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 As one of the oldest towns in Botswana and site of southern Africa's first gold rush, Francistown, home to 92 500 people, is a typical frontier town, strategically placed as the gateway to the north, with all the main roads to Gaborone, Zimbabwe, Maun and Kazungula passing through it. It manages to maintain its character despite being Botswana's second-largest urban centre and "Capital of the North". Evidence of human habitation goes back 80 000 years. In the 1820s, the Ndebele stormed through before coming to rest near Bulawayo, bringing their influences and taxation to the Kalanga territory of north-eastern Botswana. The first European to visit Nyangabgwe (the nearest village to present-day Francistown) was missionary Robert Moffat. He was followed by Karl Mauch, who discovered gold along the Tati River in 1867, followed soon thereafter with more deposits in the Francistown area itself. Francistown was the site of southern Africa's first "gold-rush".
The city boasts a range of good restaurants, sophisticated shopping malls, cinema, night clubs (jazz club called New Yorker), a couple of excellent hotels which offer fully equipped conference facilities, one of the largest referral hospitals in Botswana, an extensive library, sports facilities, well-kept parks and colourful markets. Nowadays, the city is experiencing an economic boom. In the last few years Francistown has had a near total facelift - to the point that much of its original dusty frontier town atmosphere has disappeared. Whether you are continuing north to Zimbabwe (90km to the border) or northwest to either Maun or Kasane, Francistown is a good place to purchase any further supplies you may need and fill long-range tanks.
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