There are plenty of opportunities for shopping during the course of your safari. Some popular souvenir items in Tanzania include wooden animal carvings, postcards, African masks and picture frames, hand woven baskets, dining sets with table-clothes, local paintings, jewelry, safari books, and Maasai arts and crafts (beadwork, shields, spears, jewelry, etc.). Tsavorite and Tanzanite are two popular gemstones in East Africa. Tanzanite, a bluish gemstone, is mined only in Tanzania (next to Kilimanjaro Airport).

Most lodges and camps have gift shops and some accept credit card. There are also a myriad of shops and markets in and around Arusha. Two of the better ones include the Olbonyo Gallery at Messerani (15-minutes west of Arusha) and Cultural Heritage located just east of the Arusha Coffee Lodge. You can negotiate at most shops and roadside stands except the Cultural Heritage and many lodge gift shops, which have fixed prices. Cultural Heritage accepts credit cards and they can reliably ship large items.

Some of the best deals and selections can actually be found at the airports including Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO). There are several shops at JRO that you can peruse while waiting for your flight. Zanzibar also has great shopping opportunities and some good bargains. For unique items like tribal jewelry, small authentic carvings, etc., we recommend to purchase at one of the Maasai Villages you can visit in the Southern Serengeti / Ngorongoro Conservation Area or at the Esalali Women's Project in Karatu (between Lake Manyara and the Crater). Both places help the local economy including the Maasai and you can also help support the Women's Cooperative.


Gifts

School supplies are in great need in Tanzania. You may wish to bring school supplies with you and present to a local school while on your safari. There are schools between the Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Manyara as well as between Tarangire and Arusha. Some items you may wish to consider bringing include pens, crayons, exercise books, composition/spiral books, small back packs, coloring books, colored markers, chalk, chalk board and world maps (inflatable globes are always a big hit). You may also purchase school supplies in the town of Karatu (by Lake Manyara) or in Arusha.

Some individuals like to bring a small gift for their driver-guide. A good option for this would be a t-shirt or hat with a logo of your local sports team of any other item identifying with your hometown. If bringing a t-shirt, an extra large size is usually appropriate.