Fish River Lodge – Views from the edge of the world

by Marita van Rooyen

The Fish River Canyon is breathtaking. There’s no other way to describe it. The sheer magnitude of this natural wonder is enough to leave your mind in awe and your body gasping for air.

Swimming pool at Fish River Lodge

At the Fish River Lodge – situated right on the edge of the western side of the canyon – you can enjoy an ice-cold beer from the privacy of your front stoep and take in the dizzying feeling of being on the edge of the world. Surrounded by the smell of fresh, clean air, endless stretches of flat, rocky plateaus, euphorbia bushes and quiver trees, the lodge gives a feeling of surreal remoteness. And the best part is that you don’t even have to close the door to your chalet to enjoy a moment of peace, because no matter how hard you listen, you will hear nothing but complete silence – the magical, golden silence of the Fish River Canyon.

Located on 45 000 hectares of private land on the edge of the canyon, the Fish River Lodge has 20 chalets that cater for the middle market, and is constructed in the shape of a half-moon, with views to die for. The interior, done by Karin le Roux, has been designed to reflect the simple beauty of the natural surroundings. Even the swimming pool (which will definitely come in handy during those 50-degree summer temperatures) was designed for ‘swimming on the edge’ and blends in perfectly with the stylish simplicity of the rest of the lodge.

Hiking trails

Activities include day excursions in customised Land Cruisers into the Fish River Gorge, where a cold lunch can be enjoyed at rock pools; guided and unguided multiple-day hiking trails; sundowner trails; and the future possibility of horse-riding along the rim and down the canyon. The Fish River Lodge will be incorporated in the greater Canyon Nature Park in due course. Bordering the Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, this makes for the perfect setting from which to enjoy one of Namibia’s greatest tourism highlights. A definite must is the Fish River Canyon Trail – a popular 85-kilometre hike from Hobas to Ai-Ais.

To get to the lodge from Keetmanshoop, turn onto the B4 in the direction of Lüderitz and proceed to Seeheim. Twelve kilometres after Seeheim, turn left onto the D463 (please note not to take the D462, as this road has riverbeds with thick sand and you might get stuck), from where you will find the signboards for the Fish River Lodge. Eighty-five kilometres onwards, you will find the signboard for the Canyon Nature Park. Turn left and continue for another five kilometres until you reach two farmhouses. From here you will be directed to the reception office, which is situated 14 kilometres from the main lodge.

This article appeared in the Aug/Sep ‘09 edition of Travel News Namibia.