Several rare and unique objects can only be discovered in Tanzania, making this East African country a popular destination for tourists. And with the uniqueness comes some of the best spots for shopping in Tanzania.
In locations like Zanzibar, Arusha, and Dar es Salaam, you will find local markets and curio shops selling African-made goods. Festivals of culture and art are organized annually to bring attention to and to show off African artefacts to the rest of the world.
High-energy cities like Dar es Salaam come with high-end shopping centers as well as their traditional markets. Shopping in Tanzania is a great opportunity to learn about the people and culture of the continent of Africa.
Here are the best places to go shopping in Tanzania.
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Curio Shops/Maasai Market
Maasai Market, Curio Shops and crafts. Photo/Trip Advisor
The Maasai community’s handicrafts, such as jewellery, baskets, paintings, and red-checked blankets, are a great place to start your shopping in Tanzania. You can purchase the famous Maasai sarongs, known as kangas and kikois here.
The vivid and vibrant designs of the Maasai culture’s fabric lend a distinctive look to a purse, sofa cover, or any other clothing item. The Maasai Market Curio and Crafts in Arusha, Tanzania, is a great site to buy Maasai souvenirs.
Kizimbani and Kindaichi Spice Plantations
A common nickname for Zanzibar is “The Spice Island.” Everywhere you look in Stone Town you’ll see plantations of cinnamon, cloves and ginger.
Kizimbani and Kindaichi plantations are popular locations for guided tours outside of Stone Town. It is one of the best places for spice shopping in Tanzania.
Spices abound throughout Stone Town’s souks, filling the air with their heady scents and tantalizing aromas. Spices such as cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, pepper and lemongrass items to buy here.
The journey concludes with a visit to a Persian bathhouse or an evening on one of the region’s beaches.
Arusha
Arusha. Photo/Evaneos
At the foothill of Mount Kilimanjaro is Arusha which adopt scenic beauty and relatively cool temperatures from the mountain. Here, Tanzanite – a violet-blue coloured gemstone tops shopping in Tanzania list.
Tanzanite mining is done at the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Tinga Tinga Arts
Edward Tingatinga created the tinga tinga paintings in 1968 as a new style of art. These colorful paintings portray Serengeti’s wildlife, making them ideal Tanzania souvenirs for children. The Tingatinga Arts Cooperative Society established by Edward Tingatinga’s family is a great place for shopping in Tanzania.
The society’s aim is to provide work for the talented artists who create it. The Society’s facility also accommodates galleries and workshops.
Memories of Zanzibar
Memories of Zanzibar are a treasure trove of memorabilia. All of Tanzania’s best shopping is found here. This emporium offers a wide selection of books, accessories, apparel, furniture, and handicrafts, all at cheap prices.
Even CDs of African music are available for purchase in the store. All of Stone Town’s major hotels are accessible on foot from here.
The staff at this two-story showroom is friendly and upbeat, and the showroom itself is vivid and colorful. Here, you may get locally roasted coffee and tea, as well as spices and other delicacies.
This tiny island in Zanzibar offers a window into the entire continent of East Africa.
Fahari Zanzibar
You can buy designer leather bags, jewellery, and other items at the retail store, Fahari Zanzibar. They are made and sold on the premises.
Products here are all handcrafted from local resources including wood, cow horn, oyster shells, sterling silver and so on.
Seasonal variations in the designs of a local African print fabric known as Kitenge are available here. Kitenge is nearly ceremonial among East Africans, therefore, any place it is sold makes shopping in Tanzania fantastic.
Many fashion shows, including as Swahili Fashion Week and South African Fashion Week, have featured Fahari Zanzibar’s fabrics and accessories.
It is a non-profit organization helping help craftsmen in certain communities. Julie Lawrence, a London-based fashion designer, founded Fahari meaning “to be proud” in Swahili.
Msasani City Mall
Msasani City mall. Photo/My Guide Tanzania
Msasani City Mall in Tanzania boasts of having the best clothes stores matching international quality standards.
Msasani City Mall is Dar es Salaam’s primary shopping destination for designer clothing and accessories for men, women, and children.
On the top floor of the mall, there is a terrace lounge where one may relax with a drink and take in the view. Doesn’t this do a lot of justice to shopping in Tanzania?
As you can see, Tanzania is awash with amazing places to spend time shopping.
