What should I buy in Tanzania?

If you are looking for souvenirs from Tanzania you should read this.

Are you planning a vacation to Tanzania and wondering what to buy? Tanzania is an East African country whose major tourist attraction and source of wealth are safaris.  However, it is also notable for its brilliant and vivid items manufactured by the area's tribes. There are also one-of-a-kind products available there, such as tanzanite. 

Here are some of the best things to buy in Tanzania:

Shuka

If you want genuinely unique Tanzanian souvenirs, you could acquire yourself a shuka, which is a form of wide shawl with different colored squares worn by the Maasai people.  The shuka has a fascinating history that dates back to Victorian times.  When the first English missionaries and explorers arrived in the land, they utilized these Scottish cloths as hard money with the Maasai tribe.  Nowadays, it is largely made in China, but the colors and combinations remain distinctive and distinctive of the original Shukas.  This traditional shawl and Maasai emblem has crossed boundaries to become a trendy item that may be worn in a variety of ways.

Wood and leather

The Maasai are also expert leather and woodworkers.  They work with many sorts of wood, with ebony being the most valuable.  Masks, figurines, ornate carvings, and leather products like as baskets, sandals, wallets, and so on can be found.  If you're not sure what to buy in Tanzania, this is a decent alternative.

Tanzanite

Tanzanite is another characteristic of Tanzanian commodities.  It is a valuable precious stone discovered in the Mererani highlands in northern Tanzania, close to Mount Kilimanjaro. Tanzanite reserves are limited, making it an even more distinctive mineral.  Depending on the orientation, it is a tri-color crystal with purple, burgundy, and sapphire blue tones.  It is utilized as a gemstone in jewelry, and it was the popular firm Tiffany & Co. that gave this lovely stone the name of the nation from whence it was mined.

Kikoys

If you're stuck on what to buy in Tanzania, kikoys are an intriguing alternative. They are gorgeous cotton textiles that are utilized as sarongs in East Africa's hottest regions. Both men and women wear them as a skirt or pants wrapped around the waist.  They come in a variety of colors and are coloured with natural dyes.  The kikoy has ancient beginnings as well, dating back to the trading links that Arabian traders had on the Eastern coast of Africa in the past century.

Related Articles

View more