Start of the hiking season: Fish River Canyon has enough water

Good news for hiking fans eagerly awaiting the multi-day hike through the Fish River Canyon in southern Namibia. There is enough fresh water in the canyon. This was announced by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MEFT) and the state-owned rest camp operator Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) in a joint press release.

At the beginning of April, heavy rain fell in the south of Namibia. Apparently the fish river received sufficient inflow as a result. In the canyon, hikers will find rock and sand pools, so-called kolks, in which there is water. It is advisable to use tablets for water purification. In some places where you find clear, flowing water, you can also directly fill your drinking bottles.

Last year, reservoirs had to be set up at strategic spots to supply hikers with water. At that time, southern Namibia recorded very low rainfall, so there was hardly any drinkable water in the canyon.

The season for the approximately 85 km long hike in the Fish River Canyon from Hiker's Point to ǀAi-ǀAis starts today, 1 May. The Fish River Canyon Trail is open until 15 September and the hike must be booked in advance. The Fish River Canyon is regarded as the second largest canyon on earth.

Sven-Eric Stender