Arusha Tanzania Shopping Day Tour Tanzanite Souvenirs

This Arusha Shopping Day Tour for Tanzanite & Souvenirs offers a focused experience exploring Tanzanite gemstones, local crafts, and cultural art. Discover some of the best shopping stores in Arusha, Tanzania.

The itinerary includes specialized gemstone education, visits to vibrant Maasai markets, and high-quality artisan shops, offering a comprehensive look at Tanzanian souvenirs and culture.

Depending on your preferences, our shopping tour of Arusha takes you to select stores to find what you’re looking for. We also include a visit to a Tanzanite store. Tanzanite is the only gemstone found in Tanzania and has become the world’s unique bluish gemstone, said to be 1000 times rarer than diamonds.

Tanzanite is named after Tanzania and is the native stone of Arusha. It was discovered in 1967 at Mererani, about 40 km southeast of Arusha. Tanzanite is now attracting many investors worldwide to invest in Arusha. Certified gemstone dealers in Arusha accept cash and credit cards, but a card is strongly recommended.

You will also visit numerous shops selling a variety of cultural items and souvenirs. Some of the shops include Schwari shops, a popular source of unique clothing, accessories, and home goods for residents and visitors to Tanzania. Schwari shops sell handbags, pouches, swing dresses, beach covers, half-moon dresses, boots, Zanzibar scarves, ballet flats, and bay booties, among others.

Another shop you may visit is the Shanga Shop. Shanga means Beads in Swahili. The company produces a range of beautiful necklaces made from beads, as well as a selection of silk, kanga, chiffon, and voile fabrics in various colors. With more than 45 employees, the company employs a diverse workforce, including people with disabilities.

It creates creative products, including glass-blowing, recycled-bottle glass, paper-making, Maasai beading, repurposing old pots and pans into decorations, glass bead-making, traditional weaving, metalwork, and more.

The Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre is a unique cultural center on the outskirts of Arusha with curio shops, a jewelry boutique, a tanzanite and precious stone counter, a restaurant, a bargain center, and an outstanding commercial art gallery. The center offers a wide selection of ornaments, jewelry, antiques, and local crafts to suit any budget. High-quality clothing, textiles, accessories, books, and spices are also available here.

Our exquisite collection of precious and semi-precious stones – including rubies, emeralds, tsavorite, diamonds, sapphires, and opals – is unrivaled across the continent. The most highly treasured is tanzanite – a rare blue/violet stone found only in Tanzania, for which we have an international reputation. Purchase loose stones, select from our range of handmade jewelry, or work with our jewellers and designers to create your unique piece.

You may also visit other shops and galleries that sell Tanzanite and other cultural items.

Arusha Shopping Day Tour for Tanzanite & Souvenirs Itinerary

0900 Hours – Tanzanite Experience & Museum: Begin in central Arusha to learn about the rare blue-violet gemstone found only in Tanzania. Visit the museum, watch a documentary on mining, and explore the shop for certified Tanzanite with professionals to guide your purchase.

1100 Hours – Maasai Women Fair Trade Centre or Local Markets: Visit this center for high-quality, handmade beadwork, or explore the bustling local markets like the Mt Meru Curios & Crafts Market for wood carvings, fabrics, and handmade jewelry.

1230 Hours – Lunch: Enjoy local Tanzanian dishes at a local restaurant or a cafe in town

1400 Hours – Cultural Heritage Centre & Galleries: Explore this extensive complex featuring a museum, antique shops, and specialized galleries showcasing African art, sculptures, Tanzanite, and jewelry.

1600 Hours – Shanga Shop: Visit this unique workshop that employs locals with disabilities to create high-quality necklaces, clothing, and home goods from recycled materials.

1730 Hours – Return/Drop-off: End the tour with a transfer back to your hotel.

Arusha Tanzania Shopping Day Tour Tanzanite Souvenirs

Arusha, Tanzania Shopping Day Tour: Tanzanite Souvenirs: Discover some of the best shopping stores in Arusha, Tanzania. Depending on what you are looking for, our shopping tour of Arusha takes you to a few stores to find what your heart desires.

We also include a visit to a Tanzanite store. Tanzanite is the only gemstone found in Tanzania and has become the world’s unique bluish gemstone, said to be 1000 times rarer than diamonds. Tanzanite is named after Tanzania and is the native stone of Arusha, discovered in 1967 at Mererani, about 40 km southeast of Arusha town.

Tanzanite now attracts many investors around the world to invest in Arusha. Certified gemstone dealers in Arusha do accept cash and credit card payments, but a card is highly recommended.

Arusha Tanzania Shopping Day Tour | Recomended Shops

Schwari Shop

Schwari is the Swahili word for “calm”. Schwari shops are a popular source of unique clothing, accessories, and home goods for residents and visitors of Tanzania. Schwari shops sell handbags, pouches, swing dresses, beach covers, half-moon dresses, boots, Zanzibar scarves, ballet flats, and bay booties, among others.

Shanga Shops

Shanga means Beads in Swahili. The company produces a range of beautiful beaded necklaces, as well as a selection of silk, kanga, chiffon, and voile fabrics in various colors.

With more than 45 employees with a wide range of disabilities, the company also makes creative products through glassblowing, recycled-bottle glassblowing, paper making, Maasai beading, recycling old pots and pans into decorations, glass bead making, traditional weaving, metalwork, and much more.

Kase Stores Limited

Tanzania’s best bookshop. For a wide variety of books, maps, stationery, computers, and more.

Mt Meru Curios & Crafts Market

There are quite a few markets in Arusha, but this is definitely not to be missed. Often referred to as the Maasai Market, this place offers great local souvenirs, as well as higher-quality items. There are almost 2,000 sellers here, and it really is a one-stop shopping area for gifts, curios, gemstone minerals, and traditional clothing.

You will need to practice your expert haggling skills and be persistent, though, as this market is one of the best in central Arusha.

Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre

A unique cultural center on the outskirts of Arusha with curio shops, a jewelry boutique, a tanzanite and precious stone counter, a restaurant, a bargain center, and an outstanding commercial art gallery.

The centre has a vast array of ornaments, jewelry, antiques, and local crafts to cater to any budget. High-quality clothing, textiles, accessories, books, and spices are also available here. Our exquisite collection of precious and semi-precious stones – including rubies, emeralds, tsavorite, diamonds, sapphires, and opals – is unrivaled across the continent.

The most highly treasured is tanzanite – a rare blue/violet stone found only in Tanzania, for which we have an international reputation. Purchase loose stones, select from our range of handmade jewellery, or work with our jewellers and designers to create your own unique piece.

Maasai Women Fair Trade Centre

A project of the Maasai Women Development Organisation (MWEDO), this small shop funds education and other projects. It is expensive, but high-quality beadwork (and a few other crafts), including some items seldom sold elsewhere, like Christmas ornaments. There’s an on-site coffee shop.

Jamaliyah Gallery and Framing, Arusha, Tanzania

They tailor-make natural wood Mninga, Coconut, Dhow, Coffee, Jacaranda, etc., handmade photo frames, including stretch framing. We also make wood furniture and various types of Art.

Tanzanite Experience Jewellery in Arusha

One of many shops selling tanzanite; this one has set up a little museum about this rare gem, mined almost exclusively in the Kilimanjaro area.