Danish family on adventures in Africa: Fish River Canyon

Blogger and brother
Fish River Canyon
Namibia 2026

After two nights in the Kalahari, we continue southwest towards one of Namibia's greatest natural wonders—the spectacular Fish River Canyon.

Often described as the second-largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon, the Fish River Canyon stretches for around 160 kilometres through southern Namibia. At its deepest, the canyon plunges approximately 550 metres below the surrounding plateau, while in places it becomes several kilometres wide. It is an extraordinary landscape of ancient rock, twisted geological formations and seemingly endless dry riverbeds.

The canyon was carved over millions of years, primarily by the Fish River, Namibia's longest river. Today, the river is usually little more than a series of pools and sandy channels, but after heavy rains it can transform dramatically, carrying huge volumes of water through the gorge.

Peculiarly, despite its spectacular scale, Fish River Canyon remains relatively unknown internationally. Compared with the crowds visiting the Grand Canyon or even Namibia's better-known attractions such as Etosha and Sossusvlei, remarkably few travellers make the long journey into southern Namibia. Perhaps that is part of its charm.

For the next two nights we will stay at Fish River Canyon Lodge, which enjoys an extraordinary location right on the edge of the canyon. Few hotels can honestly claim to offer a true "room with a view", but this is certainly one of them.

We have already had the pleasure of staying here once before, when we visited in 2022 [link], and we are particularly excited to show the place to my brother and sister-in-law. There is something slightly wild about staying virtually on the edge of one of Africa's great geological features. Our chalets are perhaps five to ten metres from the precipice, and waking up to the vast canyon stretching across the landscape is an experience that never becomes quite ordinary.

Our two houses, living on the edge
Fish River Lodge
Namibia 2026

The Desert Is Blooming!

As we approach the canyon from the north along the D463, we see something we have never experienced during our seven previous trips to Namibia.

The desert is blooming!

The southern part of Namibia has experienced unusually good rainfall over the past couple of years, and the effect on the landscape is remarkable. Much of the vegetation here is adapted to surviving long periods of drought, with seeds and plants capable of remaining dormant until sufficient rain arrives. When the rains finally come, the transformation can be astonishingly rapid.

The normally harsh, barren landscape suddenly becomes covered in grasses and tiny flowers. Many of the plants are succulents or other highly specialised drought-adapted species, including various members of the ice-plant and daisy families. Some appear almost overnight, taking advantage of the brief window when water is available.

It is difficult to imagine that this colourful landscape is the same desert we have driven through on previous visits.

We stop several times to take photographs, something that will become a recurring feature of the next few days. Every few kilometres there seems to be another patch of flowers or an especially photogenic combination of red earth, green vegetation and blue sky.

D463 on the way to Fish River Lodge
Desert blooming!
Namibia 2026

Southern Namibia, desert blooming
Namibia 2026

The Road to the Edge

Eventually we reach the entrance to Fish River Canyon Lodge, where another small adventure awaits.

The final approach involves around 20 kilometres of challenging track across rough, rocky terrain. The journey begins with a rather entertaining descent down a steep concrete ramp, consisting of two narrow tracks that need to be hit rather precisely.

We watch my brother's reaction with some amusement. It is exactly the same mixture of concentration and excitement that we remember from our own first descent here.

Then comes the real reward.

Staff are waiting for us with warm white towels and homemade juice. But the formalities of check-in are quickly forgotten when we walk into the main lodge and see the view through the building towards the pool, the distinctive quiver trees and, beyond them, the enormous canyon.

It is almost impossible to look at anything else.

Fortunately, the staff are used to this. We are eventually persuaded to complete the necessary formalities before being shown to our accommodation.

Pool and terrace, Fish River Lodge
Namibia 2026

We have been given two of the best chalets, tucked away in a secluded position right on the canyon edge (see pictore above). Everything is beautifully maintained. There is a comfortable king-size bed positioned to take full advantage of the view, an outdoor shower, a large concrete terrace for sunbathing and a spacious indoor bathroom. Everything is clean, neat and in excellent condition.

The wind can apparently be quite fierce here, and the exposed position means that it can make quite a noise around the chalets. We are fortunate, however, with only a gentle breeze during our stay and, as expected for this time of year, gloriously clear blue skies.

Down into the Canyon

Brother and sister-in-law
Descending into canyon
Namibia 2026

We have booked a full-day 4WD excursion into the Fish River Canyon, an experience we enjoyed on our previous visit in 2022 [link].

It is a spectacular drive.

The track descends through narrow mountain passes and follows the canyon walls, with some sections providing an almost uninterrupted view down into the abyss. It is not an excursion for anyone with a serious fear of heights. Those sitting on the outside of the vehicle occasionally find themselves looking straight down into the canyon with very little between them and many metres of empty space.

We share the vehicle with a friendly Swiss family and are fortunate to have an excellent guide, Justice, who knows both the terrain and the history of the canyon extremely well.

Exciting track into Fich River Canyon
Namibia 2026

One welcome change since our last visit is that the excursion now includes more stops and opportunities to walk. On some of the longer sections, we can get out and hike along the track before being collected further ahead by the support vehicle. It makes the day feel less like simply being driven through the canyon and gives us much more time to appreciate the extraordinary geology and scale of the landscape.

Eventually we reach the last major viewpoint before beginning the descent into the inner canyon.

And here we encounter the consequences of the recent rains.

The track along the mountainside that we followed on our previous visit has been washed away by the unusually heavy rainfall. Around three weeks earlier, approximately 75 mm of rain had fallen in a very short period, enough to cause substantial erosion and completely remove parts of the track.

Our driver takes a longer alternative route, and eventually we reach the canyon floor.

There is one final reward waiting for us: swimming in the Fish River.

Wife swimming in Fish River
Namibia 2026

The water is cold—very cold—but after a long and dusty drive through the canyon, it is wonderfully refreshing. We spend around two hours at the bottom, enjoying a relaxed lunch served on a newly constructed wooden terrace beneath a huge rock overhang.

It is one of those moments when the effort required to get somewhere makes the experience all the more rewarding.

Relaxing at new wooden terrace
Fish River Lodge
Namibia 2026

Eventually it is time to head back up.

The return journey is considerably faster, although the same dramatic scenery remains. By the time we reach the top again, we are tired, slightly dusty and thoroughly satisfied.

It was worth the entire journey to southern Namibia.

A Perfect End to the Day

Back at the lodge, the evening is wonderfully relaxed.

Dinner is served in the beautifully designed main building, where comfortable leather furniture, warm lighting and two wood-burning stoves create a cosy atmosphere. It is winter in the southern hemisphere, and once the sun disappears, temperatures can drop rapidly.

Ready for dinner, Fish River Lodge
Namibia 2026

Before dinner on our arrival day, we also managed to squeeze in a beautiful walk to a nearby viewpoint. The trail was relatively short but lead to an excellent vantage point over the canyon and surrounding landscape.

We highly recommend doing this walk if you arrive early enough. There is something particularly satisfying about standing quietly above the canyon just before sunset, knowing that the long drive has finally brought you to one of Namibia's truly extraordinary places.

Fish River Canyon is not simply a destination you visit. It is a landscape you have to travel to—and that effort is very much part of the experience.