Located just a stone’s throw from Zambia’s border with DR Congo, Ndola is the industrial heartland of the Copperbelt region. It was originally inhabited by the Lamba people and was founded in 1904 as a trading post to support Britain’s colonial expansion of Northern Rhodesia.
Things to do in Ndola
Learn about the area’s copper-mining history at the Copperbelt Museum, which showcases locally discovered gemstones and industrial artefacts. Discover what goes into processing copper before browsing the cultural objects on display in the upper-floor gallery. In addition to artefacts used in witchcraft, its exhibits include traditional musical instruments like “talking” drums.
Ndola’s slave-trading past is recognised at the Mupapa Slave Tree, ancient pod mahogany that once served as a meeting place for Swahili slave traders. It is located a short walk from the Kafubu Shopping Mall and the Ndola Golf Club, which was one of the first clubs to host professional tournaments in Zambia. One of the most notable features of the course is its giant ant mounds that have been incorporated into its design.
A short drive east of Ndola is Lake Chilengwa, a magnificent sunken lake that makes for a great picnic spot. For a classic safari experience, head south to the Nsobe Game Camp, a pristine tract of Miombo woodland that provides a habitat for giraffes, zebras and 15 species of antelope. Get up close to rare sitatungas and black lechwes while keeping your eyes peeled for some of the 300+ bird species that have been recorded here.
Getting around Ndola
Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport is around five minutes’ drive from the centre of Ndola and has flights to destinations across Africa. Trains connect from Lusaka and Livingstone to the Ndola railway station and buses travel throughout the city.