Discover and explore the second largest canyon in the world when you add the Fish River Canyon to the itinerary of your holiday to Namibia. Located in the south of Namibia, it boasts a drop of 550 metres in some areas and reaches 27 kilometres at its widest point, measurements that place this as a must-see highlight on a Namibia safari.

Activities and experiences on safari in the Fish River Canyon
Discover the breathtaking landscape of the Fish River Canyon as you traverse the area during a multi-day hike of nearly 90 kilometres on your Namibia vacation. There are a number of footpaths through the canyon, but the trail is not fixed and you can decide where and how long to marvel at the scenery each day.
As the Fish River Canyon hiking trail is one of the more popular hiking trails in Southern Africa, it is advisable to book well in advance when planning your safari to Namibia. All hikers must be 12 years and older and groups of no smaller than 3 and not larger than 30 also need to apply for a permit from Namibia Wildlife Resorts. Permits are issued only for the period between 1 May and 15 September.
If you intend to include a hike of this nature in your Namibia holiday planning, be aware that there are no amenities on the Fish River Canyon trail and you have to carry everything with you. The weather is usually mild and typical temperatures vary between 5 °C and 30 °C with little humidity.
Wildlife to spot on a Safari
The Fish River is the longest interior river in Namibia and it cuts deep into the plateau that is sparsely covered with hardy drought-resistant plants.
Whilst there is little wildlife to be seen at the bottom of the Fish River Canyon as a result of the rugged rocks and ravines, you can still spot springbok and steenbok on your Namibian wildlife safari, as well as kudu and mountain zebra. For twitchers, there are a wide variety of birds and raptors to be seen as you traverse the trails of the world’s second-biggest canyon and take in its magnificent scenery.
Fish River Canyon Safaris with JENMAN
Experience three weeks of great game viewing and culture on the 21-day Great Trans-African Lodge safari that kicks off in the enigmatic city of Swakopmund in Namibia. Marvel at the astonishing array of wildlife in Etosha National Park before moving on to Mahango National Park. Chobe National Park in Botswana and Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe are also included in this safari package.
A trip to Etosha National Park is part of the 24-day Northern Experience safari package that starts in Cape Town, South Africa and ends in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Other Namibian stops are the sand dunes in Sossusvlei and the breathtaking Fish River Canyon. This exhilarating tour also ventures to the neighbouring countries of Botswana and Zimbabwe.