©
flickr cc Nicolas S
Tanzania Travel Guide
©
flickr cc Nicolas S
You can bring back a range of souvenirs and jewelry, but leave out anything derived from animals.
During your tour of Tanzania, you'll be able to pick and choose from a number of great souvenir/gift ideas: batiks, ebony sculptures, pearl jewelry...Whether you're in a market or a store, I highly recommend you barter to get a good price! Prices in lodges, however, are fixed; don't bother to haggle!
Precious and semi-precious stones are often items that travelers bring home from a trip to Tanzania. These include malachite, tanzanite and tsavorite, a dark green garnet. You should think about picking up Tanzanian musical instruments - traditional pipes are a cool gift. Tanzanians also produce beautiful, hand made children's toys. If you're a fan of solitaire, you could treat yourself to a set comprising of various stones! And, if you haven't by then found out, Tanzanian coffee is divine! Grown on the volcanic soils to the north, it'll tickle your taste buds.
Ask around for the good places to shop, barter well and beware of certain areas where you could end up paying the 'mzungu' (or European man's) price! Also, don't forget there are regulations - ostrich eggs, zebra skins, hunting trophies and tortoise shells should not be bought in the country. And it goes without saying that the buying/selling of ivory is strictly forbidden in Tanzania, alongside anything that is derived from animals (tusks, skins etc.)
