Markets and Crafts in Botswana
Botswana’s basketry is among the finest in southern Africa, woven by Wayeyi and Mbukushu women in the northwest and tight enough that some baskets were historically used to hold beer. San art from the D’Kar cooperative is the other thing genuinely worth buying. Where you buy matters as much as what, since cooperatives and community trusts return the money to the makers while roadside resellers frequently do not.
Botswana Baskets
The country’s outstanding craft and the one worth planning a purchase around.
Baskets are woven from the leaves of the real fan palm, dyed with natural materials including bark, roots and berries, and coiled so tightly that the finest examples are watertight. Some were historically used to hold beer and grain rather than as decoration.
The tradition is centred on the northwest, particularly the villages of the Okavango Panhandle and the Etsha settlements, where HaMbukushu communities settled after arriving from Angola.
Patterns carry names and meanings, with designs known by descriptions such as the running ostrich, the knees of the tortoise, the forehead of the zebra and the flight of the swallow.
A large basket represents weeks of work, from harvesting and stripping palm to gathering dye plants, and prices reflect that when bought properly.
Quality varies enormously. Look at the tightness of the coil, the evenness of the stitch and whether the dye is natural or applied. Hold a basket up to the light: the finest work shows no gaps at all, and a coil you can see daylight through was made faster and should cost less.
The finest Botswana baskets are coiled tightly enough to hold liquid. That is the test the tradition was built around, and it is a useful thing to know when comparing two that look similar on a shelf.
Where to Buy Baskets
Buying well means going closer to the source than the airport shop.
The Etsha villages in the Panhandle are the heart of the tradition, and buying there means dealing with weavers directly.
The Shorobe basket cooperative north of Maun is the most accessible good option for most visitors, being an easy drive from town, and some operators run weaving classes alongside.
Botswana Craft in Gaborone stocks genuine handmade work and is the reliable option in the capital, with a restaurant attached serving traditional food.
Maun and Kasane have craft stalls of variable quality, with the better ones selling on behalf of weavers rather than buying wholesale.
Avoid buying baskets at airports and hotel gift shops where you can, since the margin taken is substantial and the provenance is unclear.
San Art
The other genuinely distinctive thing to buy in Botswana.
The Kuru Art Project at D’Kar near Ghanzi is a cooperative of San artists producing contemporary work in print, paint and textile, drawing on San imagery and experience rather than reproducing rock art.
It is run through the community’s own organisation, which means the artists own the body selling their work, and it is among the finest places in southern Africa to buy San art directly.
Work is authenticated and the artists are named, which matters both for provenance and for the artists themselves.
Ostrich eggshell jewellery is the other San craft widely sold, and buying it through community operations rather than roadside resellers is the same principle.
Beyond baskets and San art, Botswana produces pottery, particularly around Gabane near Gaborone, alongside woodcarving, leatherwork, beadwork and woven textiles. Bogolan-style printed cloth and locally made jewellery turn up at craft centres in the capital. None of it carries quite the reputation the baskets do, and the same rule applies: buy where the maker is named.
Be aware that ostrich eggshell and any wildlife-derived material may face import restrictions in your own country, so check before buying.
Markets and Everyday Shopping
The markets are for daily life rather than souvenirs, which is exactly why they are worth visiting.
Main Mall in Gaborone is the pedestrian heart of the older city, with craft stalls, fresh produce, traditional textiles and street food, and it is the best place in the capital simply to watch daily life.
The Ghanzi Saturday market is the town’s busiest weekly event, selling fresh produce, charcoal, meat, everyday goods and handcrafts.
President’s Avenue in Kasane holds market stalls alongside the practical shops.
Roadside craft stalls operate between Kasane and Kazungula and on other tourist routes, and quality is mixed. The African Easel gallery in Kasane is the better option in that corner, and craft stalls in Maun sit alongside the cafés on the main road.
Supermarkets in Maun, Kasane, Francistown and Gaborone are the practical stops for a self-drive trip, and there are no shops of any kind inside the national parks, so anything you need for a week in Moremi or the Kalahari has to be bought before you go through the gate.
Buy directly. Etsha villages in the Panhandle, the Shorobe cooperative near Maun and the Kuru Art Project at D’Kar. Money reaches makers, provenance is clear and prices are set by the people who made the work.
Reliable retail. Botswana Craft in Gaborone stocks genuine handmade work with a traditional restaurant attached, and museum shops at Serowe, Francistown, Mochudi and Maun are dependable.
Treat with caution. Airport and hotel gift shops, where margins are high and provenance unclear, and roadside stalls, where quality is mixed and the seller is frequently not the maker.
What Not to Buy
A short list that matters.
Nothing derived from wildlife. That covers ivory, skins, claws, teeth, shells and anything you are told came from an animal that died naturally, which is a claim that cannot be verified and is frequently false.
Ostrich eggshell and certain seeds may be restricted on import into your own country, so check the rules before buying rather than at the airport.
Botswana pink, a semi-precious stone found around Bobonong, appears on Botswana’s list of stones prohibited from import, so buying rough stone locally and carrying it out needs care.
Mass-produced items imported from elsewhere and sold as local craft are common on tourist routes. Genuine work will have a maker who can be named.
If you are uncertain, buy from a cooperative or a community trust, where the question does not arise.
Buying Well
A few habits make the difference.
Ask how something was made and who made it. Most makers and cooperative staff are pleased to explain, and the answer tells you whether you are dealing with the person who made it.
Do not bargain hard. Bargaining is not really the custom in Botswana the way it is in some countries, prices at cooperatives are usually fixed and set by the makers themselves, and haggling over a basket that took weeks to weave reads badly.
Carry cash in Pula. Cooperatives and village sellers rarely take cards.
Think about the charter luggage limit. Roughly 20kg per person in a soft bag makes a large basket a genuine problem, and buying at the end of a trip rather than the start is sensible.
Baskets can be packed inside each other and squashed a certain amount, which helps, and larger pieces can sometimes be shipped. Luggage storage is available in Maun at charter operators and hotels, frequently free if your trip begins and ends there, which solves the problem of buying early and flying onward.
Buy at the end of the trip rather than the start. A large basket is awkward inside a 20kg soft bag limit for a week of charter flights, and Maun and Gaborone both have good options on the way out.
Frequently Asked Questions About Markets and Crafts in Botswana
What is Botswana best known for making?
Baskets, woven from real fan palm leaves and dyed with bark, roots and berries, coiled tightly enough that the finest are watertight and were historically used to hold beer and grain. The tradition is centred on the northwest, particularly the Etsha settlements of the Okavango Panhandle, where HaMbukushu communities settled after arriving from Angola. Patterns carry names such as the running ostrich and the knees of the tortoise.
Where should I buy baskets in Botswana?
As close to the source as you can. The Etsha villages in the Panhandle are the heart of the tradition. The Shorobe cooperative north of Maun is the most accessible good option for most visitors and some operators run weaving classes there. Botswana Craft in Gaborone stocks genuine handmade work with a traditional restaurant attached. Avoid airport and hotel gift shops, where margins are high and provenance unclear.
Where can I buy San art?
The Kuru Art Project at D’Kar near Ghanzi, a cooperative of San artists producing contemporary work in print, paint and textile. It is run through the community’s own organisation, so the artists own the body selling their work, and it is among the finest places in southern Africa to buy San art directly. Work is authenticated and artists are named, which matters for provenance and for the artists.
Should I bargain in Botswana?
Not hard. Bargaining is not really the custom in Botswana the way it is in some countries, and prices at cooperatives are usually fixed and set by the makers themselves, which is rather the point of a cooperative. Haggling aggressively over a basket that represents weeks of work reads badly. Carry cash in Pula, since cooperatives and village sellers rarely take cards.
What should I avoid buying?
Anything derived from wildlife, including ivory, skins, claws, teeth and shells, and disregard any claim that an animal died naturally, since it cannot be verified. Ostrich eggshell and certain seeds may face import restrictions in your own country, so check before buying. Botswana pink, the semi-precious stone found around Bobonong, appears on the country’s list of stones prohibited from import. Mass-produced imports sold as local craft are common on tourist routes.
How do I get a large basket home?
Plan for it. Charter flights within Botswana cap luggage at roughly 20kg per person in a soft bag including everything you carry, which makes a large basket a genuine problem mid-trip. Buy at the end rather than the start, since Maun and Gaborone both have good options on the way out. Baskets can be packed inside each other and squashed a certain amount, and larger pieces can sometimes be shipped.
Booking Your Botswana Trip
The safari companies and tour operators listed on this website put trips like this together for a living and know which camps, guides and routes actually deliver. We are an independent guide to Botswana; we do not book or sell tours ourselves.
When you are ready, arrange your safari, tour or holiday with one of the recognised operators listed here. Tell them your dates and what matters most, and a real person, not a form, will handle the itinerary, park bookings and logistics for you.