The M1 begins in Mpika, Muchinga Province, at a junction with the T2 road (Tanzam Highway; Cape to Cairo Road). It begins by leaving the town in a north-westerly direction and it proceeds northwards, through the villages of Kanchibiya District (Kabuko, Katumba, Kasongo and Mpepo), to cross the Chambeshi River at the Chambeshi Bridge and enter the Northern Province. Just before the Chambeshi Bridge, the M1 meets a road going eastwards providing access to the city of Chinsali (Capital of Muchinga Province). The M1 proceeds northwards to enter the town of Kasama (Capital of Northern Province). The distance from Mpika to Kasama is 214 kilometres.
At a 4-way-junction in Kasama Central, next to the Kasama Golf Club, as the road westwards is the M3 road to the town of Mansa (Capital of the Luapula Province), the M1 becomes the road northwards from this junction by way of a right turn. At the junction with Milungu Road, the M1 meets a road (D18) which provides access to Mungwi District in the east.
The M1 continues northwards for 165 kilometres, through the Kateshi Toll Plaza,[3] through Nseluka and Senga Hill, to the town of Mbala. It reaches a t-junction with the M2 road, which goes to the Lake Tanganyika port of Mpulungu in the west. The M1 turns to the north-east and heads for 26 kilometres to end at a border with Tanzania, where it becomes the T20 road to Sumbawanga in the Rukwa Region.
But today, The M1 route from Mpika to Mbala is referred to as the Old Great North Road. This is because the continuation of the T2 from Lusaka, passed Mpika, through Nakonde into Tanzania provides easier access to important towns in Tanzania, including Arusha and the Dar es Salaam sea port for trade.[5][4]
But the M1 is still an important route to the Republic of Zambia, as it is the route transporters from the Mpulungu port at Lake Tanganyika use to access the rest of Zambia, transporting imported goods.
The M2 road is the road which provides access to the town and port of Mpulungu.[2][1] From the Lake Tanganyika port of Mpulungu, the M2 road goes east-south-east for 38 kilometres to reach its junction with the M1 road in Mbala, next to the Mbala Airport, where it ends.
