Namibia’s Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will officially open the new Fish River Canyon viewpoint on Thursday, 21 October.
The facilities at the Main Viewpoint overlooking the Fish River Canyon were upgraded by the Strengthening the Protected Area Network (SPAN) in teams of an agreement between the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The upgrade includes a raised viewing platform built from local stone, shaded tables and benches where visitors can sit, environmentally friendly toilets and displays on various aspects of the canyon which ranks amongst the largest in the world.
The Fish River Canyon is the main attraction of the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Park and is the largest source of park entry fees to the Ministry after the Etosha National Park and the Namib-Naukluft Park – with an annual income of N$5 million (US$734 000 at current exchange rate) per year.
The Ai-Ais Hot Springs Park forms part of the /Ai-/Ais/-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (ARTP) was established in terms of a treaty signed by the Namibian President and his South African counterpart in 2003. Two-thirds of the park are in Namibia, while the remaining third enjoys the protection of the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa.
The opening of the new facilities will also be attended by South Africa’s Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica, the United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Namibia, Kari Egge, and Karas Region Governor Dawid Boois.
Derived from TourNamibia
The facilities at the Main Viewpoint overlooking the Fish River Canyon were upgraded by the Strengthening the Protected Area Network (SPAN) in teams of an agreement between the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The upgrade includes a raised viewing platform built from local stone, shaded tables and benches where visitors can sit, environmentally friendly toilets and displays on various aspects of the canyon which ranks amongst the largest in the world.
The Fish River Canyon is the main attraction of the Ai-Ais Hot Springs Park and is the largest source of park entry fees to the Ministry after the Etosha National Park and the Namib-Naukluft Park – with an annual income of N$5 million (US$734 000 at current exchange rate) per year.
The Ai-Ais Hot Springs Park forms part of the /Ai-/Ais/-Richtersveld Transfrontier Park (ARTP) was established in terms of a treaty signed by the Namibian President and his South African counterpart in 2003. Two-thirds of the park are in Namibia, while the remaining third enjoys the protection of the Richtersveld National Park in South Africa.
The opening of the new facilities will also be attended by South Africa’s Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs, Buyelwa Sonjica, the United Nations Development Programme Resident Representative in Namibia, Kari Egge, and Karas Region Governor Dawid Boois.
Derived from TourNamibia
