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| We leave Outpost Safari Lodge early We have a long drive to Canyon Lodge Namibia 2026 |
Today we leave Outpost Safari Lodge near Unions End and embark on a very long drive all the way to Canyon Lodge, near the eastern side of the Fish River Canyon and the Hobas entrance gate.
For some time, I have wanted to explore more of the small back roads in this remote part of Namibia. On a previous journey, we had a fantastic drive along the little D1033, the “Olifants River Road” (link D1033 trip).
This time, we decide to take one of the most easterly routes possible through this part of Namibia. We follow the D1022, then the D1119 and D511, before eventually turning southeast onto the somewhat larger C17 towards the small town of Koes and onwards to Keetmanshoop.
It turns out to be a perfect plan.
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| Start of D1022, runs lengthwise between the dunes most of time Namibia 2026 |
Almost nobody on the road
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| D1022, we meet only three other vehicles! Freshly graded track Namibia 2026 |
During the first three hours, we encounter just three other vehicles!
We initially head south on the D1022, which turns out to have been freshly graded and is in absolutely perfect condition.
And here I was, expecting loose sand and a potentially challenging 4WD drive!
Instead, the road runs lengthwise between the dunes, and only occasionally do we cross from one dune ridge to another. This creates long, straight stretches interrupted by short but beautiful climbs over the dune crests.
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| Road D1119, distance between the dune ridges shorter, red sand. Namibia 2026 |
When we reach the D1119, we start heading more towards the west. The distance between the dune ridges becomes shorter, and the character of the drive changes.
It gradually develops into something resembling a roller coaster ride over the now quite high dunes – still, however, on beautifully graded gravel.
The dunes have also changed character. They are becoming increasingly red, with the characteristic colours of the Kalahari becoming more pronounced.
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| Blogger break D1119 Namibia 2026 |
But this year there is something else.
Flowers.
And more and more of them.
The further south we travel, the more flowers we see scattered across the desert. In places, the normally dry landscape is surprisingly colourful.
The desert is still blooming.
How incredibly lucky we are to be here at exactly the right time.
Giants and quiver trees
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| Near Quiver Tree Forest Namibia 2026 |
After passing the small town of Koes, we eventually approach Keetmanshoop.
Along the way, we pass two of southern Namibia's most unusual natural attractions: Giants' Playground and the Quiver Tree Forest.
Giants' Playground is a remarkable landscape of enormous dolerite boulders, piled and balanced in seemingly impossible formations. The rocks look almost as if some enormous hand has stacked them on top of each other – hence the name. The formations are entirely natural, created through geological processes and prolonged weathering and erosion.
Just a few kilometres away lies the famous Quiver Tree Forest, a natural concentration of Aloidendron dichotomum, commonly known as quiver trees or kokerboom. The trees are actually giant succulents rather than true trees, and some of the specimens are several centuries old. The San traditionally hollowed out the branches to make quivers for their arrows, which explains the English name.
We visited both places back in 2009, when our children were just nine and ten years old.
We still have vivid memories of the strange rock formations and, in particular, the many spectacular quiver trees.
But we still have a very long drive ahead of us today, so we decide not to stop for a proper visit this time.
Instead, we simply admire the landscape from the road and pull over briefly on the roadside.
Sometimes it is enough just to see an old familiar landscape again.
Heading into the south
When we reach Keetmanshoop, we decide not to drive into the town itself, as we did some weeks earlier with my brother and sister-in-law on the way to Klein-Aus Vista (link).
Instead, we continue directly towards the eastern side of the Fish River Canyon.
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| Turning south onto the C12 Namibia 2026 |
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| In far distance, we begin to see mountain ranges Namibia 2026 |
After turning south onto the C12, the landscape changes once again.
The open desert seems to stretch endlessly in every direction.
There are even more flowers now, and in the far distance we begin to see mountain ranges.
At first, they are barely visible on the horizon.
But as we continue south, they become more distinct, rising gradually above the enormous plains.
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| Flowers and mountains more distinct Gondwana Canyon Park Namibia 2026 |
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| We cross below Naute Dam Namibia 2026 |
The landscape is becoming increasingly dramatic.
We eventually turn onto the C37 for the final stretch towards Gondwana Canyon Park.
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| Final stretch towards Gondwana Canyon Park Namibia 2026 |
The views become more and more spectacular.
Gondwana Canyon Park is an enormous private conservation area covering approximately 1,160 km², or 116,000 hectares – about 27% of the area of Denmark – surrounding the Fish River Canyon. The area has been developed around the idea of combining conservation, landscape restoration and tourism, and wildlife such as plains zebra, wildebeest, red hartebeest and giraffe has been reintroduced.
It is a fitting landscape for the next chapter of our journey.
Finally – Canyon Lodge
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| Canyon Lodge front Namibia 2026 |
And finally, we arrive at our destination.
Canyon Lodge.
The lodge lies among enormous granite boulders within Gondwana Canyon Park, approximately 20 kilometres east of the Fish River Canyon. The stone chalets are scattered between the rocks, and the setting is spectacularly remote.
We are going to stay here for three nights.
We have visited the Fish River Canyon twice before – in 2022 (link) and a few weeks ago with my brother and sister-in-law (link) – but both times from the western side.
This time, we are going to explore it from the eastern side, around Hobas.
After the long drive from the Kalahari, it feels good to finally arrive.
The car has done another very long day, but the journey itself has been an experience.
And tomorrow, we will finally get to see what the Fish River Canyon looks like from this side.
We are very much looking forward to the next few days.
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