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Winter window: trail open from 1 May to 15 September subject to closure, best rim light and manageable daytime heat.
Trail closed and heat building: viewpoints at sunrise and sunset only, lodges quieter and the canyon at its emptiest.
Summer and rains: extreme gorge heat, trail closed, river can flow with flash flood risk, gravel roads can deteriorate.
Best things to do in Fish River Canyon
Fish River Canyon Main Viewpoint
The main rim lookouts above the great northern bends, about 10 km from Hobas gate, best at sunrise or before sunset.
Hell's Bend
The famous horseshoe bend in the river below the main viewpoint, the classic Fish River Canyon photograph.
Hikers Viewpoint
The rim point at the top of the trail descent, where non-hikers best grasp what the multi-day hike involves.
/Ai-/Ais Hot Springs
Natural hot springs feeding indoor and outdoor pools at the southern end of the canyon, the trail finish line soak.
Where to stay in Fish River Canyon
Hobas
viewpoints, trailhead, cheapest base
Inside the gate, about 10 km from the main viewpoint, with the campsite, six chalets and the only north end kitchen.
/Ai-/Ais
hot springs, trail finish
The southern end of the canyon, built for soaking and for hikers walking out, a long drive from the Hobas viewpoints.
Gondwana Canyon Park
mid-range lodges, families, road trips
Three Gondwana properties east of the canyon with restaurants, pools, fuel at the Roadhouse and guided walks and drives.
Western rim
the rim itself, couples, lodge activities
One lodge directly on the canyon edge in its own nature park, isolated and activity rich, far from the Hobas side.
Think twice about
- The canyon floor outside the permitted hiking trail
Descent is prohibited without a trail permit and group booking, and the gorge has extreme heat, no water resupply and no phone signal.
- Gravel roads between Keetmanshoop, Hobas and /Ai-/Ais after dark
Livestock and wildlife on unlit gravel roads are a serious night hazard, and breakdown help and phone signal are unreliable.
Best restaurants in Fish River Canyon
Hobas Lodge Restaurant
The NWR camp restaurant at Hobas, simple cooked food and the only kitchen at the north end of the canyon.
Canyon Roadhouse Restaurant
Casual roadhouse dining among vintage cars, with a filling station style bar, made for drivers on the southern route.
/Ai-/Ais Hot Springs Resort Restaurant
The resort dining room at the south end, feeding guests, campers and hikers finishing the trail at the springs.
Canyon Village Restaurant
Buffet breakfasts and set lodge dinners, with all day tea, coffee and cake in the main lodge at Canyon Village.
Canyon Lodge Restaurant
Lodge dining in the stone main lodge at Canyon Lodge, the most atmospheric Gondwana dining room on this side.
Fish River Lodge Restaurant
Three course lodge dinners and afternoon cake on a deck on the rim itself, the best table here by setting alone.
Outdoor things to do in Fish River Canyon
Fish River Hiking Trail
The 85 to 90 km self-supported canyon hike, permit and medical certificate required, groups of 3 to 30, winter only.
Fish River Lodge Canyon Day Drive
A full day guided 4x4 descent to permanent rock pools, with a picnic lunch and a swim, for lodge guests only.
Fish River Lodge Rim to River Hike
A guided multi-day western rim to river hike with set camps and trail meals, separate from the NWR trail.
Gondwana Canyon sunrise walk and sundowner drive
Guided sunrise walks and sundowner drives from the three Gondwana lodges, the gentle tier of paid outdoors here.
Fish River Lodge canyon rim walks
Self-guided and guided rim walks and e-biking straight from the lodge, best early and late for light in the gorge.
Best hotels in Fish River Canyon
Hobas Campsite
NWR campsites at the gate, the cheapest base at the canyon and the closest to the main viewpoint and trailhead.
Hobas Lodge
Six NWR bush chalets inside the gate, the only non-camping option at the north end for an early rim start.
/Ai-/Ais Hot Springs Resort
NWR rooms and chalets over the hot springs at the south end, ideal for soaking and for finishing the hike.
Canyon Lodge
Stone chalets among granite boulders east of the canyon, the most characterful mid-range Gondwana base.
Canyon Village
Forty-two stone and thatch cottages with family and triple options, the easiest Gondwana booking for groups.
Canyon Roadhouse
The vintage car themed roadhouse lodge with fuel on site, a fun and practical road trip base near the canyon.
Fish River Lodge
The only lodge directly on the canyon rim, on the western edge, with chalets built for the view and a rim pool.
Is Fish River Canyon expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | NAD 900 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | NAD 3,200 a person |
| Splurge | NAD 7,500 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Fish River Hiking Trail: months ahead
- Fish River Lodge Canyon Day Drive: weeks ahead
- Fish River Lodge Rim to River Hike: months ahead
- Gondwana Canyon sunrise walk and sundowner drive: a few days ahead
- Hobas Campsite: weeks ahead
- Hobas Lodge: weeks ahead
- /Ai-/Ais Hot Springs Resort: weeks ahead
- Canyon Lodge: weeks ahead
- Book Hobas chalets and campsite and the winter lodges early; bed stock at the canyon is tiny with no overflow town.
- Book the hiking trail months ahead and diarise the doctor appointment so the medical certificate is signed inside its validity window.
Is Fish River Canyon safe?
- Heat, water and roads are the real risks: gorge heat can exceed 45 degrees in summer, the trail is winter only, and rescue in the canyon is slow.
- Carry water assuming a breakdown, drive gravel slowly with spare tyres, never drive outside towns at night, and hold evacuation insurance.
Fish River Canyon travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Basing at Fish River Lodge or /Ai-/Ais for the Hobas viewpoints without grasping the distances and gravel between them.
- Arriving at the main viewpoint at midday in summer, descending anywhere without a permit, or expecting food, fuel or signal at Hobas.
Getting around Fish River Canyon: public transport and more
- Self-drive is effectively the only way: about 650 km from Windhoek and 150 km from Keetmanshoop to Hobas, on gravel for the last stretches.
- Fill up with fuel in Keetmanshoop or Grunau and at Canyon Roadhouse when passing, and carry cash, water and food in the car at all times.
Who Fish River Canyon suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | OK |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Fish River Canyon your trip
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