Shopping
Food and drink
Maun's original supermarket, 'Maun Fresh Produce' was taken over around 1997 by the giant South African supermarket chain of Shoprite (Tsheko Tsheko Road, Maun; tel: 6860497 or 6860015; fax: 6860342). In the same location, just west of Riley's, but much expanded, Shoprite is by far the town's largest supermarket now, and your first stop to buy food for an expedition. (Open 08.00–19.00 during the week, 08.00–17.00 on Saturday and 08.00–13.00 on Sunday, but closes for public holidays.)
More recently, two good new Spar shops have opened. The Delta Spar has opened opposite Shoprite (behind Nandos, opposite the taxi rank) and the other nearer the airport (in what's known as the 'New Mall', with Steers, the new Woolworths and a First National Bank).
With a combination of these (and often by just visiting one of the three!), you can buy most things here that you'll find in a supermarket in Europe or North America. However, often the brand names are different and the choice (especially of fresh fruit and vegetables) won't be as varied.
Local markets
The main local market is on Tsaro Street, virtually opposite Shoprite. Here you'll find lots of small stalls and local sellers; it's certainly worth checking out for the odd pile of fruit and vegetables. Also expect more offbeat foods, like mopane worms in season, and an assorted range of bootleg tapes and second-hand items.
Souvenirs and curios
There's no shortage of places that sell curios in Maun, and virtually every camp in Botswana has a small curio shop. However, there are still only a few really good places in Maun, including:
The General Trading Company PO Box 39, Maun; tel: 6860025. This shop has been established for years, next to Delta Sports, almost beside Riley's Garage. It has a comprehensive range of books on the region, endless T-shirts and souvenir and safari clothing, torches, knives and all sorts of useful stuff. Plus a good range of various carvings and crafts, some locally produced, others sourced from far away in Africa. Don't expect the prices here to be cheap, but do expect to find some high-quality souvenirs and probably what you want.
Bushman Curio Shop Tel: 6860220. Inside the gates of the airport, immediately opposite the steps to the main terminal building, this convenient little shop sells books, postcards, crafts and curios. Barely two-minutes' walk from the check-in desks, it's perfectly situated to dash out to whilst you're waiting for a plane! (Note this has close commercial links with the General Trading Company, above.)
The Craft Centre Mophane Road. PO Box 39, Maun; tel: 6863391. In the Power Station complex, on Mophane Road just off Mathiba I Road, this small shop sells local crafts including pottery, textiles, paper products and paintings. There's a workshop here with a kiln in which pottery is fired most days, having been glazed and made on the premises. Paper is also hand-made here, from a mixture of recycled paper and elephant dung (yes, really), and it's a place for various workshops and small exhibitions.
African Art & Images PO Box 236, Maun; tel: 6863584; fax: 6863594; email: african.art.images@botsnet.bw. Immediately across the road from the airport, beside the Bushman Curio Shop, this is owned by the well-known wildlife film-makers, Tim and June Liversage. In atmosphere it's reminiscent of a private art gallery, and it sells high-quality African art, carvings and photographs/prints – with correspondingly high price tags.
Garages and motor spares
If you're passing through and heading off into the bush then Maun is your best place to make sure your 4WD is in tip-top condition with plenty of spares. Some places that may be able to help include:
Ngami Toyota Tsheko–Tsheko Rd, PO Box 101, Maun; tel: 6860252; fax: 6860525. At the junction of Tsheko-Tsheko Road and Mathiba I Road, this is Maun's main Toyota dealer which has a bodyshop, spares and does repairs. They will repair all makes, not just Toyotas.
Motovac Plot 1196, New Mall, P Bag 202, Maun; tel: 6860872; fax: 6860008. This isn't a garage, but does sell spares and accessories.
Riley's Garage (Shell) P Bag 19, Maun; tel: 6860203; fax: 6860556; email: rg@info.bw. In the centre of town, next to the famous old hotel, this has 24-hour petrol, plus a workshop. It carries various spares including tyres and batteries.
Trans-world Motors Industrial Sites Box 20092, Maun; tel: 6862137; fax: 6860656. Offers mechanical repairs, panel beating and spray painting.
Tyre Services PO Box 130, Maun; tel: 6860860; fax: 6862108. Specialist supplier of tyres.
Tyre Vision PO Box 149, Maun; tel: 6860107. Specialist supplier of new tyres, tubes and rims – but mainly wholesale.
Vehicle hire
Avis PO Box 130, Maun; tel: 6860039 or 6860258; fax: 6861596
Holiday Safari 4x4 Hire P Bag 35, Maun; tel/fax: 6862429
Equipment hire
Most visitors either bring their own camping equipment, or arrive for trips which include it. If you don't, then some of the tour operators who run budget trips have their own schemes for you to hire their kit for the duration of the trip. However, if you need to buy some, or you need some of your own kit repaired, then the first place to try is:
Kalahari Kanvas Co PO Box 689, Maun; tel: 6860568; fax: 6860035; email: kal.kanvas@info.bw
On Mathiba I Road, next to Avis, Kalahari Kanvas started as a tiny tent repair company in 1986, and now employs about 45 people as a major manufacturer of tents and equipment for the safari industry. They also hire out an amazing range of such kit and offer a tent repair service.
For the forgetful traveller, or one that doesn't have the kit at home, you can hire just about anything that you need here, from a knife, fork and spoon set for P0.50 per day, to a 5.9m x 10.2m marquee/mess tent for P165 per day. A two-person canvas 2.4m x 2.4m bow tent costs about P37 per day; an intriguing two-person tree-hanging tent (which 'needs no poles but a tree is very necessary') costs P25 per day; and a double-canvas bedroll with 75mm-thick mattress, a blanket, two pillows and two sheets costs P30 per day. Deposits are required, proportional to the items hired, and credit cards are accepted. Best to book stuff in advance if you want it, and note that it must be returned here to the office in Maun.