In the inner canyon one are exposed to the cracks in the formation intrusions of igneous material, which formed dolerite dykes once they were cooled. The surface was then eroded into a basin and covered by a shallow sea, which eventually filled with sediment and later on washed down. Tectonic activity along crystal faults caused these layers to rift and tilt up to 45° angle around 500 million years ago. That’s when the canyon starts to form, due to these enormous forces causing a wide opening in the earth’s crust and also reflects to the outer canyon. The wide gap eventually became a watercourse, which began eroding a meandering path along the valley floor and gouged out to what now is the 270m deep canyon.

Fish River Canyon National Park

There is nowhere else in Africa a place like the Fish river canyon. Joining the Orange River at the mouth of the canyon, for thousands of years gouging out this gorge are enormous and dramatic. The canyon measures 160km in length, and up to 27 km in width. It is about 550m deep. The San had a legend that the twisting Fish River Canyon was gouged out by a frantically scrambling snake called Koutein Kooru while being pursued into the desert by hunters. However the geological story is different from the San’s belief.

The Fish River Canyon is in reality 2 canyons, one inside the other, which was formed in completely different ways. Nearly two billion years ago thoughts claimed that the original sedimentary layers of shale, sandstone and loose igneous material around the Canyon were later metamorphosed by heat and pressure into more solid materials.

FISH RIVER CANYON IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM NOROTSHAMA RESOR

From our resort there’s a short cut to fish river canyon you can reach the canyon with 4x4 or with normal sedan car its plus minus 115km. For more information contact our reception.