Curios

Botswana's best bargains are handicrafts, and you'll find a variety. Look especially for hand-woven baskets made from the fronds of the real fan palm, Hyphaene petersiana, and the many different handicrafts of the San, like jewellery made from ostrich eggshells.

There's usually a divide between the simpler outlets, perhaps direct from the producers, and the more stylish, well-located shops which often have the best pieces, but invariably charge the highest prices.

If you're starting or ending your trip in Livingstone, then don't miss the curio stalls near the border post to Victoria Falls. This is one of the region's best places for carvings (though expect to bargain hard here). Other places to include would be the Babomoso Basketry Co-op in Shorobe, for excellent baskets direct from the makers, and the smaller shop in Gumare. Ghanzi has a superb shop, Ghanzi Craft, for bushman crafts – although it was closed for some time, it is highly likely that it will reopen.

There are plenty of shops at the more stylish end of the spectrum, especially in Maun, and many lodges have small shops selling curios. (Ask them if the staff or a local village makes these – and if they do, then buy some to support the initiative!)

Supplies

In the main towns, notably Maun, Kasane and Francistown, there are large supermarkets with extensive ranges of high-quality, mostly imported foods. Of these, the Shoprite store in Maun (part of a large southern African chain) is probably the best example in the area. Here you'll find most everyday foodstuffs that you'd want, and a lot more besides. If they have weaknesses compared to the supermarket back home, it's probably in the fresh food and vegetable section, where the logistics of transport can often make for a smaller selection than you might expect.

It's usually best to stock up with food at these main centres, as away from them the range will become sparser. Expect villages to have just a bottle stall, selling the most popular cool drinks (often this excludes 'diet' drinks), and a small shop selling bread, staples like rice, and perhaps a few tinned and packet foods. Don't expect anything refrigerated.