Hardap Dam

Hardap was completed in 1963 across the Fish river and is the largest reservoir in Namibia, holding water for irrigation downstream and supplying Mariental. A game reserve on the western shore holds oryx, kudu, hartebeest and black rhino in dry thornveld, and the water draws pelicans, flamingos and fish eagles. Fishing on the dam is a draw for Namibians, with carp, barbel and kurper. A resort on the escarpment above looks down over the whole basin.

What you actually see

• The reservoir - the country's largest body of stored water.
• The game reserve - oryx, kudu and black rhino on the western shore.
• The birdlife - pelicans, flamingos and fish eagles on the water.
• The escarpment view - the resort terrace looking down over the basin.

When to go

March to October is the cooler window. Water levels vary sharply with the rains and the dam has both overflowed and dropped very low in recent years. Summer heat here is severe.

Honest expectations

Water level swings are dramatic and a low year makes the setting bleak. The resort has had periods of poor upkeep. The game reserve is small and sightings are modest.

Nearby

Mariental is southeast, and the Fish River Canyon is far to the south.