Full Circle Digital Magazine March | April 2014 | Page 18

AFRICAN DREAMS • FISH RIVER CANYON

Fish River

canyon

After a bathe in the river it is time for
some, not Klippies and Coke, but
Klippies and river water

Text and phtographs by Dr Johan Kloppers

O

n most occasions people would try and do
this hike in three days, which is a recipe for
disaster. Rather take your time and enjoy it over
a minimum of five days. The Fish River Canyon must be
treated with the great respect it deserves; failing to do
this will spoil your hike.
The Fish River Canyon is the second-largest canyon in the
world, the Great Canyon in America being the largest. This
hike through the canyon is approximately 95km, starting in
the north, close to the lookout point at Hobas and ending
at Ai-Ais in the south.
Going down takes roughly two hours. Go down in the
early afternoon and spend the first night at the bottom.

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This gives your feet a chance to cool off and will avoid
blisters. Get up in the morning, have something to eat and
start walking. After an hour STOP! Take off your shoes and
give your feet time to breathe. Lunch-break is normally
from 12 to 2 during which you can have a good rest before
starting the afternoon session. At 4pm all backpacks off,
and it is time to start preparing for the night. After a bathe
in the river it is time for some, not Klippies and Coke, but
Klippies and river water. It gets dark early and by 7 you are
into your sleeping-bag, gazing up at the stars and before
you know where you are, you are fast asleep.
The first day is the most difficult, because you do a lot of
boulder-hopping, so the going is slow, but this is perhaps
the most beautiful part of the hike.

FULL CIRCLE DIGITAL MAGAZINE April 2014
March | NOVEMBER 2013