Lake Kashiba

Zambia / Copperbelt / Mpongwe /
 lake, interesting place
This lake is one of two "sunken lakes" in the copperbelt. The depth near the eastern shore is 90 meters, (verified by fishing line and weight). The center depth is said to be between 150 and 180 meters, depending on whom you ask. If you ask someone from the area, they may say it is bottomless.

The lake is said to be cursed by the local Lamba people. According to legend, hostile tribes were capturing people to be sold as slaves. An entire village came to the lake to avoid this fate. After neatly arranging their chitenges on the banks, they bound themselves together and threw themselves into the lake, all drowning rather than be taken into slavery. According to locals, anything floated across the lake will be sucked down, and anything that is floating on the lake overnight will be sucked into the depths. They also say that fish captured from the lake can't be eaten. They say that a knife will pass through the flesh and the wound will close behind it, or that if you put the fish in a boiling pot, it will continue to swim around.

Having said that, the lake is full of bream and catfish. Skin diving is wonderful here. The visibility is excellent in the dry season, and terrible in the rains. The level of the lake varies by (about) 20 ft between the rainy season and the dry season. Shore fishing is pleasant, as long as you don't mind being the object of fascination for some village kids for the day. This is also a great lake for bird watching, as well as other nature watching, being home to a couple species of monkey (including the blue monkey), monitor lizards, and a variety of snakes.

If you come during the rains, (and beat the dismal roads), beware the mpashi! (driver ants).

There is a caretaker for the lake. He is a local, and he will show up with a receipt book to take a toll for visiting the lake. Don't argue with him, he's officially recognized. If I remember correctly the cost is 5 pin per person, (5000 zam kwacha, or roughly $1.25).
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   13°26'37"S   27°56'24"E

Comments

  • You can not throw a stone across lake kashiba not even by using catapauts,it will fall in the water.
  • Lake kashiba is situated in chief ndubeni near st.anthony mission belonging to the catholics. Ndubeni is one of the chiefdoms in Mpongwe District. The district was a sub-division of Ndola rural district which was too big,hence they decided to divide it into two i.e Masaiti district and Mpongwe district.
This article was last modified 15 years ago