Namibia's Fish River Canyon

     The Fish River Canyon in Namibia is reputedly the second largest canyon in the world after the Grand Canyon. There is a lot of debate as to whether or not this is indeed the second largest canyon in the world, most of the arguments seem to hinge on how one actually measures the 'size' of a canyon. Regardless of its ranking in the world of big canyons the Fish River is absolutely magnificent and breathtaking in its immensity.

     The canyon has been formed by water from the Fish River flowing through this arid environment over millions of years. Yet it comes as something of a shock when you arrive at the canyon, as you have no idea it is there. It drops vertically by half a kilometre, out of a flat arid plateau without any warning.

     The Fish River is, at 650 kilometres, the longest river in Namibia. Its source lies in the eastern Naukluft Mountains and flows south-west of Ai-Ais into the Oranje. The Fish River Canyon probably formed about 500 million years ago. However, the gorge was not only created by water erosion, but also through the collapse of the valley bottom due to movements in the earth's crust.