Things to do in Francistown
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Francistown
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months, dry with warm days and cold nights, firm roads and the best Tachila and Tuli viewing.
Shoulder month with dry roads, lower prices than peak season and the Francistown Marathon.
The hottest month, with peak heat building before the rains break.
Wet season, hot and stormy with soft sand roads, at its hardest from December to February.
What's on
- BTC Francistown Marathon Mid April, next on 17 April 2027
Over 5000 runners at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium, the biggest one day running event in northern Botswana.
- Business Botswana Northern Trade Fair 21 to 25 May in 2025
The largest trade fair in the north, filling hotels and restaurants with business visitors.
- Trade Up North Usually July; check dates
A mining and manufacturing conference at Cresta Marang Gardens that pressures room availability.
- Domboshaba Cultural Festival late September, 28 September in 2024
Kalanga dance, music, craft and traditional food at the Domboshaba Ruins near Kalakamati.
- Botswana Independence Day 30 September
A national holiday with celebrations in the city, close after the Domboshaba Festival in most years.
Best things to do in Francistown
Supa Ngwao Museum
The regional museum for the north, with Kalanga crafts, gold rush photographs and a craft shop supporting local artisans.
Kuminda Farm
A small organic farm offering cultural education, farm walks, cooking lessons and home cooked meals near Francistown.
Nyangabgwe Hill
The historic hill above the city, used for rain petitions and church services, with a paved road to a panoramic summit.
St Patrick's Church
The colonial era church at the heart of the old town walk, part of the mining town layout that followed the 1897 railway.
Supa Ngwao Heritage Walking Tour
A museum guided walk to the Old Jail House, the Hexagonal Building and the Miners Cottage, telling the gold rush story in place.
Kenneth Nkhwa Interchange
The interchange and Blue Jacket Street together form the working city landmark stroll, best taken in the early evening.
Marang Casino
The city casino floor at the Marang Gardens hotel, with the bar and pool terrace making it the closest thing to a night out.
Obed Itani Chilume Stadium
Worth visiting only on an event day, when the marathon or a major fixture makes it the liveliest public space in the north.
Where to stay in Francistown
Marang Road and Tati River south
best all round base with a car
The greenest and quietest sleeping in the city, with garden hotels, the golf resort and the casino a short drive from the centre.
Centre, Blue Jacket Street and the A1
car free and one night stopovers
Walkable to the malls, the bus rank and the museum side of town, louder than Marang Road but the most convenient on foot.
A3 outskirts and Marobela road
self drivers and slow travellers
Grassed campsites, chalets and farm stays serving the overland trade, car dependent but the best value and the quietest sleep.
Think twice about
- Monarch
A historic mining location with a documented past reputation for youth crime, no visitor accommodation worth choosing, and old mine workings around it. Visit the mining story at the museum instead.
- Bus rank and mall back streets
Crowded by day and poorly lit at night, with no reason to sleep there. Base at the named centre hotels with secure gated parking or on Marang Road.
Best restaurants in Francistown
Barbara's Bistro
A small owner run European bistro with game carpaccio, lamb shank and a serious wine list, the city best table by a distance.
Roots of Africa
The city Italian for pizza and burgers, a relaxed mid range dinner that local groups use for work meals and farewells.
Thorn Tree
The city cafe institution at Diggers Inn, for breakfast and lunch under a large tree with good coffee and named cakes.
Chutney Francistown
The higher rated of the city two Indian restaurants on a small review base, serving curries and breads in the mid band.
Tandurei
The established Indian restaurant in the centre, with friendly service, a relaxing setting and vegetarian and vegan options.
Merilicious
A garden cafe with a children play area, healthy and vegan option menus and takeaway pizzas, the light lunch pick in the city.
Golden Hills Spur
The family steakhouse chain format on Blue Jacket Street, a big predictable grill dinner with friendly staff.
Diggers Pub & Grill
Steaks and salads at inn prices in the best walking location in the centre, with the Thorn Tree covering breakfast at the same address.
Outdoor things to do in Francistown
Tachila Nature Reserve
An 8200 hectare community reserve ten minutes from the city, with self drive game viewing, walks, birding and picnic areas.
Domboshaba Ruins
Patterned dry stone walls of a 1440s Kalanga court, the most important historic site in northern Botswana and an easy day trip.
Pomegranite Golf Resort & Spa
A 9 hole golf course with a spa and restaurants on the Tati River, the city splurge for golfers breaking a long drive.
Mashatu Game Reserve
A major safari reserve 300 km from Francistown, famous for large elephant herds, big cats and Limpopo riverine scenery.
Nata Bird Sanctuary
A community run sanctuary on Sua Pan where flamingos and pelicans breed in a good wet season, 180 km north of Francistown.
Best hotels in Francistown
Pomegranite Golf Resort & Spa
Rooms on the golf course with a spa and three restaurants, the closest thing to a leisure resort stay in Francistown.
Cresta Marang Gardens
Garden rooms on the Tati River with a pool, restaurant, cocktail lounge and the casino on site, a one stop evening after driving.
Cresta Thapama Hotel
The city best reviewed hotel, refurbished in 2024, with a pool, poolside bar, grill restaurant and a free airport shuttle.
Peermont Metcourt Francistown
A clean and predictable chain stopover on Blue Jacket Street, sound for a late arrival or an early flight.
Diggers Inn
A mining themed inn with the best walking location in the centre, worth it only at the right rate and in a quiet room.
Woodlands Stop Over and Lodge
Grassed campsites and chalets with a pool and spotless ablutions, the best loved cheap stopover for self drivers.
Is Francistown expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | BWP 700 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | BWP 1,500 a person |
| Splurge | BWP 3,200 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Kuminda Farm: a few days ahead
- Supa Ngwao Heritage Walking Tour: a few days ahead
- Tachila Nature Reserve: a few days ahead
- Pomegranite Golf Resort & Spa: a few days ahead
- Mashatu Game Reserve: weeks ahead
- Pomegranite Golf Resort & Spa: a few days ahead
- Barbara's Bistro: a few days ahead
- Kuminda Farm: a few days ahead
- Book Kuminda Farm meals and any farm stay in advance, because the kitchen cooks for bookings.
- Book the Supa Ngwao heritage walking tour at least 24 hours ahead and arrange Tachila entry in advance.
- Book Barbara's Bistro, and book hotels early around the April marathon and the May Northern Trade Fair.
Is Francistown safe?
- Petty crime is the main risk, so keep valuables out of sight and never leave anything visible in a parked vehicle.
- Avoid walking alone at night or in poorly lit areas and take a hotel booked taxi instead.
- Emergency numbers are police 999, fire 998 and medical 992.
Francistown travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Do not drive straight through and see nothing, and do not book four nights and run out of city by the second morning.
- Mall food courts are chains, not local cuisine, so do not let them stand in for Kalanga food.
- Tachila is a community reserve, not a substitute for Chobe or the Tuli, so refuse any operator pricing it as one.
- Do not explore disused mine areas or shafts around Monarch or Matsiloje.
Getting around Francistown: public transport and more
- You need a car beyond the centre, and most sights outside town are drive only.
- Combis cost about P5 to P10 and a short taxi about P20 to P60, so agree the fare before boarding and carry small notes.
- Never drive outside town at night, because livestock, unlit vehicles and potholes make the A1 and A3 far more dangerous after dark.
Who Francistown suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | OK |
| Couples | OK |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Francistown your trip
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