Walking The Fish River Canyon with Eco ventures is an unbelievable experience
About The Fish River Canyon Hike
This hike offers everyone that participates an unbelievable experience. Frik Olwage, founder and owner of Eco Ventures, has hiked the ‘Fish’ more than 60 times as a guide. With Eco Ventures the Fish River Canyon becomes an unforgettable experience. Frik is familiar with all the easier footpaths and knows its stories. Around the campfire he makes the history of the Canyon come alive.
The Fish River Canyon
The Fish River Canyon is one of South Africa’s most magnificent natural phenomena. For its size and a spectacle, it has often been compared with America’s Grand Canyon. In 1962 it was proclaimed a Natural Monument and a Nature Reserve.
The Fish River Canyon is the oldest in the world and America’s Grand Canyon is the biggest. The Fish is 161km long and in places 2.7km (Outer rim 6km) wide. The depth ranges from 457meters and the height above sea level from 609 meters to 366 meters. The hiking trail starts from the main viewpoint near Hobas to Ai-Ais Hot Spring Resort. The trail is 86 – 96km long and takes an average of five days to complete. The ‘Canyon’ is only open to hikers from May to September each year.
What To Expect
On an Eco Venture hike, you will not have to carry stoves and pots and will get your boiling water for coffee or tea in the morning and again at breakfast time for more coffee or tea and oats porridge. We will assist you with all the preparations for the hike– training, packing checklists and how to pack a backpack.
We depart from Durbanville, Cape Town, with a Mercedes sprinter bus and can organise accommodation the evening before departure and a free airport shuttle.
Alternatively, you can meet us at Norotshama River Resort in Namibia.
Highlights of the Trip
- Desert scenery
- Rock formations
- Solitude and silence
- Sleeping under the stars
- The Four Finger rock
- Van Throta’s grave
Included in the Trip
- Hiking permits
- Hobas & Park entry fees
- Namibian Road Tax
- Shared accommodation (B&B) the evening before the hike starts
- Shared Accommodation the evening when we finish (single accommodation on request)
- Two Trail Guides
- Return Transport and driver from Cape Town to Norotshama River Resort, and Hobas, via Ai-Ais and Canyon Road House
- Prepared dinner while hiking, early morning boiling water for coffee/tea and at breakfast for oats and coffee/tea.
- All information and assistance with preparing yourself e.g. training programme,
- Detailed preparation assistance with packing checklists, a training programme, and general information i.e. hiking boots and gear. Recommendations on backpack and gear.
- We will follow up regularly with updates and tips
Excluded in the Trip:
- Restaurant meals
- Alcoholic drink
- Personal items
- Medical insurance
- Accommodation the evening before departure from Cape Town
Note: Gear is available for hiring e.g backpack, sleeping bag, self-inflated mattress
Day 1 (Travelling Day)
We leave at 06:00 from Durbanville, Cape Town and travel via the N7 with a luxury Mercedes Sprinter bus & 4×4 Trailer, crossing the border into Namibia at Vioolsdrift. We will have regular stops along the way being entertained with stories of the history, culture and people of Namaqualand which will assure an interesting day of travel. Your trip briefing and distribution of hiking food will be before dinner. The guides will check all backpacks and boots.
Dinner will be at a restaurant (own account)
Accommodation: Norotshama River Resort(B&B)
Day 2 (Walking Day 1)
After breakfast at Norotshama (included) we travel via desert and mountain
scenery to the very interesting Canyon Road House for last refreshments
before we continue to Hobas, the starting point of our hike. Be on the lookout for game
and the rare mountain Zebra. Visit the View Point overlooking the Canyon. We
will descent into the ‘Canyon’ to overnight at the bottom.
Overnight: At the bottom under the stars on the white sand banks of the river.
Day 3 – 7 (Walking)
We will follow the course of the Fish River. The amount of water in the river often determines the mood of the hikes. After a good rainy season, we will cross the river several times. During a dry period, hikers will have to carry more water but will be able to cross the river without changing shoes. There are stretches with small rocks, and boulder–hopping to soft sandy banks. During the hike we will pass the sulfur springs – ‘Palm Springs’, Table Mountain, Three Sisters, ‘Viervinger’ Rock, Van Trotha’s grave and finally ‘Big Bend’ ending the approximately 96km walk at Ai-Ais
Accommodation: Norotshama River Lodge (B&B)
Day 8 (Travelling Day)
We will leave early via Noordoewer and travel on the N7 to arrive at Cape Town International Airport by 17:00
Highlights of the Trip
- Desert scenery
- Rock formations
- Solitude and silence
- Sleeping under the stars
- The Four Finger rock
- Van Throta’s grave
Included in the Trip
- Hiking permits
- Hobas & Park entry fees
- Namibian Road Tax
- Shared accommodation (B&B) the evening before the hike starts
- Shared Accommodation the evening when we finish (single accommodation on request)
- Two Trail Guides
- Return Transport and driver from Cape Town to Norotshama River Resort, and Hobas, via Ai-Ais and Canyon Road House
- Prepared dinner while hiking, early morning boiling water for coffee/tea and at breakfast for oats and coffee/tea.
- All information and assistance with preparing yourself e.g. training programme,
- Detailed preparation assistance with packing checklists, a training programme, and general information i.e. hiking boots and gear. Recommendations on backpack and gear.
- We will follow up regularly with updates and tips
Excluded in the Trip:
- Restaurant meals
- Alcoholic drink
- Personal items
- Medical insurance
- Accommodation the evening before departure from Cape Town
Note: Gear is available for hiring e.g backpack, sleeping bag, self-inflated mattress
