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Botswana Shopping


Shopping in Botswana's safari towns of Maun and Kasane, there are numerous curio outlets and commercial centres. These are generally good sources of local Botswana products and quality carvings, African paintings, ostrich eggshell jewellery, metalwork, leatherwork, ornamental Bushman bow and arrow sets, miniature mekoros (dugout canoes), trinkets made from vegetable ivory (palm tree kernel) and diamonds are easily available.

Around Maun it is possible to find roadside crafters selling traditional basket ware, trinkets and carvings. Baskets are exported worldwide, with outlets long the road between Maun and Moremi Game Reserve.

Download the American Express Foreign Exchange outlets in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana PDF
 

Journeys2 Africa Shopping Tip: Keep cash handy when shopping at informal markets. Local Botswana Pula, South African Rands and US Dollars are generally accepted.
 

Foreign exchange outlets are based in the large cities. American Express outlets in Botswana

Safari hotels and lodges are usually well stocked with more commercially produced items including hats, caps, T-shirts and high value ethnic jewellery.  Credit cards and cash are widely accepted at Botswana safari lodges and hotels.
 

Botswana Gift Ideas
Botswana is very well known for the quality of basket ware. This art form is practiced predominantly in the Okavango region from the small villages of Etsha and Gumare. Fronds from the Fan palm tree are stripped and woven into elaborate designs and patterns, using natural dyes sources from roots of various trees. Some baskets are so well woven that they can hold water. Baskets are freely available around major centres or lodges.
 

Pottery production and mat and tapestry weaving is mostly done in the south around Gaborone.
 

Bone carving and leatherwork are relatively recent art forms and quality of workmanship very good.
 

Woodcarving however is not as common as in other African countries although the ethnic groups of the Okavango still practice the art of dugout canoe (mokoro) carving which has been a source of livelihood for about 30 000 years.
 

Journeys2 Africa Shopping Tip: While shopping for Botswana souvenirs, please note that it is not permitted to remove any raw animal or plant products from the game reserves or National Parks. Permits are required for animal skins, meat, plant seeds, tree pods and any other animal related products.
 

Vehicles are checked at border crossings.