Namibia 's Fish River Canyon looks petite to anyone who 's ever visited Arizona 's Grand Canyon . Still , the gorge runs an impressive 1,800-feet deep and 100 miles long . It is the second largest natural gorge in Africa , and one of the most picturesque scenes the continent has to offer . Here 's why you should visit the Fish River Canyon right now . The Quiver Tree Forest . The striking quiver tree , or kokerboom , is unique to Namibia , and only found in the southern part of the country . A species of aloe , the quiver tree is renowned for its unique , sculptural beauty . The name comes from the fact that local bushman traditionally used the tree 's quills to make their quivers . Nearly 300 trees congregate in the Quiver Tree Forest , 124 miles from the Fish River Canyon , and a handy stopping-off point for anyone making the long trek out to the remotely situated gorge . Giant 's Playground . Nearby the Quiver Tree Forest is the area known as Giant 's Playground , so called because of the stacked arrangements of massive , dolerite rocks that ca n't help but look placed by human ( or giant ) hands . As it happens , the maze-like formations are completely natural . `` This area is sub-volcanic . It was a shallow sea millions of years ago , '' explains Marian Hulme , the owner of the local rest camp and caretaker of the forest . `` Lava pushed up and cooled down underneath the water . After the water disappeared , it opened up with erosion and [ formed ] like this , '' she says . In addition to these natural sculptures , Hulme 's father , who was a caretaker before her , created art from stones and recycled materials . Hulme keeps up the tradition . `` Everything here tells a story . That 's the idea [ behind the art ] , '' she says . You can mule trek . Many tour operators offer two-to-five day mule treks . Visitors can explore the area with a guide on foot , while mules carry the load of their baggage . Mannfred Goldbeck , a local historian and CEO of tourism venture The Gondwana Collection , launched the Canyon Mule Trail years ago . `` I looked at the Grand Canyon and saw how they do it there , and just adapted it , '' he explains . `` We are constantly looking for activities that are soft adventure , and have a minimum impact on the environment . We are giving this area back to nature . We have to be the custodians of this area for generations to come , '' he says . Eco-tourism . While the canyon -- parts of which are 500 million years old -- remained unchanged for millennia , Goldbeck explains the arrival of European settlers in the 18th century had an unsettling effect on the canyon 's ecosystem . Years of over-hunting and over-grazing took their toll , and a lot of local flora and fauna started to disappear from the area . `` The first explorers came in and they disrupted the balance that existed here . This is a very dry area , and only gets some rain [ two to four inches yearly ] , '' says Goldbeck . In addition to its tours , The Gondwana Collection has created a private nature reserve in the area , and built several eco-lodges around the canyon . Goldbeck says the operative 's aim is threefold . `` Tourism was secondary , '' he explains . `` Our first idea was to protect this area . We also wanted to bring people back into the area that once lived here . We had three legs : environmental , financial and social . Without any one , the pot will not stand . ''
Namibia 's Fish River Canyon is 500 million years old . Several tours offer mule treks into the canyon . Nearby is the Quiver Tree Forest , home to a unique aloe species .