Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort Fish River Canyon

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C10 Fish River Canyon, Namibia, 264-61-23-6975

Travel Blogs by Travelers Who Stayed at the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Resort Fish River Canyon

Kicking it Brangelina style.

We made a run for the border which was about an eight hour drive from Cape Town. This was one of the prettiest drives that I've ever been on. You won't hear about this drive in Kelly's blog, as she was asleep for most of it. That girl can sleep. If I had me for company, I'd choose sleep too. The desert is surprising lush right now. I guess they've got more rain this year than they have relieved in the previous 50. When we got to the border crossing, it was kind of a joke. South Afirca: "Do yo...

Ai Ais, Namibia natecropp
Driving up to Nambia in a Mercedes

Whilst working in Cape Town I decided on spending a long weekend in Namibia. Where I was living in Cape Town Observatory in Nelly's Lodge there was lots of other long term students or people working their like myself so I found a few people to go with a Dutch guy, 2 Swedish girls and a German girl. On Friday morning at 7am we set off from Cape Town in the Dutch guys car and headed for the border of Namibia. We all took it in turns to drive heading up towards the border and we stopped at vario...

Fish River Canyon, Namibia richardcowley
Northwards - into Nambia

We headed out from Upington into Namibia.... A clear sign of the isolation and lack of population density (remember I come from London!!) was that the only signpost for miles simply said "Namibia 160km" - there was nothing else to write!! After clearing customs fairly smoothly, we headed to one end of the Fish River Canyon (one of the biggest canyons in the world) - Ai-Ais. This is grandly named as the "Ai-Ais resort" because there are themal springs there. But that's a bit of an exaggeration...

Aus, Namibia vicki

Travel Blogs Nearby

A canyon that is not quite as Grand =)

We travelled from Sesriem to the famous, or perhaps not so famous, Fish River Canyon. This canyon is nearly 30km across and 160km in length. It is reportedly second only in size to the Grand Canyon. So, for all you Arizona relatives, here are some photos of the "runner-up"! We walked around the canyon to get some different views ...

Fish River Canyon, Namibia caralyn
Splish Splash

... out by the forces of nature. The same savage, continuous geological movements produced not only spectacular beauty but also great mineral wealth &#8211; diamonds, uranium, platinum, lead, zinc, silver, copper, tungsten and tin &#8211; all the cornerstone of Namibia&#8217;s economy. Humans have lived here for thousands of years. The San (Bushmen) are the earliest know people, although their hunting gathering way of life is now almost extinct.<br ...

Fish River Canyon, Namibia boydandrose
Cricket in Africa

... the narrow canyon and they had had to turn back. There we took one of what would later turn out to be many group photos. <br><br><br>When we finally arrived to camp the day had not tired of being hot and I was grateful that Anthony had parked Shangani (our truck) under the shade of a huge tree. A low stone wall made a small perimeter around the truck and the tree and ...

Fish River Canyon, Namibia claraz8
It never rains in the desert

... While sliding the dune would make a noise as the sand adjusted underneath that was almost like a burp. I hiked mostly with Shirat who is a little more quiet than Bina mostly because her English isn't as good as Bina's. I was surprised to find out that her mother had married her uncle (father's brother). It seemed a little weird but there didn't seem to be anything in the bible against marrying your cousin or uncle just direct family so it was ok. We then went on a hike of ...

Fish River Canyon, Namibia mike_bright
My first proper sunset, and sunrise (of many!!)

... This might sound stupid, but Africa is really big! as we were driving towards the canyon there was an awful lot of nothing, and then all of a sudden a very large gap in the earth!! The great big plains dotted with a few rocks and not much else, although we did see the first springbok of the trip (again probably not the last!!).

Fish River Canyon, Namibia tess.johnson
Day 170 - Namibia, Fish River Canyon - Scorpions

... d tortoises - cause that's what they look like), ox tail, biltong of all sorts and the biggest oysters I have ever seen. Simply divine. We got back on the truck at 5pm as the sun was setting, causing the sky to look like a painters canvass with whisps of pink, orange, red and yellow. As we drove away a half moon appeared making it a most memorable view. Leaving the canyon behind we drove onto bush camp, a spot previously used by Oasis so it was just a matter of ...

Fish River Canyon, Namibia oliveramber
Location, development, exploitment

Do not take a chance and drive to Ai-Ais on your way up into Namibia from South Africa. There is also a sign at the turn off on the B1 highway that says so, but I can guess most curious travelers would just ignore it and make their way to the little settlement at southern end of the Fish River Canyon anyway - exactly as Claire and I did. The story goes something like this: it seems that Ai-Ais - renowned for its proximity to the majestic Fish River Canyon just 70Kms ...

Ai-ais, Western Cape, Namibia dani.bora

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