Travel is a great way to loosen up and get rid of accumulated stress. In many cases, our vacations are over sooner than we expect and souvenirs are the best ways to continue those little getaways even as we are miles away from the destination. Somehow certain trips are rather incomplete without that last walk to the local markets to hunt for amazing mementos that serve as a reminder of your stay. Be it a painted shell from Seychelles or a traditional mask from Cote d’Ivoire, though inconclusive Jovago.com brings you some nifty travel souvenirs from across Africa.
Nigeria ’s local markets and craft villages appeal to many tourists seeking great mementos like African masks, beaded jewelries, leather goods, and batik fabrics. If you’re visiting the capital city, the Garki and Wuse markets would provide a range of locally crafted items for you to choose from.
Kenya ’s Maasai blankets called the ‘Shuka’ tops the lists of must-buy items while in Kenya. It comes several colours and could be used in various ways… Picnic blanket, makeshift curtain, as long as you can think it, it’s possible! The Mango wood and soap stone carvings are also great souvenirs of Kenya!
Morocco’s colorful and patterned rugs and mats are eye-catching, easily found in medinas across the state, these rugs and mats would add not just a great pop of colour to your decor but also remind you of your stay at Morocco. The Moroccan argan oil also known as liquid gold is another must-buy for beauty and health purposes.
Ghana ’s traditional fabrics both the Kente and Adinkra are great mementos. These are not just your everyday fashion statements but also signify the cultures of the people. In 1957, Kente was declared a national cloth upon the Ghanaian independence. Hence, these highly symbolic patterns would hold great significance even after you’re miles away.
Tanzania’s wide range of arts and crafts are widely available in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. Beads here are used for various purposes from bodily adornment and jewelries to embroidery, the carved jewel boxes are a winner for female travellers as a constant reminder of your trip to Tanzania!
South Africa ’s souvenirs range from jewelry to masks, it’s up to the tourists to get items that would be most significant to them and bring good memories of SA! Verdite, the green semi-precious stone, is a winner amongst other souvenir items. Several animals can be sculpted like elephants, rhinos amongst others could be carved from it and even jewelry made from it.
P.S: Though shopping for souvenirs could be such a treat, make sure to pay attention to detail so you get genuine locally-made items and not those with the dreadful ‘Made in China’ labels!
About Jovago
Jovago.com is an online hotel booking service with offices in Lagos (Nigeria), Nairobi (Kenya), Dakar (Senegal) founded by Africa Internet Group and has MTN and Millicom as investors. Jovago.com, Africa’s No.1 booking website, facilitates the booking process for its users to provide them with the best hotel booking experience with fast, transparent and easy-to-use services. Jovago.com has over 20,000 local hotel listings across Africa and over 200,000 hotels around the world.
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