Fish River Canyon
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The Fish River Canyon is located in Namibia. It is the second largest canyon in the world (not the second deepest), as well as the second most visited tourist attraction in Namibia. It features a gigantic ravine, in total about 161km long, up to 27km wide and in places almost 550metres deep. It has been gouged out of the surface of the land in the course of 650 million years by the forces of water, wind, gravity and earth movements. The Fish River is the longest interior river in Namibia, but its flow in the present is a puny trickle compared with the immense volume of water that poured down its length in ages past. It cuts deep into the plateau which is today dry, stony and sparsely covered with hardy drought resistant plants such as succulents.
The river flows intermittently, usually coming down in flood in late summer, and when it ceases to flow it becomes a chain of long narrow pools on the sandy rock-strewn floor of the chasm. At the lower end of the Fish River Canyon, the hot springs resort of Ai-Ais provides an oasis in the desolate rocky wastes.
The official view points can be found around Hobas, a camp site, 70km north of Ai-Ais. This part of the Canyon is government owned. But there is an aspect of this wonderful land, which makes it quite different to the Grand Canyon in USA : the fact that about 90km of this Canyon is privately owned and incorporated into Private Nature Parks. Therefore, other places of interest and equally spectacular viewpoints, are found on private land on both sides of the Fish River Canyon.
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Geology
Upstream the river runs through horizontal dolomite strata (also knows as basalt). These strata formed part of the formation of the Canyon about 650 mil years ago. At this stage there was major plate movement that created a natural crack in the earth, the first process in the formation of the Fish River Canyon.
Lower down, a Granite complex system is exposed to form a characteristic river bed and results in forms like Fingerspitze. In this area, a fault runs north-south, which accounts for the gorge-like channel and the presence of hot sulphurous springs.
Vegetation
Namibia's national tree, the Aloe dichotoma or Quiver Tree are found specially in the south of the country. There are beautiful examples of these in the Fish River Canyon. The trees can reach an age of about 300 years and flowering occurs during wintertime from May to July.
Other plants includes various species of succulents, such as Melkbos, a very poisonous plant. All plants are well adapted to the semi-desert environment and can survive severe droughts of up to 5 years.
Animal life
In the Canyon you may encounter several species of mammals, such as Mountain Zebra (Hartman Zebra), Kudu, Klipspringer, Leopard, Steenbok, Baboon and Springbok. The most common rodents include mice, rats, Dassies & Dassie-rats. Bird life includes surprises like Pelicans, Black Eagles, Fish Eagles, Kingfishers, Lovebirds, Wild Ostrich and various species of water foul and wading birds, like Herons.
Reptiles and insects are in abundance and you may come across huge Leguan lizards; snakes (such as Cape Cobra, Black Spitting Cobra, Puff adder & Horned adder) as well as Geckos. Different species of locusts, butterflies and moths are also present. In the natural pools of the Fish River are found an abundance of fish, such as Barbled catfish and Yellow fish.
Climate
The Fish River Canyon area has a typical semi-desert climate. During the hot summer months (October - March) temperatures can rise up to 48 degrees Celsius during the day and cools down to about 30 degrees C at night. Relief from the heat comes in short spells with occasional thunder storms. The average annual rainfall in the Canyon area is 100mm. During the short winters, temperatures can go down below zero at night, but quickly picks up during the day to a moderate 20 - 28 degrees C.