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The isolated & surreal beauty of Namibia's Fish River Canyon

One of the largest & isolated canyons in the world beckons with its remote beauty & epic landscapes

By: Adrien Patanè + Save to a List

A true adventure in Namibia is to visit the remote Fish River Canyon, second only to America's Grand Canyon in size, yet this epic landscape receives just a fraction of the number of visitors.  Whilst its no small effort to get to this remote location - the rewards are a staggeringly beautiful world of sweeping vistas & sheer cliffs as far as the eye can see.

In southern Namibia there are no shortage of these scenes of deserted roads as you skirt the mighty and beautiful Kalahari Desert

Driving through vast rugged landscapes the scenery changes dramatically as you depart the beautiful Kalahari Desert & Basin and enter into the stony plateau of Fish River Canyon

Entering into the vicinity of Fish River Canyon greets you with with dramatic views across the desolate & strikingly beautiful landscape

Golden hues & subtle tones bath the entire canyon as the sun dips below the vast horizon

Dotting the landscape are the utterly unique and ancient quiver trees that can grow for hundreds of years, they are named by their use of their hollowed out branches to make arrows

Deep pinks & purples of a desert twilight over the Fish River Canyon

The canyon's isolated location means the skies absolutely sparkle at night, with amazing views of the Milky Way & Magellanic clouds clearly visible to the naked eye - the Quiver trees have quiet a view!

With little to no light pollution in this remote part of the world, night time views of the stars are simply spellbinding

An early morning rise rewards with sunrays catching the vast limits of this surreal landscape flanked by the majestic quiver trees

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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