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Fish River CanyonRudiBosbouer / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Namibia

attraction · Ai-Ais

Fish River Canyon

Africa's second-largest canyon (161 km long, 550m deep); hiking trail, viewpoints, hot springs, dramatic geology.

Fish River Canyon is a 161 km chasm carved by the Fish River over millions of years, with walls rising 550m in places. The main viewpoint (Hobas) offers dramatic vistas across red and black geology. A challenging 86 km hiking trail descends into the canyon and follows the river floor to Ai-Ais hot springs (5-6 days; permit and guide required). Day hikes and shorter trails (2-4 hours) give non-hikers access to lower viewpoints. Ai-Ais lodge offers accommodation (500-1,500 NAD/night) and access to natural hot spring pools. The canyon is 7+ hours drive south from Windhoek, positioned as part of southern Namibia loops (Fish River, Lüderitz, Sossusvlei). Most visitors allow 2-3 days. Best season is April-September (cool enough for canyon hiking). December-February is very hot (40C+); unsuitable for extended hiking.

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