Chingola

Chingola

The Copperbelt Province of Zambia has much importance in the economy of the country. Copper exports are a major source of income for the country. Chingola is a city in the Copperbelt province of Zambia. It is home to the Nchanga Copper Mine. This is a deep-shaft copper mine that produces very high-grade copper. After the opening of this mine, two more mines were opened in the Chingola. They are the Chingola Open Pit Mine and the Nchanga open pit mine. The Nchanga open pit mine is the second largest of this type in the world.

This town was formed much later in the year 1943. This is one of the newest towns when compared to the other towns in the Copperbelt province. The town was formed only to serve the needs of the copper mines. A separate railway line comes from Kitwe to carry the copper from the mines. Quite surprisingly this town boasts of the fastest internet services in Zambia beating even the capital city of Lusaka.

Attractions At Chingola

It is a beautiful modern town that you can escape from the busy city life. The town receives good rainfall and this makes it populated by a lot of beautiful trees and flowering plants. The town has three hotels providing you all the modern comforts. There are also facilities for conducting meetings and parties in one of the hotels. Golfers will certainly find themselves entertained in Chingola as the Nchanga Golf Course is reported to be one of the best-maintained golf courses in Africa.

You can visit the open copper mines once you get permission from the mine offices. Another attraction near Chingola is the Chimfunshi Chimpanzee Sanctuary. It is the place where chimpanzees that were rescued from poachers or orphaned are brought and nurtured. This is the largest of this type in the world and has over 120 chimpanzees here. The other attraction near Chingola is the Hippo Pool on the Kafue River. This is just 10 km north of Chingola.

What Can You Do At Chingola?

You can enjoy the quiet stay at Chingola and a few rounds of golf at the Nchanga Golf course. One of the activities that you must not miss when you are in Chingola is a visit to the Chimfunshi Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The sanctuary is located at 60 km northwest from Chingola. This sanctuary currently has other animals too that were rescued from poachers or badly maintained zoos across Africa.

The sanctuary was privately run till it was handed over to a trust for better management. It is also known as one of the International Birding Area. Birders can find the pale-billed hornbill, coppery tailed coucal and variety of other bird species here. You can also visit the hippo pool in the river Kafue just 10 km from Chingola.

Reaching Chingola

You can fly to Ndola from Lusaka and then go by road to Chingola. You can also travel by car, bus or taxi from Lusaka which will take around 6-7 hours.

When Should You Visit Chingola?

The best time to visit Chingola is during June and July when the temperatures range between 20- and 25-Degrees C. November to March is the time when the town receives a lot of rainfall.