Gaborone Off The Beaten Path

 
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KOLOBENG NATIONAL MEMORIAL
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DAO 2792 reviews
THE RUINS
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David Livingstone is more widely known for ‘discovering’ Victoria Falls. It is less well known that he was a Missionary who built the first church in Botswana here at Kolobeng. He was lived here with his wife Mary and their children Robert & Agnes from 1847-1852. The two buildings were a Missionary Station and a Church/School. Sadly Agnes died and she is buried nearby. The buildings were reportedly destroyed during a Boer raid whilst the Livingston’s were away travelling in 1852. Only the foundations and some iron work remain. There is a good toilet on the site. The entrance is well marked by a National Monument sign from the road and closer to the site (pictured). You need to close the gate behind your car on the main road and drive about 500 meters. Park your car outside the gate with the chains. They are not locked, just tied around the gate (pictured).

The site is located just off the Mogoditshane-Kanye road near the evergreen village of Kumakwane – 40 kilometres south-west of Gaborone.

Updated Oct 28, 2011

Website: The site is located just off the Mogoditshane-Kanye road near the evergreen village of Kumakwane – 40 kilometres south-west of Gaborone.

Related to:
 Museum Visits
 Religious Travel
 Historical Travel

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The Phuthadikobo Museum
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Kid-A 152 reviews
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This is a small museum located in the village Mochudi and named after the hill on which it is located. It was established in 1976 and has the distinction of the being the first district museum in the country. It is housed in an old school -- the Bakgatla National School (dating from 1921) -- and you get a good history of the school and the area, as well as a craft shop, a traditional blacksmith's yard and a silk screen workshop.

Also at the museum:

-Neck rings worn by Bakgatla women, which pre-date their tribes migration from the Transvaal in 1869-71.

-Metal hut tax discs of the early 1900s.

-The bible presented to Chief Lentswe I on his conversion to Christianity in 1892.

-The church bell dated 1896, which was cast in Hildesheim, Germany.

-The initiation drum, one of Southern Africa's oldest wooden artifacts (from mid 1800s).

-Learn about rain making, as the hills in this area are associated with this.

But the best part for me was the spectacular views you get from atop that hill. It's panoramic: you can see all of Mochudi, the Notwane River and its flood plain.

Mochudi is located 40 kilometers north of Gaborone off the main Francistown Road.

The museum is open 8:00 to 17:00 during the week and 14:00 to 17:00 on the weekend.

Updated Feb 25, 2008

Phone: 377238

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Side trip to Mochudi
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peterlimb 4 reviews

Don't miss Mochudi, a special place. Scramble up to the top of the hill and look down on the beehive houses. A nice museum there too

Updated Oct 28, 2007

Related to:
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 Museum Visits

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 Don't miss Mochudi, a special place. Scramble up to the top of the hill and look down on the beehive houses. A nice museum there too 

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Q:  Hello there fellow travellers, Please tell me how far it is from Windhoek to Gaborone when driving? If anyone knows the actual... 

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A: Hi This website has a detailed map with distances http://www.travelmath.com/driving-distance/from/Windhoek,+Namibia/to/Gaborone,+Botswana 

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