Fish River Canyon hike: quick facts
Quick look: Fish River Canyon prices
Who should visit Fish River Canyon?
Who should skip Fish River Canyon?
How to explore Fish River Canyon
The closest towns to Fish River Canyon
How to get to Fish River Canyon
Hiking Fish River Canyon: A guide to guides
How difficult is the Fish River Canyon hiking route?
Where to stay at Fish River Canyon
What is the best time of year for a Fish River Canyon hike?
What can you do at Fish River Canyon besides hiking?
My suggested 3-day Fish River Canyon itinerary
Is a Fish River Canyon hike worth the visit? Okay, let me rephrase: Should you really drive 8 hours just to stare into a big crack in the Earth? (And that’s one way!)
The answer is a resounding maybe! On the one hand, it’s incredible. On the other hand, there are big buts (chuckle).
To make your decision-making process a little easier, I’ve put together the answers to all your burning questions about Fish River Canyon, from how to get there and types of Fish River Canyon hikes to how to go about getting permits and whether to even do it in the first place. Let’s go!
The Fish River Canyon hike is worth it if you’re a crazy adrenaline seeker who’s open to camping with snakes in the wilderness, you have plenty of time in Namibia and aren’t missing the other (more worthwhile, I’d argue) things to do in Namibia for it.
Africa’s largest canyon is located in the very south of Namibia which is—unlike everything else that’s worth visiting in Namibia—well, not in the north. And that means a nice, looong drive. I don’t regret it though, but well, I’m me. I love to drive.
Very. If this is your first ever hike, maybe start with something easier instead.
The full Fish River Canyon hike takes 4 to 5 full days. Which means camping (yuck). Like I said, prepare for the possibility of sleeping with snakes.
You do need a permit for the multiday hike. More on how to get one below. And for the short hikes, you don’t need a permit, but you do need a guide.
Can you? Yes (for the mulit-day hike). Should you? Probably not.
Fish River Lodge organizes day trips into the canyon.
Read more in my Namibia travel blog.
Worth the travel time: 7/10. I was moaning the whole car ride, but when I got there and saw those incredible views, it all just melted away.
Value for money: 8/10. Considering what you get, the price tags are reasonable.
Infrastructure and parking: 5/10. Functional enough, but this is Fish River Canyon, not a highly developed American national park.
Scenery & photo ops: 10/10. This is what crazy people like me drive 16 hours for.
Tours: 10/10. I’d probably be dead at the bottom of the canyon if it weren’t for my tour guide.
Overall: 40/50
Again, take this all with a grain of salt. Whether you and Fish River Canyon are a match really depends on you. It’s not compatible with everyone. But if it is? ...Oh, it really is.
The best views are from the main viewpoints along the rim—no hiking needed
Hike permit: NAD 540 (USD 30)
Park entrance fee: NAD 150 per day (USD 8.50)
Shuttle from Ai-Ais to Hobas: NAD 500 (USD 28)
Visit Fish River Canyon if there’s room in your itinerary. I’m talking 2+ weeks in Namibia. I’m not kidding when I say the drive there and back will probably take you longer than the actual Fish River Canyon hikes, so it’s just not possible if you don’t have a fair bit of time.
It’s also unmissable if you’re really into the world’s largest canyons. Fish River Canyon is second to one: the Grand Canyon. That’s it. Every other canyon in the world is smaller.
So if you’ve visited the Grand Canyon and thought “more of that, please,” this is definitely the next place to go because the big boy, multi-day trail is one of the most famous hikes in Southern Africa. Or if you happen to be on your way to South Africa from Namibia, Fish River Canyon is the perfect stop. I’m honestly jealous of you if this is the case. Talk about convenience.
Look at those bends!
Skip Fish River Canyon if you only have 7–10 days in the country. Otherwise, there’s no way to see the canyon unless you skip almost everything else in Namibia. Which I really wouldn’t do. Yeah, Fish River Canyon is great, but it’s not worth the entirety of a Namibia trip.
I also wouldn’t do it if the idea of going feels anything less than awesome. If it’s not exciting to you, it’s not worth the schlep. This is not an ‘eh, we might as well do a Fish River Canyon hike while we’re in Namibia’ type of place. This is a commitment.
Also, please don’t do it if you don’t like to drive. Just don’t. I love being behind the wheel, but even I started to get tired of it after a while.
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Access into Fish River Canyon is tightly controlled—multi-day hikers need permits and medical clearance, everyone else sticks to the rim viewpoints
The full Fish River Canyon hiking trail is 86 km (53 miles) and takes 4–5 days. The trail starts in Hobas and ends in Ais-Ais. You can go without a guide, but it’s highly recommended to find an experienced one. I mean it when I say this is not your grandma’s kind of hike.
Case in point: you need to apply for a permit beforehand and get a doctor’s certificate just to be let in for multi-day hikes, with or without a guide
Fish River Canyon
Contact Namibia Wildlife Resorts to book a date and get your hiking permit. You’ll need it if you’re going on the full 4–5 day Fish River hike. It costs NAD 500 (USD 35). You’ll be sent a medical form that your doctor needs to fill out no longer than 40 days before your trip.
Officially, you must be a group of at least 3 people to get a permit. This is for safety reasons. Example: John sprains his ankle. Judy stays with him and shoos cape cobras away from him while Harrold goes to find help. Note there’s no cell phone reception in the canyon.
Only 30 people per day are allowed on the hike, so apply for your permit as soon as you can. Nowadays, it’s super competitive; all those other hikers out there will be trying to snag it ASAP. The further in advance you book, the better. I’m talking months to even a year.
Don’t expect a show-up-and-go hike—routes, permits, and logistics need planning in advance
Single-day hike. Staying at the Fish River Lodge is the only way to do day Fish River Canyon hikes, so it is something to look into for those of you like me who aren’t keen on roughing it.
So, for shorter Fish River Canyon hikes, you need to contact Fish River Lodge and book it with them. You're not allowed to go into the canyon on your own unless you’re embarking on the full hike. Plus, you don’t need a permit if you’re going on the shorter trips, another perk in my opinion.
Want someone else to do all the work for you? Here is my recommendation for a 3-day organized guided tour from Windhoek with a short hike.
This is the main Fish River Canyon viewpoint—the easiest way to get the best panoramic views without hiking into the canyon
There isn’t a full scenic drive around the canyon, unless you count flat, orange, sandy earth. It’s an easy and straightforward, 1-hour drive from one end of the canyon at Hobas campsite to the other at Ais-Ais hot springs, but you can’t see into the canyon from the road.
There's one main viewpoint, literally called the Fish River Canyon viewpoint, that you can easily drive to from Hobas. Don't even think about skipping this place—it boasts the most panoramic view of the canyon. There are shaded picnic tables where you can laze the day away, and some information panels where you can read about the canyon.
Just make sure you bring some extra cash to pay the conservation fee of NAD 150 (USD 9) per person and NAD 50 (USD 3) per car.
Extra tip: You'll be doing yourself a favor if you avoid using the toilets. If you must, bring tissues and hope for the best (but here is a window with a view in there).
The nearby Hiker's Viewpoint is only open to those who are planning to do the full hike, so no sneaking in there for a quick look-see (or go for it, I’m not your mom).
Ais-Ais hot springs are a nice post-hike bonus—but not worth a big detour if you’re low on time
Ai Ais resort is where the hot springs are, which is great for those finishing the full Fish River Canyon hike there, and where the better Fish River Canyon camping is located, as well as a small gas station.
But I wouldn’t go out of my way to see them. Compared to the grand views from the rest of the canyon, the hot springs were very meh. I think of them as a nice little bonus if you happen to pass by them. Nothing more.
Wildlife and landscapes like this come with long, remote drives, so plan your route carefully
The closest actual town to Fish River Canyon is Keetmanshoop, which has amenities such as larger grocery stores, gas stations, and some restaurants (and even a KFC). It’s 2 hours north of Hobas.
But the southernmost place people generally go to is Sossusvlei. Yep, I did say southernmost, but you’re still looking at a 7-hour drive to Fish River Canyon. Even from southern Africa, where the canyon...already is. Ugh.
Then there’s Swakopmund, which is where I drove from—a whopping 10-hour distance. Besides Sossusvlei, there isn’t much in between Swakopmund and the canyon. So be sure you balance your itinerary before hitting the road.
If you’re already in South Africa, the canyon is a 9-hour drive from Cape Town. Not much better, but hey, at least you’re going north towards Namibia’s other cool things.
This was my baby while traveling through Namibia—renting a car is a must here, and DiscoverCars is always my first choice
The absolute best way to get to Fish River Canyon is in a car, preferably self-driving, because it’s the most fun and the most convenient, and the most comfortable. Here is a strong option for renting a car. That’s if I don’t count private planes, which, if you have the money and want to spend it, could also work for you.
Windhoek roads are cute, the road to Fish River Canyon is not—get a 4WD.
The drive from Windhoek to Fish River Canyon (the northern section) takes 7–8 hours. It's worth noting that the road can be quite bumpy in places, so make sure you're prepared for a bit of a wild ride and rent a proper 4WD vehicle that can handle the roads.
Trust me. Get a 4WD to travel through Namibia, and you'll be much happier
Technically, you can't drive the Fish River Canyon itself, unless you have some sort of amphibious car that also flies or a death wish. But you can drive to the canyon, which is much safer and more legal.
Believe me, I get it. I would love nothing more than to self-drive the whole thing myself. One day, when cars can fly...
After all that driving, refilling the tank is an obvious must. Don’t worry, you may be in the middle of nowhere, but Ais-Ais in the south of the canyon has a gas station. There’s also one at Canyon Roadhouse, just 15 minutes east of Hobas.
Once you start, there’s no easy way out, so know what you’re signing up for
If you're hoping to venture into the canyon for a shorter trip, you'll need to hire a guide. Fish River Lodge is your best bet for finding one. As far as I can tell, only the trips organized by Fish River Lodge go into the canyon. So they are THE place to inquire about Fish River Canyon hikes. But keep in mind that you'll need to stay there in order to go on any of their trips.
I’ve seen other outlets advertising these trips, but then, in fine print, you find out you have to be staying at Fish River Lodge to book the trip. Or they go to areas north of Hobas, which is still technically the Fish River Canyon, but it’s not THE Fish River Canyon, if you know what I mean.
There’s also the possibility of hiring a guide for multi-day trips. Even officials from Namibia Wildlife Resorts—the guys who officially handle permits—recommend this for anyone who wants to do the whole camping adventure. So, if anyone knows about that, it’s gonna be them.
Somewhere in Hobas
Okay, you’ve totally ignored the warnings from the authorities. Fine. Let’s say you have a death wish and want to plunge ahead without a guide. Be my guest.
But hold your horses just a sec. You can’t go on the full Fish River Canyon hike anytime during the year—it’s only open between May and September, which coincides with Namibia’s winter. That said, days still get hot, but nights can be chilly, so I brought layers and was glad I did
I needed to be completely self-sufficient on the Fish River Canyon hike, carrying all I needed to survive with me for the duration of the trip. There are no amenities in the canyon. Kind of like Naked and Afraid, if you’ve seen that show. But with clothes.
Packing tip: Since you’ll be staying in a snake and scorpion-infested area, consider bringing a can of extra-strong repellent to spray around your tent before you hit the sack. You know, just in case some black spitting cobra gets a little too curious.
The Fish River Canyon hike is tough but beautiful. But tough. One of the toughest hikes I've done, to be totally honest. It begins just outside of Hobas campsite, with a steep drop vertically to the base of the Fish River Canyon.
This is the steepest, rockiest, and generally hardest part of the trail. Hiking poles wouldn't have hurt, especially for most river crossings. Oh, and a first aid kit, I did skin my knee a couple of times.
Most days, I was able to walk an average of 20 km (12 miles). But by the third day, even half a kilometer felt like a victory.
There are several very steep emergency exits along the trail that lead to absolutely nowhere, but they are patrolled by a park vehicle that picks up any poor souls that make it up there.
The hike starts with a steep, rocky descent, so good shoes, trekking poles, and a basic first aid kit will save you a lot of trouble
I was able to camp anywhere I wanted along the way, boiling water from the river and natural pools to keep myself hydrated. The climate is generally dry and has been affected by severe droughts before, so be sure to keep that water bottle full.
Water tip: Luckily, being a river canyon, there is water, though you’ll want to carry some sort of purifying system with you.
The river, though, isn’t continuous, especially in the wintertime. But fear not, there are some permanent pools of water that kept me from turning into a human raisin.
Here's a safety tip straight from the canyon management people: if you've walked 8 km and haven't stumbled upon any water, congratulations! You're officially lost. Turn back and try again, and do it quickly before you shrivel.
I don’t even like camping, and after this...I think I did all the camping I’ll ever need to in my lifetime. No more sleeping bags; beds only from now on.
The views, I mean, look at the views... It is so worth all the discomfort!
By far the most spectacular Fish River Canyon accommodation is the Fish River Lodge. Not only does it have little bungalows right on the canyon rim (the vertigo is real!), but they’re also the only place that offers shorter trips into the Canyon —including drives in open vehicles on the canyon floor nobody else is allowed to do.
Fish River Lodge in Namibia delivers the full package
Obviously, the views are second to none, but it’s also how they took care of me that sticks in my memories. Staff treated me like a king, there’s a pool, a restaurant with good quality food, and if you feel adventurous, they’ll take your bed out on the terrace for you.
There’s also Canyon Roadhouse nearby, which is somewhat of an institution around these parts. It’s a superb accommodation option close to Fish River Canyon that includes a pool. There are many vintage vehicles on the premises that make for some fun pics (as does the frequent wildlife).
Fish River Canyon camping is available in both Hobas and Ais-Ais if you want to sleep in a tent and not the Fish River Lodge or the Canyon Roadhouse (there are other lodge options, too).
Ais-Ais is supposed to be more comfortable and with more amenities, but I wouldn’t know because I prefer actual walls.
Early mornings give you the best light and slightly cooler temps—by midday, this place turns into an oven
The best time of year for hiking Fish River Canyon is during the cooler months from May to September, as temperatures can be scorching hot during the summer months, making it challenging to do any hiking or exploring in comfort. And it's raining season, so doubly gross.
The full trail isn’t even available outside of these months. It still gets hot in the winter, so come prepared.
But sure, if you're a fan of feeling like a rotisserie chicken, then go ahead and visit Fish River Canyon in the middle of summer. You can still visit the viewpoints and walk along the rim. Maybe you’ll even witness a flash flood or get heatstroke, how exciting!
Spotting Hartmann’s mountain zebras
It’s possible to spot some beautiful examples of Namibia’s wildlife in and around the canyon. After all, the whole thing is part of a nature conservation park.
You can call yourself lucky if you manage to spot the Hartman zebra, but I had better luck with kudus, several species of antelope, and even a baboon. Leopards live in Fish River Canyon, but they don’t like to be seen and are good at keeping it that way.
I'm not a bird guy, but even I have to admit the bird life includes surprises, especially down in the canyon. I'm talking fish eagles, black eagles, wild ostriches, and lots of random wading birds. Look at me going on about birds. Am I officially old?
And then the humans came along and figured out even more ways to make use of the world's second-largest canyon: From fat bike rides and mule trekking to helicopter tours, there's a Fish River Canyon activity for everyone (and every budget).
Day 1: Drive from the Windhoek/Sossusvlei/Swakopmund area. Stay near Hobas or at Fish River Lodge.
Day 2: Drive to the main viewpoints and take a short hike/tour if you’re staying at Fish River Lodge. Add Ai-Ais at the end, why not?
Day 3: Drive onward to South Africa, Keetmanshoop, or back north.
Day 1: Drive from the Windhoek/Sossusvlei/Swakopmund area. Stay near Hobas or at Fish River Lodge, one last night of sleeping in a real bed.
Day 2: Get hiking! First night in a tent, better get used to it.
Day 3: Keep filtering water. And filtering it. And filtering it...
Day 4: Pray for your legs. They’ll be sore by now.
Day 5: Freedom! Take those aching legs to the gas, you’re driving out of here. Or soak them in the hot springs.
Fish River Canyon is worth it if you have enough time, love big landscapes, or want one of southern Africa’s most serious hikes.
I would not force it into a short Namibia trip. With 7–10 days, skip it. With 2+ weeks, yes—especially if you stay at Fish River Lodge or actually want to hike.
See how to spend 2 weeks in Namibia—curated to fit everything in, including the canyon, and a 10-day canyon-less alternative.
Pro tip: If you really enjoy mountain scenery and trails, I can also recommend hiking in the Drakensberg.
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Fish River Canyon hike: quick facts
Quick look: Fish River Canyon prices
Who should visit Fish River Canyon?
Who should skip Fish River Canyon?
How to explore Fish River Canyon
The closest towns to Fish River Canyon
How to get to Fish River Canyon
Hiking Fish River Canyon: A guide to guides
How difficult is the Fish River Canyon hiking route?
Where to stay at Fish River Canyon
What is the best time of year for a Fish River Canyon hike?
What can you do at Fish River Canyon besides hiking?
My suggested 3-day Fish River Canyon itinerary
Hi, I’m Jan. I travel fast and intensely, whether I’m exploring the buzz of Tokyo in 3 days or road-tripping through mountains and beaches on a 3-week Thailand adventure. And no matter where I am, you’ll always find me in a comfortable hotel at night and eating the best food.
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I started this blog after realizing how tough it can be to find reliable, authentic travel info. You wouldn’t believe how many “travel bloggers” never even visit the places they write about! On Next Level of Travel, you can count on my full honesty and insights drawn from my firsthand experiences.
Here’s the deal: not every destination is all superlatives and unicorns. I’ll let you know if a tourist attraction isn’t worth your time, like skipping overrated stops in my 2-week Spain itinerary. And when I find something truly special—like the perfect mix of culture and nature in Cape Town—you can trust that it’s worth adding to your itinerary.
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