Photo Credit: Gregory Smith

Gaborone is the shopping hub for Botswana and is home to a good selection of Western-style malls, as well as craft shops specializing in African carvings, artworks, textiles, ethnic clothing, pottery, basket weaving, Bushman crafts, musical instruments and other traditional goods. Botswanacraft is the largest retailer of souvenirs and handicrafts, and is found in Selemera district’s Mall market area, at the airport and at its own warehouse on Lobatse Road. Another option is the Craft Workshop, a smaller emporium set at 5648, Nakedi Road, Broadhurst, Gaborone, which holds a monthly flea market.

Gaborone’s shopping malls are located in various areas around the city and give a good day out including, bars, fast food eateries and bistros, cinemas and banks. Riverwalk Mall on Tiokweng Road is considered to be the best for random treasures. Other options include African Mall just off Kaunda Road, Broadhurst Mall on Sekoditshane Road and South Ring Mall on the city’s South Ring Road. All the craft shops and malls have fixed prices and bargaining is not acceptable except in the street markets.

For those who’d love to see their souvenirs being made, trips out to Oodi for its textiles and Thamaga and Gabane for the distinctive Botswana pottery are the way to go. Maun’s Craft Center has exhibitions of work by local artisans and artists and the Bushman Craft Shop is good to pickup wood carvings and unusual artifacts. Maun also holds a regular craft market with an excellent selection of traditional souvenirs. Francistown is Botswana’s second largest conurbation, well-stocked with malls and shops and is a favorite shopping destination for Zimbabweans from over the border.

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