Windhoek
Penduka, which means ‘wake up’, operates a nonprofit women’s needlework project at Goreangab Dam, 8km northwest of the city centre. You can purchase…
Must-see shopping in Botswana & Namibia
Windhoek
This place is an outlet for heaps of wonderful Namibian inspiration – leatherwork, basketry, pottery, jewellery, needlework, hand-painted textiles and…
Botswana
The village of Oodi is best known for the acclaimed Lentswe-la-Oodi Weavers, a cooperative established in 1973 to provide an economic base for women from…
Gaborone
These stunning quilts are made by Batswana women, overseen by the engaging Jenny Healy, and are a unique craft to take home. Each one bears an individual…
Botswana
This cooperative was established in 1983 as a craft outlet and training centre for the San. It’s an excellent place to shop for traditional San crafts,…
Swakopmund
This worthy project supports local artisans and unemployed people by providing a shopfront for their work. The quality is high and the overall message,…
Gaborone
Botswana’s largest and best craft emporium sells traditional souvenirs, including pottery from Gabane and Thamaga, San jewellery and baskets from across…
Botswana
Pelegano Village, established in 1982, is a wonderful artisan complex that offers local crafts such as hand-fired ceramics and wine bottles recycled into…
Windhoek
This hive of tourist shopping euphoria contains a heap of small and large shops with a range of African arts and crafts on offer. A couple of our…
Swakopmund
This place is an Ali Baba’s cave of treasures, specialising in colonial relics, historic literature, West African art, politically incorrect German…
Maun
Next to the Bushman Craft Shop on the road near the airport terminal, this upmarket shop has an impressive range of books about Botswana and high-quality…
Gaborone
Easily Gaborone’s best bookshop, this large outpost of a respected South African chain has literature, nonfiction and travel books, with excellent…
Swakopmund
Swakopmund's best bookshop, with German- and English-language books. It's great for guides and maps, and esoteric works on art and local history are also…
Windhoek
The throbbing heart of the Windhoek shopping district is the bizarrely colourful Post St Mall, an elevated pedestrian walkway lined with vendors selling…
Namibia
Opuwo’s brightly painted self-help curio shop sells local arts and crafts on consignment. You’ll find all sorts of Himba adornments smeared with ochre:…
Ncumcara Community Forestry Craft Centre
Namibia
Very reasonably priced woodcarvings from a sustainable source are on offer at Ncumcara Community Forestry Craft Centre, a neighbourhood craft shop. The…
Damaraland
This arts-and-crafts outlet has some really good crafts, including some from local artists, alongside imported antiques from both Angola and the DRC. It’s…
Botswana
Thamaga is home to the Botswelelo Centre, which is also known as Thamaga Pottery. This nonprofit community project was started by missionaries in the…
Namibia
This craft centre markets Caprivian woodwork, San arts, Owambo basketry (also some great basketry from the San), European-Namibian leatherwork, karakul…
Okavango Delta
This cooperative draws together around 70 local women who produce Ngamiland-style baskets with beautiful and elaborate patterns. It’s right next to the…
Swakopmund
Handicrafts and homewares from across Africa make this shop a modern-day Aladdin's Cave of pottery, fabrics, jewellery, baskets, masks and statues and…
Kasane
This NGO-backed store sells locally woven baskets made by the women of the region. The women are often present, and are happy to demonstrate their weaving…
Windhoek
This is the place to head for supplies before you head off into the Namibian wilds – it’s good for air compressors, a vital accessory. It is also a…
Namibia
Run by the Caprivi Art & Cultural Association, the centre is a good place to look for local curios and crafts, including elephant and hippo woodcarvings,…
Maun
Although it caters more to travellers who need a last-minute souvenir before catching a flight out of town, this small shop near the airport has a decent…
Namibia
Take a stroll around this large market, which is one of Namibia's most sophisticated informal sales outlets. From July to September, don't miss the fresh…
Swakopmund
Baraka has a quirky portfolio that ranges from pith helmets and a handful of antique African maps to Tintin in the Congo clocks and modern versions of…
Gaborone
A small gallery of modern and contemporary local work that should be a first stop for anyone interested in buying art that goes beyond the usual African…
Swakopmund
This local carpet factory produces original and beautiful African rugs, carpets and wall hangings in karakul wool and offers tours of the spinning, dyeing…
Gaborone
Perhaps the best of Gaborone's Western-style malls, with a good range of restaurants and shops, including Exclusive Books.
Kasane
An upmarket gallery exhibiting purchasable work by artists from Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, as well as woodcarvings from around the continent.
Windhoek
A reputable shop in Windhoek for buying both raw and polished minerals and gemstones.
Gaborone
You wouldn’t cross town for it, and like the Mall it inhabits it has a neglected air, but this bookshop is worth dropping into for its excellent range of…
Swakopmund
Swakopmund's artisans and souvenir sellers have gathered together here all in the one place. It's worth a wander, although the quality varies, and there…
Kasane
A simple shop selling African curios at fixed (though reasonable) prices, as well as fishing gear and a small selection of wildlife books.
Windhoek
Cape Union Mart, an outpost of the South African chain, has camping, hiking, cycling and vehicle-outfitting gear.
Gaborone
One of numerous Western-style shopping malls scattered around the suburbs of Gabs.
