Reviews of Fish River Lodge

"Superb location and friendly staff.

View over the canyon is spectacular. Great drive into the canyon - a long day (9 hours) and very bumpy but a wonderful experience.

Lunch and a swim at a rock pool were very well organised. Breakfast and dinner good although the choice was limited because of the remote location.

Like most places we stayed, there was complimentary tea and cake in the afternoon." See all these reviews: 26n in Namibia

"Stunning location on the rim of the canyon, would be a bit warm in the rooms in summer as there's no aircon, a four wheel drive was a good idea on the gravel road that approached the entrance." See all these reviews: 24n in Namibia

"The ONLY reason to visit this lodge is the magnificent view on the canyon and the location of the bungalows right on the edge. We were here before (2019) and nothing has changed. You don't come here for the food (poor), the staff (uninterested, they do not understand what true hospitality means) or the animals (none).

Our welcome was not friendly or warm at all; it was merely a standard ('cold') explanation. The bungalow is nice. We loved the wind which comes every day at the end of the afternoon/beginning of the evening. It literally blows your mind empty and your coffee out of your cup. No airco needed.

Wifi only in the main building and not very reliable.

Drives/excursions are quite expensive.

We truly hope that there will be a decent alternative for this accommodation." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe

"Fish River Lodge is a magical place to stay and was by far my favourite place during my two weeks touring Namibia, and well worth the long drive off the main road. The chalets are beautiful, designed in a simple, even austere way which to my mind is far more in tune with the breathtaking canyon/desert setting than some of the opulent lodges designed in standard South African fashion. The reception/dining/bar area of the hotel is also most beautifully decorated and very comfortable. The food was delicious and the walks along the canyon rim wonderful in both morning and evening. They are well signposted. The day trip down into the canyon is amazing. As it was December the only option here was the drive down as it is too hot to hike. It is a most beautiful and unique opportunity." See all these reviews: 19n in Namibia; 1n in South Africa

"Stunning location with great lodges perched on the cliff edge.

Food was very good here. Swimming in the pool while looking over the edge of the canyon was amazing.

Sundowner trip going north of the lodge to a great viewpoint with superb sunset views.

Would also recommend a self guided walk to a great viewpoint south of the lodge (c1-2 hr return).

While the staff were fine this was (surprisingly) the busiest lodge we stayed in and it consequently felt somewhat less personal than other lodges.

Overall - a great place to visit and stay." See all these reviews: 23n in Namibia

"Our first impression at Fish River Lodge was of walking through the main building to the jaw dropping view of the canyon.

A deck runs along that side of the building with sitting places and a swimming pool. Individual lodges were strung out on either side of the main building. Our lodge was modern and very comfortable.

The canyon drive excursion is well worth going on. Leaving the lodge at 7.30 we were driven along to a side canyon, and then slowly down to the floor. Our experienced guide slowly negotiated tricky slopes in the 4WD vehicle, pointing out interesting features along the way.

Our destination was under a rock shelf at the bottom of the canyon. Here we were able to have a refreshing swim, with the catfish, in a large fresh water pool. A delicious lunch was barbecued chicken and sausage, with side salads, not forgetting the beer and wine! A slow drive back up, again with masterful use of the 4WD function, got us back to the lodge about 4.30." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 4n in South Africa

"Very well-run. Exceptional views from the rooms, dining area and pool.
Took a very enjoyable, if hair-raising, trip to the canyon floor, including rock-pool swimming and a barbeque.
Good walking trails on the canyon rim." See all these reviews: 30n in Namibia

"Stunning place.

Very happy to have visited here and done the trip to the canyon bottom with a knowledgeable and great guide. A great memory to take home (especially the swim in the canyon - with fish!).

Food was fine - breakfast was ok (truly terrible cappucino). Shop selling "bushmen" walking sticks felt a bit odd - my understanding is that is considered a disrespectful term to use?

Fantastic views from the chalets, they live up to their slogan - "the edge of infinity"." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia

"The views are spectacular and the day trip down to the bottom of the canyon was superb.

Swimming between the cliffs in the clear waters was very special." See all these reviews: 21n in Namibia

"We are staying in Fish River Lodge. Literally, as they write on their homepage “on the edge of eternity”. We are in the last of their chalets with undisturbed views to the canyon and southwest. The tall windows and terrace outside allow views of the canyon to take priority everywhere.

Our chalet is in a very modern style and in fantastic condition when we arrive. Everything is perfectly cleaned, a standard that is maintained over the next 3 days (perfect housekeeping). We have both outdoor and indoor showers, a large bedroom with a view, and a platform outside where we can lie and enjoy the undisturbed view. In addition, we find all the small necessities that you expect in a hotel.

The main lodge itself is also incredibly beautifully built on the edge of the Fish River Canyon, with spectacular views everywhere. A spectacular rim pool provides cool comfort in the hot summer months also overlooking the canyon and nature park.

The 45,000-hectare Canyon Nature Park is a sanctuary for the nature, including the rare Hartman’s zebra, oryx antelope and ostriches, which appear and disappear in the rocky side canyons.

We love to hike! And the Fish River Canyon is a top hiking destination. And Fish River Lodge has access down to the Fish River and meandering paths on the rim of the canyon.

First day, we take the short rim walk for 1,5 hours. Second day, we take the full day canyon drive, Followed by the longer rim walk for 3 hours (!)

The Fish River Lodge has some opportunities for improvements: One of the minor opportunities for improvement was the restaurant, where we found the service to be of very variable nature. Fortunately, always friendly, but not always very professional. Orders and requests were forgotten more than once, and guests (including us) sometimes placed very close to the hot fireplace. However, when the problems were pointed out, the staff immediately reacted (but sometimes forgot again). The restaurant did not provide the same "luxury sensation" as the rest of the lodge.

Another thing to be aware of is that the lodge is extremely exposed to wind. Two out of three nights, we had very loud wind noise all night, partly due to the construction of the roof. For the same reason, there are earplugs in the chalets, which you can choose to use. Also, there is no air conditioning in the chalets, but a fan and high ceilings. It can probably be a challenge on very hot days!

However, all in all we loved the place and would be happy to return." See all these reviews: 35n in Namibia