lmavolio

Hi All - What are Kenya & Tanzania (including Zanzibar) known for as far as 'souvenirs'? Also, where is the best place to pick up these types of things? On safar, I wouldn't imagine you would run across many "gift shops" and I usually prefer authentic gifts from the locations I visit anyway.

Any recommendations and advice would be appreciated. Thanks!!

P.S. If it helps, we are traveling to Samburu, Masai Mara, Arusha, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater, Lake Eyasi, Lake Manyara, Serengeti & Zanzibar...Thanks!!

ShayTay

If you have any time in Nairobi, there are lots of upscale places there: Kazuri Bead Factory, Amani ya Juu, Utamaduni, etc. You'll probably be surprised how many souvenir shops you'll see out in the countryside, though. Also, most of the camps and lodges have a small gift shop. In both Kenya and Tanzania, you'll probably visit a village or two (Maasai in both and Samburu in Kenya) and they always have beaded items for sale. Even the Hadzabe near Lake Eyasi had beaded items, as well as decorated bows and arrows for sale. The Cultural Heritage Centre on the edge of Arusha has almost any kind of souvenir you'd want, including Tanzanite jewelry. You'll see a lot of wood carvings, woven baskets, and soapstone items. In Zanzibar, you can purchase spices.

I stuff bubblewrap in my luggage, along with some packing tape wrapped around a pencil. Then, I wrap my breakable souvenirs for the return trip home.

Enjoy your safari!

Leely

Spices in Zanzibar. I ended up using all the vailla bean I bought myself. Never gave any to my friends who cook. Every time I used it, I thought of some of the characters we met on the island (and there were quite a few, believe me).