Mwanza Shopping

Go off the main road and head towards the dirty small streets with all the dukas. Here, they sell all sorts of shoes and sandals and clothes. Not all of it is nice, but sometimes you're lucky and will be able to find OK jeans, funny blouses and fabulous shoes for practically no money.

What to pay: For a nice pair of (new) shoes, you should pay something like 6-12.000 tz sh. Jeans typically cost between 10 and 12.000 and blouses anuthing between 3 and 8000 tz sh.

If you take your time you will find a lot of small dukas that sell local crafts, clothes and art. The road leading down to U-turn have a couple of really good dukas that sell nice things like bags, batique, local jewellery, sculptures, drums etc, but prices are a bit high. Most of the things you can get much cheaper down at the market, but if you want to avoid hazzle, go to the dukas. There is also a small shop at the bus stand by the market, where a women's development group sell these things. They have some really nice things in here that you sometimes won't find other places.

If you have forgotten to bring shampoo, lipstick, feminine products, deodorant, eyeshadow, mascara, perfume and don't feel you can live without it, go to the shop that lies next to a small indian supermarket on the main road. They will have everything you are looking for. Also wigs and extra hair if you fancy!

What to pay: Things like deodorant and shampoo are pretty expensive (compared to most other things). A bottle of shampoo or a deodorant will typically cost around 3000 tz sh

Imalaseco is the only super market in Mwanza and it has the same things as U-turn, only U-turn is better equipped and will go to great lenghts to get groceries that you ask for. In Imalaseco you can buy some things you can't get other places, though, like tin foil, children's toys, food processors and big pans!!! So if that's what you need, now you know where to get it.... It's also more expensive than U-turn and the service is not as good.