Fish River Canyon Hiking Trail

Information

Distance

86.0 km

Duration

4–5 days

Max elevation

1,000 m

Country

Namibia (NA)

Difficulty

Strenuous — rocky terrain at the bottom of Africa's deepest canyon, with no shade, no bridges, and no rescue mid-trail

Best Season

May–September (the official trail is closed 15 September–30 April due to extreme temperatures)

Permits & Fees

Required from Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR); fee NAD 540/person (2025); minimum group of 3; a doctor's medical certificate dated ≤40 days before departure; quota of 30 hikers per day; book well in advance (6–12 months ahead)

Description

The Fish River Canyon Hiking Trail is an 86 km self-supported trek through the floor of Africa's largest canyon — a 160 km long, up to 27 km wide and 550 m deep gorge carved over 350 million years by tectonic faulting and erosion. Starting with a chain-assisted descent at the Hobas viewpoint, hikers follow the Fish River for four to five days across raw desert terrain before finishing at the Ai-Ais hot springs resort, where thermal waters at 60°C offer a welcome reward. There are no bridges, no reliable water sources between the river bends, and no mid-route rescue access. Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) enforces strict access controls: groups of at least three, a medical fitness certificate valid within 40 days, and a cap of 30 hikers per day, with the trail open from 1 May to 15 September.

Trail Highlights

The largest canyon in Africa (160 km long, 27 km wide, 550 m deep), ancient geology 800 million years old, Dwyka and Nama rock formations, the serpentine meanders of the Fish River, the natural Ai-Ais hot springs (60°C) at the end of the trail, and the light-pollution-free night skies of the Namib Desert