Namibia: 2021 – Giant’s Playground to Fish River Canyon

December 28, 2020

The Giant’s Playground is located on the outskirts of Keetmanshoop, in the south of Namibia. It features a series of 180 million year old dolerite boulders that span over a surface area of 180,000 km squared. Nearby is the popular Quivertree Forest hosting trees as old as one hundred to two hundred years old. The Fish River Canyon, is located in the south of Namibia. It is the largest canyon in Africa, as well as the second most visited tourist attraction in Namibia. It is comprised of a gigantic ravine, in total about 160 kilometres long, up to 27 km wide and in places almost 550 meters deep.

🙂 Quiver trees at dawn and dusk! Walking with Cheetahs! Baby Meerkat! Fish River Canyon ecenery!

🙁 Everything was perfect!

Monday, 28 December: Quiver Tree Forest – Giant’s Playground – Fish River Canyon (Hobas camp site) (280Km) 40C

Up at 04h30 – stars even better! Back to sleep and then up again at 05h30 to photograph Quiver Tree Forest at sunrise. Divine. The light was stunning and kept changing. Beautiful flock of love birds in the massive social weaver birds nest.

We had arranged to meet the owner for an early morning walk with the cheetahs and were joined by a deaf girl and her Dad. We walked about thirty minutes before we found Nikki and Sandile. They sat practically on top of us and licked us – their tongues are so rough1 they are also quite smelly! Caitlyn had an allergic reaction from them!

Headed back to camp for breakfast and then set off to Giant’s Playground with Barry who joined us. They are pretty spectacular – massive boulders!160-200 million years old! BOILING hot. Got some great pics.

Loved listening to the cicadas!

Realised that we had left our drone in the Bush Lore transfer vehicle! Aargh. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay here and so pleased that I had not dropped this from our itinerary. The drive along the Orange River was spectacular. On the way to Fish River Canyon we stopped off at a gin tasting place. Everywhere was so quiet due to Covid.

We stopped at the Canyon Roadhouse for lunch – quite quirky with loads of old vehicles – reminiscent of a Route 66 type diner. Again – incredibly HOT.

Checked in at Hobas which is a lovely camp. Bought hats and cap. Quick set up – took end spot which had a nice breeze.

Stopped off at various view points – SPECTACULAR! The Fish River Canyon is the second largest canyon worldwide after the Grand Canyon in the USA . The Canyon forms part of the state-run Ais-Ais Richtersveld Transfontier Park. Entrance to the Park is situated 10 kilometres from the well-known view point Hell`s Bend at the Hobas Restcamp.

The restaurant was closed but we had the pool to ourselves. Paul had lost his Oura ring at Quiver Tree Forest. We had tuna and pasta and were asleep by 20h30!