Namibia by private aircraft

This is the only access route by vehicle into the Fish River Canyon. As you journey into the depths of the canyon, you will witness first-hand the millions of years of geological upheaval when the earth’s continents separated and tectonic movement resulted in the formation of the canyon. Petrified rippled mud and glacial deposits, dramatic fault lines, rough limestone and shiny quartzite are but a few of the features you will see along the way. Guides will point out evidence of rhino that once navigated the gorges and pairs of territorial klipspringers as they feast on succulents. The drive ends at the permanent rock pools. Lunch is served before heading back to the Lodge. The duration of the excursion is approximately 7 hours.

Departure time from the Lodge – between 06h00 and 07h00 after an early breakfast | Minimum 2 guests per excursion, maximum 9 per vehicle | 50% discount for children under 12.

These easy unguided walks along the rim of the canyon are best taken early in the morning and late afternoon when the canyon’s shadows and colours are at their most dramatic. Have a closer look at the plants and the birdlife and marvel at the vastness of the landscape and the skies. There are few places left in the world where you can truly be alone and have clean air to breathe and time to reflect. Alone on the rim of the canyon – seize the moment!

Guided walks are also available on request depending on availability of guides.

The late afternoon drive will take you along the top of the plateau with stops at two different viewpoints for you to take photographs and experience the canyon at its most dramatic. Our guide will also explain the geology, flora and fauna along the way before you catch a glimpse of the meandering Fish River below at the last stop. Drinks and snacks will be served.

Departure: 17h00 in winter, 18h00 in summer | Minimum 2 guests per excursion – maximum 9 per vehicle | 50% discount for children under 12.

Full Day Canyon Day Hike

Our guide will help you navigate ‘jelly legs’ gorge from the rim to the upper part of the canyon below. After traversing the rock strewn slopes there is a further descent to permanent rock-pools in the river. A refreshing swim through the craggy gorge gets you well and truly into the heart of the canyon. A picnic lunch is served before hiking back up to the Lodge.

This is a strenuous hike and requires a high level of fitness.
Departure time for this hike of 8-10 hours varies according to the season.

Trainers or hiking boots and a daypack are essential.

Half-Day Canyon Hike
The Half-Day hike takes hikers from the viewpoint into the canyon to a second view point and back up again.
Departure time for this hike of 4-5 hours varies according to the season.

Trainers or hiking boots and a daypack are essential.

The Rim to River Hike and the Canyon Day Hike can only be booked through res2@journeysnamibia.com or fishriver@journeysnamibia.com

The guided route through harsh terrain descends steeply into the canyon via ‘jelly legs gorge’ and up again to the rim. There are no demarcated tracks adding a sense of true adventure to the experience. Whilst this hike requires significant levels of fitness – there is no need to carry heavy backpacks; a canvas bag with your personal belongings will be delivered each day to either Camp Eternity or Camp Edge where you will overnight.

You will pass intriguing desert-adapted quiver trees standing solitary against a fascinating 500 million year old geological fault. Or you might want to stop and watch a herd of the rare Hartman’s zebra as they disappear into a side canyon. On hot days you can cool off in permanent rock pools and swim between the rock faces while a Pied Kingfisher watches from a ledge above.

Camp Eternity and Camp Edge are as evocative as their names suggest. Carefully designed stone gabion shelters merge with the landscape. Meals are served under a trillion stars and when you retire to the comfort of your tent, nature’s elements – either harsh or heavenly – are close by and keep you company through the night.

The Canyon Rim to River Hike includes:

An experienced guide for a minimum of 2 guests and a maximum of 8 guests per group
Breakfast, lunch and dinner plus drinks on the trail
Night 1 at Fish River Lodge, Nights 2 and 3 at Camp Eternity and /or Camp Edge

The Rim to River Hike and the Canyon Day Hike can only be booked through res2@journeysnamibia.com or fishriver@journeysnamibia.comThe Canyon Rim to River Hike includes:

This activity caters for visitors who do not overnight at the Fish River Lodge or not satisfied with only a fly over either. Arrive at Canyon Nature Park airstrip from where your guide will transfer you to the lodge for a wholesome breakfast. After breakfast and a short briefing you will venture further out on the plateau towards the main lookout point where there is opportunity for photography and a detailed explanation of the geology and interesting facts about the area. The duration of this activity is between 45 minutes to an hour. Guests not in a hurry to leave are welcome to book lunch on the patio, accompanied by infinite vistas dropping down from the edge of eternity. After your visit you will be transferred back to the airstrip where your plane awaits you.

•Departure time varies according to flight arrival and departing time
•Pre-booking is essential
•Guests chartering in by plane are requested to coordinate their arrival and pick up times with our
Reservations office beforehand.

Six fat tyre bikes are available for hire to guests.
Guided rides are dependent on availability of guides.

Morning Excursion
The 22 km guided cycling excursion takes you along the rim of the canyon and with a loop back down washes and rocky outcrops interspersed with quiver trees.

Duration: ± 3.5 hours
Helmets, water and snack packs are provided.

Sundowner Excursion
This 10 km cycling excursion takes you along the rim of the canyon to a designated sundowner spot where you will be rewarded with refreshments and snacks as you watch the sun set. You cycle back to the Lodge in time for dinner.

Helmets, water, drink and snack are provided.

Experience the wide-open spaces and the thrill of being at the edge of the canyon with a group of friends. Cycling up a remote valley you will feel the spirit of the rhino that once roamed here freely for hundreds of years.

Cyclists overnight on the edge of the canyon at the fully serviced Camp Edge and Camp Eternity, where meals, hot showers and comfortable camp beds are provided.

The 3-day Canyon Mountain Bike Trail includes:

A host at each Camp for a minimum 2 guests and a maximum of 8 guests per group
Breakfast, lunch and dinner plus drinks on the trail
The 3-day Trail does not include mountain bikes. Cyclists should bring their own mountain bikes.

Canyon Mountain Biking Trails can only be booked through res2@journeysnamibia.com or fishriver@journeysnamibia.com

When you reach this ultra-remote location in the Puros Conservancy, you’ll be rewarded with a fascinating living landscape. You may even spot desert-adapted elephants from the lodge’s sun deck or pool. The expert Himba guides escort you on morning treks or afternoon game drives to encounter a range of desert wildlife: the emblematic elephants and lions, iconic giraffe, Hartmann's mountain zebra, and a wide variety of antelope: gemsbok, springbok, steenbok and kudu, with their unusual striped flanks and manes and the males’ distinctive spiral horns. Birdwatchers will keep their eyes peeled for native and exotic species, from large and lethal vultures to delicate bee-eaters, the distinctive Rüppell's Korhaan and Monteiro's hornbill.

The Hoarusib River winds through the heartland of the Puros Conservancy, attracting a variety of large and small wildlife, from elephants and giraffes to oryx and jackals. Scenic drives with our local guides bring you closer to the animals and breathtaking landscapes. The river has carved a path deep into the mountains, creating spectacular cliffs and the stunning natural phenomenon of the “Clay Castles”, thousands of years old and hundreds of metres high, these towering yet fragile castles inspire awe at the power of nature. A scenic drive through the Hoarusib Valley includes a satisfying picnic lunch.

Watch the sun set over the majestic dunes as you sip a delicious sundowner – yet another unforgettable experience. Our guides will set up snacks and drinks whilst guests can experience a sight seen only by a lucky few. Guests can also enjoy sundowners in the tranquil setting of the lodge’s sun deck, and at nearby picturesque locations.

You can visit an authentic Himba village and meet the tribespeople, to get a taste of their lives and culture. See how they have adapted to desert life, including their unusual skincare routine. They use ochre pigment for protection from the harsh desert climate, giving their skin and hair a distinctive reddish hue. We’re grateful to have a close and respectful relationship with the local Himba people.

The Dream Cruiser is Onguma's newest and most unique under the stars sleep-out experience.

Arriving in time to enjoy sundowners and take a tour of your overnight accommodation, this sleep out in the wilderness of the reserve is on our custom built Land Cruiser, featuring a full bathroom on the lower deck and a bedroom with lounge area on the upper deck.

A night on the Dream Cruiser calls for al fresco picnic-style dining is delivered by our chef for you to enjoy as the evening turns to night and the stars dance in all their glory.
A ranger is on call via a two-way radio, so make the most of this time and relax in the safety and complete comfort of this unique space.

After a good night's rest, you can enjoy morning tea/coffee with homemade rusks before being collected for breakfast at the lodge.

Onguma's fabulous new water-level hide affords guests a great opportunity to calmly sit and enjoy nature unobserved. Amateur and professional photographers alike love the angles and light from this equipped hide.

There is a small ablution facility nearby, benches from which to view the surroundings and lots of windows and vantage points for creative camera angles.

Onguma Nature Reserve consists of 34 000 hectares of Namibian wilderness & is home to numerous plains game, more than 300 bird species ​and even 4 of the Big 5. ​The Reserve boasts over thirty different animal species. Plains game roam freely on the Reserve and predators although not always easy to spot, are nevertheless common residents of the area. Lions and Cheetahs are frequently seen and often heard. There is a healthy black rhino and leopard population and hyenas are also often seen and heard.

Etosha is a 22 750km² wildlife sanctuary in Namibia – one of Africa’s most stable and accessible countries. Etosha, meaning ‘place of dry water’, and refers to a flat calcrete depression (or pan) of about 5 000km². The ‘Pan’ (overlooked by the Onguma Reserve) provides a great, parched, silver-white backdrop of shimmering mirages to an area of semi-arid savannah grassland and thorn scrub. The pan itself contains water only after very good rains and sometimes for only a few days each year, but is enough to stimulate the growth of a blue-green algae which lures thousands of flamingos.

Africa takes on a new perspective when you experience it on foot as the first explorers did. A bush walk is a unique physical, mental and spiritual adventure through nature. Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the Namibian bush by conducting an early morning leisurely walk accompanied by one of our experienced armed rangers.

​Johan, our resident therapist, is a professional massage therapist with over 15 years experience, having lived and worked at renowned Wellness Centres in Asia and Africa. His passion for and dedication to massage therapy originated in the East, where he was trained and educated from the best teachers in their respective fields. Having the opportunity to spend considerable time with monks in Thailand, has also led him to incorporate focused awareness into his massage therapies.

We offer:
- Therapeutic Full Body Massage - 60 min – N$ 850 / 90 min
- Lymphatic Drainage Massage - 60 min
- Back Neck & Shoulder Massage - 45 min – N$ 600 / 60 min
- Head & Face Massage - 45 min
- Thai Foot Massage - 45 min
- Unique Combination of Therapeutic Massage & Thai Yoga Massage - 90 min