Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa $$
Offline map
(campsite N$125, mountain/river view d N$900/1100; )
Also administered by NWR,
amenities include washing blocks,
braai
pits and use of the resort facilities, including the
hot springs. There are also family chalets available and an on-site restaurant and small
grocery store.
RESORT
Fish River Lodge $$$
( 683005;
www.fishriverlodge-namibia.com
;
s/d N$1500/2250)
Twenty chalets located
on the western rim of the canyon, this is a magical spot to enjoy the landscape. Activities
include a five-night canyon hike (75km, April to September) or a day hike for the less am-
bitious; both are in a private concession so there is no need to book through NWR. Access
to the lodge is from the D463, which links the B4 in the north and the C13 to the west.
LODGE
Information
The main access points for Fish River Canyon are at Hobas, near the northern end of the
park, and Ai-Ais, near the southern end. Both are administered by the NWR. Accommod-
ation must be booked in advance through the Windhoek office. Daily park permits, N$80
per person and N$10 per vehicle, are valid for both Hobas and Ai-Ais.
The
Hobas Information Centre
( 7.30am-noon & 2-5pm)
at the northern end of the
park is also the check-in point for the five-day canyon hike. Packaged snacks and cool
drinks are available here, but little else. If you're on your way to view the canyon, use the
toilets here if you need them - there are none further on.
The Fish River typically flows between March and April. Early in the tourist season,
from April to June, it may diminish to a trickle and by mid-winter, to just a chain of rem-
nant pools along the canyon floor.
Following the death of an ill-prepared hiker in 2001, the NWR decided to prohibit day
hikes into Fish River Canyon - day hikes and leisure walks are strictly prohibited.
Getting There & Away
There's no public transport to Hobas or Ai-Ais, and you'll really need a private vehicle to
get around. The drive in from Grünau to Hobas is on a decent gravel road.
GONDWANA CAÑON PARK
Founded in 1996, the 100,000-hectare Gondwana Cañon Park was created by merging
several former sheep farms and removing the fences to restore the wilderness country im-
