Lake Kashiba

Lake Kashiba is a sinkhole in the Copperbelt where the limestone collapsed into a cavern below, leaving a body of water with vertical rock walls dropping straight in and a depth reported at around a hundred metres, with no stream running in or out. The local name means the mysterious lake and it carries a body of stories about people who went in and did not come back. Fish live in it. The rim is fenced in places and there is a small campsite.

What you actually see

• The vertical walls - rock dropping straight into the water on all sides.
• The depth - a sinkhole reported at around a hundred metres deep.
• The closed basin - no visible stream entering or leaving the lake.
• The stories - the local traditions that give the lake its name.

When to go

May to October is dry with easy road access. The rains make the track slippery. Midday light shows the water colour best.

Honest expectations

There is very little here beyond the lake itself and half an hour covers it. Swimming is discouraged and the sides give no easy exit. Facilities amount to a caretaker and a basic campsite.

Nearby

Chimfunshi is northwest, and Lusaka is far south.