Kuiseb Canyon

The Kuiseb cuts a canyon through dark schist on the gravel plains east of Walvis Bay, a landscape of bare rock ridges and dry watercourses with almost nothing growing on it. The river runs only in flood years and its underground water supports a line of camelthorn along the bed. Two German geologists, Henno Martin and Hermann Korn, lived in this canyon for over two years during the Second World War to avoid internment, and the book Martin wrote about it made the place known.

The landscape

• The canyon - the Kuiseb cutting through dark folded schist.
• The badlands - bare ridges and gravel plains running in all directions.
• The camelthorn line - trees along the riverbed fed by underground water.
• The roadside viewpoint - the pull-in on the C14 above the canyon.

When to go

March to October is cooler and more comfortable. Summer temperatures on the plains are severe. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light on the rock.

Practical notes

It is a roadside stop of half an hour with no facilities. The gravel road is corrugated and hard on tyres. There is no shade and no water anywhere near.

Nearby

Walvis Bay is west, and Solitaire is south.

Key facts