Southdowns Airport – KIW Kitwe

The Southdowns Airport, also known as the Kitwe Airport, is a public airport located in Kitwe, Zambia. The Southdowns Airport (KIW) serves the city of Kitwe, which is one of the most developed areas in Zambia, and the towns of Chambishi and Kalulushi. The Southdowns Airport is located 20.8 kilometers away from the city center of Kitwe, which houses the Chembe Bird Sanctuary and the Mewkwera Falls.

Best Time to Visit

The KIW - Southdowns Airport is primarily used for chartered and non-scheduled commercial flights. It has one runway that only allows daytime landings, but is adequate enough to support most business jets and commuter aircraft. KIW Airport was closed down in 2005 for repairs, but was re-opened in 2008. The airport is surrounded by the city of Ndola, which is the third largest city in Zambia. It is the commercial center of Copperbelt, which is Zambia’s copper mining region. Tourists may check the Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial and the Copperbelt Museum should they choose to visit the city of Ndola.

What to Do & Area Attractions

Tourists and guests can choose from a wide range of accommodations should they want to stay close to the Southdowns Airport. These would include the Lifesong Lodge, which is 10 miles away from the airport; the Africanza Lodge & Restaurant which is also 10 miles away from the Southdowns Airport; and the nearby Garden Court Kitwe.

A nearby airport would be the Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (NLA), which is 40 miles away. It was known primarily as the Ndola Airport, until it was renamed in 2011 in honor of Zambia’s vice president, Simon Kapwepwe.