Lake Nzilo is the reservoir formed by the Nzilo Dam on the upper Lualaba River, completed in 1953 under Belgian colonial administration to power the Katanga copper belt. The lake stretches for some 25 km along the valley and is the most accessible piece of countryside near Kolwezi.
The shore is green miombo woodland, much greener than the mining belt itself, and the lake supports fishing villages, hippos, and a decent population of birds. A small handful of guesthouses on the eastern shore cater to occasional weekend visitors from Lubumbashi. The drive from Kolwezi is about 90 minutes on partly paved roads — check road conditions in the rainy season.