Not everybody who visits Namibia makes it all the way South to Fish River Canyon. We did and we were very happy we made the trip effort. On the trip, we wanted to stay at a campsite in Helmeringhausen but again we were surprised by the amount they charged without offering anything special. So we drove on and after 10kms we found a hidden gem of a campsite. The Goais Camp is a small campsite where Jos, the owner, built everything by himself. We especially enjoyed the bucket shower were you had to lower a hanging bucket to the taps with the help of a wench and after filling it with water you hoist it back up at the desired height to take your shower. Such a great place to rest for the rest of the drive to Fish River Canyon.
Fish River Canyon
Arriving in the late afternoon, we were happy to have a quick dip in the pool. Unfortunately, the flies made it hard to enjoy the relaxing time. We then made our way to the Sunset Lookout and we had an amazing view of the canyon with the sun setting in the back. Not even the loud German tourist group could disturb this moment.
The next morning started early again and we were in the car at 5.30 am to watch the sunrise from the main viewpoint. With only a handful of people around, it was a very special sight. We didn’t really know what to expect from the canyon but we didn’t imagine it being so big and majestic. We had a walk to another viewpoint and to finish the sightseeing in the area, we went to the Hiker’s Viewpoint. This is the start of a 4-day trek through the canyon only possible between the months of April to November. Day hikes are strictly forbidden after a tourist died here a couple of years ago.
Quivertree Forest
We wanted to stay at a campsite at the Gondwana Canyon nearby, but the campsite was closed and the only activities in the area were guided walks you have to pay for, so we decided to leave the area and drove towards Windhoek. After reading in the Lonely Planet about the Quivertree campsite we decided to stay there for the night because the price of 120 NAD per person seemed reasonable. However, when we arrived, they charged us 225 NAD per person.
Not having other options we stayed here and made the best out of it by using the pool and watching the cheetah feeding. It’s weird to see these beautiful animals in captivity when you have seen them roam in the wild but being just a couple of meters away from them without a protective fence was a crazy experience. We finished the day with a little walk and a beautiful sunset over the quiver trees.