Fish River Lodge — Hotel in Karas

First off its a long way to get here ! You basically stay on the B1 driving done the whole country for hours and hours . It took us way longer than the 5hrs 30m our trip plan said due to wildlife watching and photography, and even when you see the lodge sign off the main road its still 107 miles on an uneven grave track. The last 20kms are very interesting, very rocky , with big drops and would not recommend if you are not in a 4x4. You arrive at the main lodge to check in and get a tour of the lodge facilities: restaurant , bar , gift shop, terrace and swimming pool. The lodge is situated on the very edge of the canyon with spectacular views. You are then walked down to your chalet which are spread either side of the main lodge carefully separated from each other for privacy but again on the rim edge. The views are mind blowing!!! The rooms are very large with a massive bed ,huge picture windows directly in front of your bed and en suite facilities. However they did not have a fridge or air conditioning although they did provide a fan and a thermos of iced water. ( they did say you could not have a fridge due to solar power although we stayed at other lodges which had the same power but did provide a fridge) I think it was maybe to encourage you to buy drinks from the bar . It is extremely windy both day and night, and can be quite noisy with the wind rushing through the canyon so bring earplugs to sleep. Its a short walk along a marked path to the main lodge for dinner . Our first night it was hit by a plague of locusts that bashed into you as you walked down and were banging against the glass windows all evening ( there were bodies everywhere outside , but the birdlife enjoyed them all the next morning!) Dinner was waitress service with a choice of two mains and desserts, food was all very good but they did seem to be over staffed as there seemed to be people standing around everywhere. Wifi is available in the main lodge and is very good , but a bit annoying you have to collect a code daily ( sometimes twice a day as it doesn't seem to last very long) Breakfast a mix of a buffet and cooked items is also served here . The next day we did the canyon rim walk, which we highly recommend, a well marked path around the edge of the rim with stunning views of the canyon which takes you to a viewpoint with a seat where you can sit and rest . We even met a family of baboons on the walk. When you arrive back you can get a cold drink at the bar, have a swim in the pool or enjoy the free tea and cake they serve every day. If you are into birdwatching take time to sit on the outside terrace the amount of small bird life was spectacular although we only saw kestrels in the canyon, Later that afternoon we took part in a canyon rim drive and sundowners. We were the only guests so it was very special and a great guide, Dion, who told us so much about the local flora and fauna as well as stopping at various sites for some spectacular views of the canyon. We stopped at an amazing spot for sundowners , with enough snacks to feed 20 people , and got to watch a spectacular African thunderstorm on the other side of the canyon which was amazing. Highly recommend...

June 19-21 If you are heading to Fish River Lodge from Keetmanshoop, you can anticipate approximately 2-3 hours of gravel roads once you turn off the main highway and say goodbye to tarmac. You will come to realize that all the bumps, dust and heat experienced on this route were well worth every km travelled as you approach the main lodge building. It is situated on the rim of the canyon as are the individual lodge units. Check-in occurs at the main lodge. I really appreciated the large open space of the main lodge with its grand picture windows and sliding doors. The doors opened up to an outside terraced area with a magnificent view of the canyon. Inside was well appointed with comfortable lounge chairs and bar area on one side and a dining area with 360' fireplace in the middle on the other. Individual chalet units line the canyon rim on either side of the main lodge. 5 star comfort in such a remote part of the world. Mine was well appointed with a very comfortable double sized beds, bathroom equipped with both inside and outside showers and a large storage/change area. There was no problem with power and being able to charge electronics. A well lit path that ran behind the chalets for easy access. We stayed for two nights. All meals were excellent. Breakfast choices included a continental style breakfast, made to order eggs, cereals and fruit with fresh coffee. Lunch could include tasteful choices from the lunch menu . Dinners were especially memorable with fresh vegetables and excellently prepared cuts of local game. All staff worked as a team and took great pride in providing outstanding service to visitors, something I really appreciated. Internet access was available at the main lodge and seemed to be reliable and consistent. The lodge offered a number of other services which allowed guests to further explore the canyon surroundings with open air 4wd land cruisers for nature drives and hiking and cycling paths. I would definitely recommend Fish River Lodge to travellers looking for an off the beaten taste...

The highlight of our trip to Namibia! We spent the first night at the lodge itself. We were welcomed on arrival by the very friendly and helpful staff. After welcome drinks we were shown to our beautiful room with fabulous views. Dinner and breakfast at the lodge were delicious. The next two nights we spent in Camp Eternity and Camp Edge. Before we reached them though there were tough days of hiking to be done - we reckon we covered between 16 and 18km each day over some pretty steep and rugged terrain. Justice our guide was incredibly knowledgable about the flora, fauna and geology of the area. Even in June we saw ostrich, springbok, baboon, klipspringer and even some leopard tracks. Picnic lunch was eaten by a beautiful pool in the river bed, ideal for some (chilly) swimming. Reaching the camps each evening was a wonderful experience - like no camping we have done before. Tea, coffee and biscuits were waiting for us on arrival swiftly followed by gin and tonic and subsequently a three course dinner. Tents with comfortable stretcher beds and duvets had been pitched inside stone gabions, protecting them from the wind. The night skies were unlike any we had seen before - zero light pollution treating us to an exquisite display of stars, shooting stars and the Milky Way. The daylight views from Camp Eternity were enormous, and approaching Camp Edge we were thinking this is a pretty dramatic location, but it was as we stepped onto the deck and looked straight down over the rim - it turned into a literally breathtaking, ‘oh my goodness’ (or words to that effect!) moment. The third day of hiking was an easy 10km hike back around the rim to Fish River Lodge, where we had lunch before finally having to depart.||If you want to get up close to the flora and fauna of the canyon, earn your G and Ts in the evening and have the experience of a lifetime - this really is it! We cannot recommend it...