Fish River Canyon

The Fish River Canyon is an exceptional 168 km long, 27 km wide canyon, which ranges from 450 to 550 m deep; this makes it one of the world’s largest canyons. The Fish River is the longest inland river in Namibia. It previously carried an enormous amount of water, which enabled it to trace a broad and long furrow, but nowadays the water flows only intermittently.

The canyon is home to a large number of animals including wild horses, zebras, kudu, leopards, baboons, springboks, etc. On the rock walls of the canyon grow the kokerboom or aloe dichotoma, the national tree of Namibia.

Geology enthusiasts will find a privileged place to observe the different strata of the canyon: dolerite in the lower part (the oldest section dating 900 million years), schist and dark limestone on the walls. The canyon was also inhabited by the Nama community before German colonization.