Are you mad?” a dumbfounded colleague asked when I elected to hike Namibia’s harsh Fish River Canyon rather than laze for a week in tropical Zanzibar. Perhaps.

But then my idea of what makes a good holiday has hardly ever been conventional. “Not at all”, I said. “Think of sleeping under the stars, hot dry Namibian air, no cellphone reception, and hiking 80km along one of the last genuine wilderness treks in existence.” Assured of my insanity, my colleague walked off, shaking her head.

The Fish River Canyon is 160km long, up to 27km wide in places and 549m deep. The hike covers 90km (80km with the recommended and mapped short-cuts), and is usually completed in around five days.

There are no facilities en route, so everything you’ll need for cooking, sleeping and wearing needs to be carried. Water is generally available, although it can sometimes be scarce late in the season (the hike is open from May 1 to Sept 15 due to extreme temperatures and the likelihood of flooding in summer). There are no set overnight stops so you are free to follow your own schedule.

0-16km: Start to Palm Springs

The hike starts close to a canyon view-point about 10km from the Hobas camping site, and ends at the hot spring resort of Ai Ais. Some people do the two hour descent into the canyon the afternoon before — not a bad idea, as it is steep and demanding on the quads.

A slow shuffle down, a swim and a good night’s sleep will go a long way to getting you leg-ready for the next five days. Other than the descent, the stretch to Palm Springs is the most difficult section, as it entails what feels like endless hours of boulder-scaling and rock-hopping.

Most hikers cover the route to Palm Springs in two days but, eager as we were, we didn’t heed the go-slow advice and raced off, waking up on Day Two with a very painful reminder of the previous day’s efforts.

“You look like a drunk scarecrow!” laughed my husband as I tried, in vain, to get my stiff legs working properly. Harrumph.

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Published courtesy of Shape magazine.
A point worth mentioning is that while it is tempting to camp as close as possible to Palm Springs’ healing, mineral-rich waters, I would advise that you set up camp further along, away from the spring. Waking up to the smell of past-their-sell-by-date eggs is not what I had in mind when I fell asleep under the full moon that night.

The canyon in this section is particularly beautiful. Sheer walls reaching dramatically, yet protectively, up to deep blue sky and sunset rocks spilling their gold into the silver ribbon of water. Unexpected serenity in a harsh terrain. There were many unexpected details on this epic adventure, like the rusted Vespa we came across halfway down the canyon wall. Legend has it that it was lowered into the canyon by the Vespa Club of SA, and this one was abandoned after an unsuccessful attempt to conquer the canyon on two wheels!

For us, though, our unexpected pleasure came on night two. A full moon so round and bright, with an unearthly, ethereal glow, set the stage for a magical visit. The unmistakable sound of hooves on rocks woke us at midnight and we saw the most beautiful white horse, bleached even whiter by the moon, drinking from the river. I could have sworn I saw a spiralled horn…

16-42km: Palm Springs to Dassie Ridge

The terrain after Palm Springs opens up a little and is less tricky to negotiate, although there is still no defined path and there are plenty of river crossings that require rock-hopping and trudging through fine sand. A pair of river shoes is a definite requirement as, in order to cover 80km rather than 90km, you need to shave quite a bit off the route by crossing the river.

While the canyon is only open to hikers in the winter months, it can still get very hot. Peak daytime temperatures ranged between 25 and 32˚C, although nights were chilly. Most hikers start at first light, and find a shady place to swim and rest at lunch time in order to avoid walking during the hottest part of the day. Even so, you’ll need to drink plenty of water and to be safe, take purification tablets for the river water and add sachets of powdered drink to mask the unpleasant taste of the tablets.

42-72km: Dassie Ridge to Sandy Beach

It gets cold at night in the canyon
After Dassie Ridge there are several mapped short cuts, which, if you miss them, makes the hike a lot longer than anticipated! But the short cuts demand plenty clambering up rocky outcrops, which do allow for great views of the canyon and are a welcome respite from fine sand and rock hopping. The short cuts also tend to have vaguely defined walking routes which, let’s face it, are a luxury at this stage.

Wide expanses of golden sand, pearl smooth rocks and clear, cool pools make Sandy Beach a popular camping spot. The fine sand also allows for a fun track spotting-and-identification game in the morning. Which reminds me, check your shoes before putting them back on in the morning — my rather unpleasant-smelling hiking boots proved to be a popular overnight hang out for little canyon creatures!

72-90km: Sandy Beach to Ai-Ais

The last stretch of the hike is a bit of a slog. Lots of hot, fine sand and rock hopping. The only clear vision I had in my head was that ice cold beer I had been promised when we got to Ai-Ais (I’m not even a beer drinker!). Ai-Ais itself is a bit of a dump — a real throwback to the 70s, but none of this matters, when at 80km you throw down your backpack to the noisy applause of the friendly resort staff waiting to receive you shouting, “Well done and welcome home!”

My smile could not have been bigger.

Fish River Canyon Survival Guide

  • Take only what is absolutely necessary. A pack that feels light when you start gets a lot heavier when climbing boulders and hopping across rocks. No-one cares if you wear the same clothes five days in a row!
  • Dehydrated food is best. It is extremely light to carry and, after slogging in the scorching heat all day, surprisingly tasty.
  • Get a map. We bought one at Hobas, but they’re usually also available at Ai-Ais.
  • Take a groundsheet and a light mattress. We splurged on self-inflating mattresses that were light to carry and very comfortable — quality sleep is vital on a five-day hike.
  • Take plenty of sunscreen and a hat. The sun is harsh.
  • Do plenty of squat exercises to prepare your quads beforehand. The downhill on the first day can be a killer.
  • Don’t forget your passport!
  • You’ll need to book well in advance. Namibia Wildlife Resorts Central Reservations Office Windhoek, call +264 (61) 2857200 or visit www.nwr.com.na.
  • A medical certificate is required at Hobas before you’re allowed to enter the canyon. You need to be fit, and a competent and experienced hiker.
  • The minimum number per group is three, the maximum is 30. Children must be over the age of 12.
  • Before you go, check that there is enough water in the river (especially if you’re going late in the season).
  • Most people camp at Hobas or stay at Ai-Ais the night before. If you stay at Ai-Ais, you can arrange with staff for a lift to Hobas (about R120 pp), or you can take a staff member with you and get them to drive the car back (also around R120 — for the car). Bookings for Ai-Ais can be made along with booking the hike.