Fish River Canyon

The Fish River Canyon in Namibia is (allegedly) the 2nd largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. The immensity of this magnificent landscape is truly breathtaking. The towering rock faces and deep ravines were formed by water erosion and the collapse of the valley due to movements in the earth's crust over 500 million years ago. Today the canyon measures 160km long up to 27km wide and almost 550m at its deepest. It is fair to say that when you arrive at the canyon though, its exact location is a bit of a mystery as the 500m vertical drop from the flat dry plateau is completely out of view.

Nowadays the canyon is part of the Ai-Ais Richtersveld Transfrontier Park. Self-drive tourists, hikers, photographers and nature lovers world-wide are attracted to this long, thin, meandering river. Depending on the time of year, you could be looking out to a dry river bed or a rainy-season raging torrent. The northern most entrance is the gate at Hobas Campsite and a further 10km drive takes you to the main viewpoint. Stunning views of the gorge combine with your first impressions of the Nama Karoo to the east of Fish River and the Succulent Karoo to the west of the river. The latter extends into the Sperrgebeit National Park and has over 1.600 different plant species, many of them occurring here and nowhere else. Other outstanding vantage points are at Hell's Corner and Sulpher Springs.

The environment of this spectacular scenery embraces a number of habitats bringing together several species of mammals, an abundance of reptiles, insects and fish that live in natural pools and the Fish River itself. For example the hot springs occurring on the canyon floor, the most well-known being at Ai-Ais, form pools of water which in turn attract many types of waterbirds. So birding around the canyon can be very rewarding.

Egyptian goose, olive thrush, black-headed, grey and goliath heron, African black duck, flocks of Abdim's stork, black stork, Cape robin chat, reed and white-breasted cormorant and dab-chick have all be observed on many occasions. Along the dry Fish River bed, the cooler temperatures allow for permanent pools of water to remain, left behind from when the river last flowed. Thickets of reedbeds flourish and residents such as African marsh warbler, great reed warbler, Cape reed warbler, red bishop, masked weaver and red-billed quelea gather. Black eagle and jackal buzzard nest in the steep cliffs and the African fish eagle has also been observed in the same area. At least 6 species of chat have been recorded in Fish River Canyon and birders have also observed black-headed canary, Cape sparrow, hamerkop, martial eagle and rock kestrel over the years.

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Etosha

Damaraland

Sossusvlei

Skeleton Coast

Fish River

The Kalahari

Safari Itineraries

Ilkurot Village

Ilkurot Primary & Nursery School is located approximately 30km north of Arusha, Tanzania in a Maasai village called Ilkurot (meaning "dusty place").

Esilalei Village

From 2008, we have begun to assist in Esilalei, a Maasai village along the shores of Lake Manyara. Together with Into Africa UK and Belafrica (Europe), we have built their first classroom - a Nursery school for 120 students.

Le Manyatta & Matimu School

Le Manyatta & Matimu Primary Schools are located approximately 20km north of Arusha, Tanzania in a Maasai village called Le Manyatta (meaning 'protected place' in the Maa language). They are schools that was built approximately thirty years ago by the Tanzanian government, beginning as 3 mud classrooms.