Francistown sits where the Tati and Ntshe rivers meet, about 90 kilometres from the Zimbabwe border and roughly 400 kilometres north-east of Gaborone. Bakalanga miners were working gold here long before Europeans came, and when prospectors arrived in the nineteenth century they set off southern Africa's first gold rush. The town took its name from Daniel Francis, a director of the Tati Concession company, and it's the only city in Botswana with an English name. Nyangabgwe Hill, which gave the first village its name, still rises over the streets. Today about 100,000 people live here, and Ikalanga is the language you'll hear most.
A day in town
Start at the Supa Ngwao Museum, which tells the story of the Tati gold fields and the Kalanga people. It also covers the decades when labour recruiters based here sent workers south to the gold mines of South Africa. Blue Jacket Street, the main street, is named after Sam "Blue Jacket" Anderson, an early prospector known for the blue jacket he always wore. On a hill outside the city, the stone ruins of Old Tati mark the first mining camp. For a longer outing, the hilltop walls of Domboshaba in the North East make an easy day trip.
Booking on adventuro
From here the road runs north-west to Nata, where it splits for Maun and the Okavango or Kasane and the Chobe riverfront. Our guide to north-east Botswana covers the drive. Use the Book here tab to see live dates and prices.
