This season’s last mule trekking tour ended in the middle of September and participants were exalted as they experienced the Fish River Canyon like paradise on earth. After more than above average rainfalls at the beginning of this year there was still plenty of water in the canyon, offering ample opportunity for cooling down. When the hiking group of nine   returned to Horseshoe Camp after their three-day adventure the verdict was unanimous: Simply marvellous! Unique! Incredibly beautiful...  

Back in Windhoek they delighted the staff of the Gondwana Travel Centre with a homemade cake as a thank-you to the colleagues of Mule Trails Namibia in the south who had given them an unforgettable experience.

Since mid-April a total of 20 hiking groups have taken part in the trekking tours offered by Mule Trails Namibia in Gondwana Cañon Park. At the start of the hiking season the expert guides had to use alternative routes for their groups because of the Fish River’s exceptional water levels. But irrespective of the route hikers were able to enjoy the breathtaking scenery and the diverse flora and fauna from as close as it gets. By the end of September more than 100 guests, carrying just a daypack, had hiked through the northern reaches of the canyon accompanied by a knowledgeable guide and trusty mules.

For now the 20 mules of Mule Trails Namibia are ‘on leave’. Since the trekking tours are only conducted during the cooler months of the year the mules are relaxing in their ‘holiday camp’ at the farm Springfontein so that grazing around the Cañon Mule Station – where they are stabled during the hiking season – can recover. Two years ago the area was ravaged by a bushfire.

The mules will be ready again to accompany hikers on three different tours during the 2012 trekking season: the Klipspringer Trail (4 days/3 nights), the Fish Eagle Trail (5 days/4 nights) and the Black Eagle Trail (5 days/4 nights). Bookings for 2012 have already been received.