African Reservations

The Fish River Canyon is the largest Canyon in Africa. The canyon is approximately 161 km long, and cuts deeply into the surrounding area to the river bed about 550 m below. A scenic road runs from the Main look-out point along the Fish River Canyon to Ai-Ais. The five day hiking trail can only be undertaken from April to September and hikers require a medical certificate declaring that they have a reasonable level of fitness. Ai-Ais is a hot-water spring oasis in the desolation of the Lower Fish River. It has a modern rest camp with flats, sites for caravans and camping, a restaurant, shop, filling station, swimming-pool, mineral baths and tennis-courts. Keetmanshoop is situated on the main B1 road to Windhoek. The town still retains vestiges of its original German buildings. The “Kokerboom” Wood is a thick copse of quiver trees 14 km to the north of Keetmanshoop on the road to Koës. It is a private nature reserve on the farm Gariganus and is open to the public. Bethanie is one of the oldest settlements in Namibia. The Schmelenhaus, built in 1814, is the oldest building in the country and a historical monument. Lüderitz, centre of the rock lobster industry, lies in a bay on the rocky south coast. Places of interest include the harbour, the Lüderitz Memorial Needle on Shark Island, the Eberlanz Museum and Goerke Haus. Excursions may be made to Agate Beach, Diaz Point, the lighthouse and Sturmvogelbucht. Kolmanskop, situated 10 km south east of Lüderitz, is known as `The Ghost Town'. At one time it was a village built for the staff of a nearby diamond mine. Duwisib Castle stands on a hill 72 km southwest of Maltahöhe overlooking the barren surrounding landscape. It was built in 1908 by a German, Baron von Wolff, and contains a unique collection of furniture, portraits and weapons from the 17th and 18th century. The Hardap Recreation Resort, 24 km from Mariental, has rest houses, camping and caravan sites, and a restaurant, shop and swimming pool. The dam, which is 32 km long, is surrounded by a nature reserve with plenty of game and many species of aquatic birds.