Kitwe: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Kitwe is a city of 665,961 people in Zambia (Copperbelt), 1,224 m (4,016 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA), 37 km (23 mi) from the centre. Our booking partner lists 32 places to stay.
Key facts
Daylight in Kitwe runs from about 11 h 25 min a day in late June to 12 h 55 min in late December (computed for -12.8° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Kitwe is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA), 37 km (23 mi) from the centre, whose 11,483-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft.
Flights to Kitwe: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Kitwe · Driving and car hire
Where to stay
Our booking partner lists 32 places to stay in Kitwe. Of the 24 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (19). Guests have left 808 reviews in total.
Hotels in Kitwe: the full picture, and book
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Lubumbashi, 150 km (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Lusaka, 290 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Kolwezi, 379 km (Democratic Republic of the Congo) — flights
- Likasi, 258 km (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
- Ndola, 49 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Solwezi, 210 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Kabwe, 185 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Chingola, 47 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Luanshya, 43 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Mansa, 193 km — buses · car rental · tours
Twin towns and sister cities: Baia Mare, Detroit, Bor, Sheffield, Ponta Grossa.
Common questions
Which airport serves Kitwe?
Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA), 37 km (23 mi) from the centre.
How big is Kitwe?
About 665,961 people live in Kitwe (GeoNames).
What time zone is Kitwe in?
Africa/Lusaka, currently UTC+2.
What currency is used in Kitwe?
The Kwacha (ZMW). Traffic drives on the left.
How many hotels are there in Kitwe?
Our booking partner lists 32 places to stay in Kitwe, bookable on this site.
Which cities are near Kitwe?
Lubumbashi (150 km), Lusaka (290 km), Kolwezi (379 km), Likasi (258 km), Ndola (49 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.