Cape Town
A very groovy little shop stocking a great range of locally produced souvenirs, including their own brand of design T-shirts and some African music CDs.
Must-see shopping in Africa
Arusha
One of many shops selling tanzanite; this one has set up a little museum about the rare gem, which is mined almost exclusively in the Kilimanjaro area.
Cape Town
Packed with a wide range of local artworks at a range of price points. Look for the humorous colourful pieces by David Kuijers, puppets and ceramics.
Limpopo
This group of 15 women produce traditional- and contemporary-design pottery, including, pots, bowls and beads. It's in Mukondeni, southeast of Elim.
Durban
Durban's hip elite hang out at this delightfully cluttered record shop. There is a coffee shop and expansive veranda where music is always pumping.
Sea Point to Hout Bay
Pick up African craftwork and souvenirs at this lay-by market with sea views. It's on the main coast road, just north of the turning for Llandudno.
Luxor
Next door to the Winter Palace Hotel, as it has been for generations, Gaddis has an extensive selection of books on Egypt, postcards and souvenirs.
Cape Town
This gallery can be credited with kicking Capetonian creativity up the backside. Drop by to witness the unruly forces of young South African art.
Kigali
This collective of women creates and sells high-quality clothing, bags and home accessories. You can visit the workshop, which is just next door.
Tunis
Everything sold in this bijou shop is made in Tunisia. It specialises in quality artisan-designed textiles, including rugs, scarves and towels.
Zanzibar Town
This long-standing gallery has a huge collection of souvenirs, textiles, woodcarvings, antiques, contemporary art, framed photographs and more.
eSwatini (Swaziland)
This colourful, compact craft centre has several shops featuring everything from weaving and tapestries to candles, woodcarvings and T-shirts.
Old Town Antiques and Carvings
Mombasa
Good selection of collectors' items – Central and West African masks and carvings – as well as numerous Kenyan small carvings of animals.
Cape Town
A well-stocked and convenient branch of South Africa's excellent supermarket chain, where you can buy quality food and wine (but not beer).
Mauritius
Travellers looking for model-ship showrooms and workshops should stop by Voiliers de l'Océan. Roughly 200 models are produced per month.
Harare
A handy location for those staying at the nearby backpackers, with supermarkets, banks, mobile phone stores, restaurants, bars and cafes.
Pretoria
Mainly selling artisanal foods and drinks, this is a popular meeting spot on a Saturday morning for grazing and general people-watching.
Sunshine Coast
This shop has a 'museum' upstairs tracing the development of local surf culture, as well as surfboards, bodyboards, wetsuits and so on.
Dar es Salaam
This waterfront shopping centre features upmarket boutiques plus a craft market, eateries, an ice-cream parlour and fine sunset views.
Durban
One of Durban's major shopping centres, with pharmacies, banks, several chain restaurants, a movie theatre and plenty of chain stores.
Zanzibar Town
Amazing multicoloured toys and sculptures created from broken flip-flops (thongs) collected from dumps and (most importantly) beaches.
eSwatini (Swaziland)
Run by a group of women, this sustainable outlet sells modern accessories of cutting-edge design, made in Mbabane from recycled paper.
Sierra Leone
This is the place to find colourful local wax cloths and gara (Sierra Leonean tie-die), as well as get custom outfits made.
Mahé
Gerard Devoud's eye-goggling paintings are sure to enliven your bedroom. His studio is at Valmer Resort, but opening hours can vary.
Réunion
Get glammed up at this trendsetting boutique stocking island-made shirts, T-shirts, dresses and accessories for men, women and kids.
Alexandria
Probably the most interesting antique shop in the city. Well worth a browse with a wide variety of antiques and plenty of good junk.
Lusaka
A good store for all your last-minute safari needs, including GPS units, tents, camping equipment, sleeping bags and khaki clothing.
Lamu Island
Kenyan-made clothing, from T-shirts by 4Shore to colourful shirts by Duka, plus clever gifts made of baobab seed pods by Seedling.
Antananarivo
This small boutique has a wide range of essential oils as well as soaps, shampoos and other related beauty and wellness products.
Kampala
A guy with a great selection of Congolese carvings lays out his wares at this upmarket complex of patisseries and wine shops.
Malawi
A wide selection of fiction, kids' illustrated books, potboilers, biographies, guidebooks, maps and international magazines.
Zanzibar Town
Ready-to-wear and custom-made dresses and skirts from kanga fabric (the colourful wraps worn by women all over East Africa).
Lamu Island
Handmade kikois (woven cloths) made by Leah herself (from KSh600), plus a selection of handbags and beaded sandals.
Lilongwe
Excellent secondhand bookshop with a wide range of novels, guidebooks, children's books and more. It also has a small cafe.
Luxor
The best kunafa (vermicelli-like pastry over a vanilla base soaked in syrup) and other Egyptian pastries in Luxor.
Cairo
Old maps, books about Cairo and Egypt (some secondhand), great vintage postcards and reprints of wonderful old photographs.
Lilongwe
Has a small selection of English-language novels, pictorial travel books and some very nice prints of Malawi for keepsakes.
Réunion
Fill your suitcase with island-made T-shirts, swimsuits, skirts, shorts, dresses and accessories. For men, women and kids.
Cairo
All the beer, wine and spirits you need are available at this handily placed branch of Egypt's favourite drink seller.
Maputo
A good place to buy capulanas (sarongs). It’s opposite the Municipal Market. There are many tailors nearby.
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