Shortly before sundown we arrive at the Fish River Canyon Park. Before leaving the bus Sydney already warns us insistently to keep away from the margin, because the stones often just lie about loosely or can break away, if you step on it. That wouldn’t be a nice experience in view of an altitude difference of some hundred metres. At the highest position there are 549 metres to fall down.

That’s why we follow well-behaved our tour guide and arrive the lower point of the Canyon walk, passing the little Canyon-Comfort-Station. We aren’t allowed to go into the canyon. Well, we wouldn’t have had the time anyway. However, that wouldn’t have been possible by day, because the canyon mustn’t be entered when the Fish River is dried up completely.

In exchange, we discover a mountain starling, which jumps ahead next to us. In contrast to us he dares to approximate the margin of the canyon. Well, with wings it isn’t that dangerous. And furthermore we can enjoy the terrific view over the cut in canyon, which curls through landscape under us and who’s cliffy rocks glow in the sinking sun.

What we don’t know: The canyon is actually a canyon in the canyon. The wider upper one has developed because of spacious moves in the earth’s crust. The interior deep cut has developed not until the continent has unfolded and the Fish River has digged itself into the deeper situated formations.

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