Things to Do in Solwezi, Zambia: The Local Bucket List
Things to do in Solwezi, Zambia rarely make the glossy travel magazines, and locals would not have it any other way. This is a copper town with a green heart: red roads run out of the centre and into tall woodland, ancient rock art sits a short drive from the mall, and waterfalls, a national park and a town-wide running culture fill every free weekend. If you have just landed for a mine contract, are visiting family, or have lived here for years, this local bucket list is for you.
Solwezi is the capital of Zambia's North-Western Province, and few places are changing faster. Roughly 21.9 million people live in Zambia, and the north west is its fastest-growing region: North-Western Province averaged 4.8 per cent population growth a year between 2010 and 2022, with Solwezi and Kalumbila among Zambia's fastest-growing districts. Analysts now estimate the town itself at around 368,000 people, and the Kansanshi mine about 14 kilometres north of the centre employs more than 13,000 people, primarily Zambians. New money, new arrivals, old bush: that mix makes Solwezi a very fun place to explore.
Red roads, green bush: the drive that starts every Solwezi adventure.
Here are eight adventures worth clearing a Saturday for, plus a weekend plan and answers to the questions visitors ask most. Save it, share it with the person who keeps saying there is nothing to do, and start ticking them off.
Why Is Solwezi Zambia's Best-Kept Secret Right Now?
Part of the secret is the altitude. At 1,397 metres above sea level, Solwezi is gentler than most of Zambia, and the district drinks in more than 1,200 millimetres of rain a year, keeping the bush green long after the last storm. Part of it is the money: mining built schools, roads and a social scene that punches above the town's weight. And part of it is the pace. Solwezi is big enough for a mall, a stadium and a marathon, and small enough that the trader at the market remembers how you like your tomatoes.
Solwezi at a glance | The detail |
Province | North-Western (provincial capital) |
Population | Around 368,000 (2026 estimate) |
Altitude | 1,397 metres above sea level |
Biggest neighbour | Kansanshi mine, about 14 kilometres north |
Rainy season | November to April |
Getting here | About an hour's flight from Lusaka, or an overnight bus |
First-timers are surprised by the same handful of things:
The greenery. Nobody expects Zambia's mining heartland to look this lush, especially from January to April.
The scale. Kansanshi is one of Africa's largest copper and gold operations and one of the continent's oldest mining sites, with copper smelting here dating back to the 4th century.
The running culture. Saturday mornings belong to a town that has fallen in love with the marathon.
The day-trip menu. Rock art, waterfalls and a national park all sit within a drive of your gate.
Solwezi does not do postcard-perfect. It does red dust, green hills and a very good Saturday.
1. Kifubwa Stream Rock Shelter: Art Older Than the Pyramids
About six kilometres south of town, a stream cuts a small valley through the bush, and under its rock overhangs sits one of Zambia's quietest treasures: the Kifubwa Stream Rock Shelter. Scholars have known the site since 1928, and excavations of the shelter floor revealed engravings linked to Late Stone Age hunter-gatherers, carbon dated to between 6,000 and 6,500 years ago. At the time, it was the first site to show a clear connection between local rock engravings and the communities that made them, which is why today it is protected as a national monument. Standing before the lines and cup marks, it is hard not to wonder what the artist was thinking.
Go early. The walk is short but the sun is strong from mid-morning.
Dress for the bush. Closed shoes, a hat and water; the path follows a stream valley.
Look, do not touch. Even skin oils slowly age the art.
Keep it short. A couple of hours covers it, so pair the visit with lunch in town.
Long before Solwezi had a name, an artist was already working these rocks.
2. Mutanda Falls: The Sunday Drive That Never Gets Old
Pack a picnic and head north west: about an hour's drive towards Kalumbila brings you to Mutanda Falls, where the river tumbles over a wide run of rapids. The falls show off best after heavy rain, when the spray hangs over the rocks, and there are three ways to enjoy the same water. Locals all have a favourite.
River spot | The vibe | Best for |
Mutanda Safari Lodge | The original riverside stop with the classic view | Old-school picnics and photos |
The riverside restaurant across the water | Lunch with a view; the kitchen takes its time | Slow afternoons |
Georgie's | Pool, big deck, rose gardens and a restaurant | Families and sundowner crews |
Take towels, a cooler and a full tank of fuel, and let the gravel road do the rest. If the drive leaves your car wearing a coat of red dust, our car wash and auto care team can have it clean and shining before Monday.
The falls are the easy part. Choosing which of the three river spots wins your Sunday is the hard part.
3. Nsanshi Art: Copper Jewellery With a Story You Can Wear
Solwezi's most original souvenir is not mined, it is made: copper jewellery crafted by a workshop of women at East Park Mall. Nsanshi Art began in May 2020 as a value-addition project backed by the Kansanshi Foundation, with the aim of adding value to Zambian copper while creating employment and raising funds for vulnerable women and girls around Solwezi. Apprentices spend two years learning to turn copper into rings, earrings and statement pieces, and the first graduates now lead the workshop's most intricate work. Stop by during the week, meet the makers and take home a piece that does more than sit in a drawer.
Easy gifts: layered copper bangles and stacking rings travel well.
Statement pieces: the bigger designs are proper heirlooms in the making.
The story: every purchase helps fund training for the next intake of women.
Copper built this town. At Nsanshi Art, it is still building futures.
4. The Kansanshi Marathon: Why the Whole Town Runs Now
A few years ago, runners were a rare sight in Solwezi. Then the Kansanshi Sports Foundation made the sport its focus, seeded coaching in local schools, and in 2023 launched the Kansanshi Marathon. World Athletics accredits the event, so finish times count towards races worldwide, in a festival of distances: a 5km fun run, a 10km race, a half marathon and a full marathon. In May 2025, just over 2,000 runners took part, including wheelchair and disability categories in the 5km. Watch the local stars: national record holder Elizabeth Mukoloma won the women's full marathon in 3 hours 17 minutes, while Collins Mbimbi is chasing a 2 hour 40 minute dream. The spirit has spilled into Saturday runs and clubs all over town. Lace up, and you will find your people within a week.
In Solwezi, Saturday morning belongs to the runners.
The one thing runners cannot outrun is laundry. From running gear to office shirts, our laundry service takes the pile off your hands.
5. Road Trip to the Source of the Zambezi
Africa's fourth-longest river begins its journey in Zambia's north west, and the protected site around its source is one of the province's proudest landmarks. A short drive from Mwinilunga, you will find a visitor centre, wooden walkways over the marshy spring and a pocket of dense forest that is home to almost 200 bird species. The story even got a plot twist in late 2025, when a research expedition argued that the river's true source lies even further afield, in Angola's highlands, stretching the Zambezi's length by more than 340 kilometres. Either way, standing at a spring that grows into a continental giant is a proper bucket list moment, and from Solwezi it makes a long day out or, better, an overnight.
Fuel up before you leave the tar; services thin out to the west.
Pack a picnic and plenty of water; the site is simple and beautiful.
Birders, bring binoculars and go early for the best sightings.
6. West Lunga National Park: Ready for the Real Outback?
For the wildest weekend on this list, point the car west: West Lunga National Park lies about 275 kilometres away, with a dirt-road entry at Jivundu. This is a flat plateau of dry evergreen forest, home to duiker, bushpig, the occasional hippo and crocodile, and very few visitors. Facilities are minimal and the going can be slow, so pack everything you need and tell someone where you are headed. The province keeps opening up, too: the Solwezi-Kipushi road that links Zambia to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is being upgraded, with a new one-stop border post planned about 130 kilometres away. If you have ever wanted the outback without the crowds, the far corners of North-Western Province are ready.
7. Where Do Locals Shop on a Saturday Morning?
Most of Solwezi's shops line the central tarred road, which makes a market morning easy to plan. Start with fresh produce and chitenge fabric at the market, where the banter is half the experience, then drift to East Park Mall for coffee, a browse and the Nsanshi Art shop. Banks, fuel stations and a supermarket cluster along the same stretch, so one trip covers the whole list. Zambia Tourism rates the town a reliable stop for supplies.
Market: seasonal vegetables, fruit and bright chitenge.
East Park Mall: coffee, groceries and copper jewellery.
Town centre basics: banks, fuel and a 24-hour medical centre.
8. How Do You Do a Solwezi Sunday Right?
The Solwezi Sunday has two sacred forms. Form one is the lodge day: a slow drive to Mutanda, a lounger by Georgie's pool, lunch on a big deck over the river, or a night at the Royal Solwezi Hotel, which Zambia Tourism lists from K3,640 a night. Form two is the home braai: meat on the fire, music low, neighbours drifting over as the sun drops. If yours is the house everyone gathers at, a little help goes far: our cleaning team can reset the place after the weekend, and our maid services keep busy households running through the week.
What Should You Pack, and When Is the Best Time to Visit?
Solwezi has three seasons, and each one changes what your weekend looks like. The rainy season runs from November to April, with warm days, dramatic storms and the greenest scenery of the year. May to August is the cool dry season: clear skies, chilly mornings of 6 to 12 degrees, and ideal conditions for hiking and rock art. September to early November turns hot and dry, with afternoons up to 35 degrees and enormous skies. Whichever season you pick, pack like a local:
Season | Months | What to expect | Best for |
Rainy | November to April | Warm days, dramatic storms, everything lush and green | Waterfalls and photography |
Cool dry | May to August | Clear skies, chilly mornings, comfortable days | Hiking, rock art, running |
Hot dry | September to early November | Dusty afternoons up to 35 degrees, big skies | Early starts, braais, pool days |
Closed walking shoes and a wide-brimmed hat.
Sunscreen and a refillable water bottle.
A light rain jacket from November to April.
Binoculars for the birders, and a power bank for long drives.
Cash for the market; small notes are king.
For the official picture, see the Climate of Zambia reference and the World Meteorological Organization's Solwezi records.
How Do You Spend the Perfect Solwezi Weekend?
Here is the two-day plan we hand to visiting friends. Borrow it exactly, or mix the pieces to taste.
Saturday, 6.30am: join a morning run with the town's runners, or walk it if you prefer company.
Saturday, 8.30am: breakfast, then the market and East Park Mall.
Saturday, midday: Kifubwa Stream Rock Shelter, back by mid-afternoon.
Saturday, 3pm: drive to Mutanda Falls for golden hour by the water.
Saturday evening: braai, stories, early night.
Sunday morning: coffee outside, then a pool day at a lodge.
Sunday afternoon: reset for the week and plan the next adventure.
Sunday sunset: one last look at those skies. You will need more than one weekend.
Solwezi: Quick Answers
These are the questions newcomers ask us most often.
When is the best time of year to visit Solwezi?
May to August for comfortable days and clear skies. November to April if you want waterfalls at full power and the greenest scenery of the year. September to early November suits early risers who like big skies.
How do I get to Solwezi from Lusaka?
Proflight Zambia flies the route in about an hour with several flights a week, and Juldan Motors runs coaches from Lusaka twice a day. By road, most visitors drive in via the Copperbelt, refuelling in Solwezi before heading further west.
Do I need a four-wheel drive?
For town and the main day trips, no. For Mutanda Falls and Kifubwa, an ordinary car is fine in the dry season, but a high-clearance vehicle is the safer bet after heavy rain, and the Zambezi source and West Lunga trips deserve a proper 4x4.
Can I tour the Kansanshi mine?
Kansanshi is a working industrial site rather than a visitor attraction, so there are no casual tours. The way locals meet the mine is through the marathon, the Nsanshi Art workshop it helped build, and the glow of the smelter on the evening horizon.
Where do I buy copper jewellery in Solwezi?
Nsanshi Art at East Park Mall, where a women-run workshop turns copper into rings, earrings and statement pieces. It is open during working hours on weekdays, and every purchase supports the training programme.
Is Solwezi good for families?
Very, if you like the outdoors. The marathon's 5km fun run is open to all, lodge pools at Mutanda welcome day visitors, and the day trips on this list are easy with children. As anywhere, stick to well-known routes and avoid isolated roads after dark.
I have one free day in Solwezi. What should I do?
Morning at Kifubwa Stream Rock Shelter, lunch back in town, then drive to Mutanda Falls for the afternoon and golden hour. If you would rather stay local, do the market and Nsanshi Art, then braai the evening away.
Your Next Adventure Starts Ten Minutes From Your Gate
Aenon Horizons has called Solwezi home for years, and we know how good this town gets when you know where to look. Alongside this guide, we keep daily life running: maid and cleaning services for homes and offices, laundry and dry cleaning with a bespoke scent bar, and car wash and auto care, all across Solwezi and Kalumbila. Every team is vetted, uniformed and trained, and every job is graded against our five-star quality-control system. Our services page has the full menu, and our about page shows how we work.
If your week could use less chore and more adventure, send a message on WhatsApp to +260 978 789 767 or email info@aenonhorizons.com. Our office is on Kansanshi Road, opposite Yadah Christian School, Solwezi 10101, and you can book any service here. For more practical guides to life in North-Western Province, browse our blog, including our guide to office cleaning services in Solwezi for businesses in town. And if you tick something off this list this weekend, tell us. We love a good adventure story.
Adventure is a ten-minute drive away. So is the team that gets your kit, your car and your home ready for it.
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