Nairobi - Post Report Question and Answers
Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
This is a great place for shopping for all kinds of African decor, wares, leather bags, fabric, and beautiful clothes. - Mar 2024
Carvings and beaded items similar to other East African countries. - Aug 2023
Lots of shopping and African crafts. - Mar 2022
Kikoy and Kitenge fabrics, beaded jewelry, and shuka blankets. There are also a lot of fantastic woven blankets. - Aug 2021
There is a thriving art scene in the region and you can find wonderful pieces of original art at affordable prices. A number of good galleries in the city. Also: fabrics, jewelry, leather bags, handicrafts. - Apr 2021
Afri-crap is EVERYWHERE! You turn your head and there is someone selling a lion made of bone, or a table made of some local wood. If you want to stock your pad with all things Africa, you can certainly do so here in Kenya. Word of advice: stop in to Spinner's Web. It's a large shop that collects pieces from all sorts of vendors from around Nairobi, and sets firm prices. There isn't any haggling, you just pick what you like, pay for it and take it home. It's well worth an hour-long stop while you're in town.
If you're into high-quality local art from real, actual artists - look into visiting Studio Soku. It's by appointment only and a bit hard to find, but it's hands-down the best studio for local artists that we've encountered in Nairobi. - Dec 2018
I would not call it a shopping post but if you are into jewelry this is a great place to be! - Jun 2018
The markets are chock-full of "Africrap." Beaded jewelry, paintings, local fabrics and clothing, wood and soapstone carvings, animal pelts and accessories made from them; you can find anything that you would imagine that you would like to take to the folks back home. - Jul 2016
Nothing much - Sep 2015
textiles, wood crafts, beads - Aug 2015
coffee and tea - the best in the world (although there is no decaf) vegetables and fruits carved items (you MUST haggle) beaded items " going to Uganda or Rwanda to see the gorillas safaris anywhere in Kenya! - Jul 2015
Hardwood Furniture - May 2015
Variety of arts and crafts. - Dec 2014
Local handicrafts, safaris, etc. - Jun 2014
All kinds of Afri-crap. Baskets, wooden carvings, soap stone stuff, local fabrics, bead jewelry, tanzinite, tsavorite. - Jun 2014
Safaris. - Mar 2014
Fabric, soapstone carvings, jewelry, Tsavorite, Tanzanite, leather luggage and bags, etc. Nairobi is home to a lot of artisans. This is potentially another money drain. - Jul 2013
Masai market items (always offer bit less than half of the asking price). - Jun 2013
Masks, fabrics. There are some up and coming local modern artists. You can buy their work or commission something rather than spend a lot of money on Afri-crap. - Dec 2012
Handmade beads and glasswork, leather and wood crafts. - Aug 2012
Lots of local and regional crafts and travel. - Dec 2011
Lots of neat, handmade items. - Dec 2011
Jewelry and soapstone stuff. - Dec 2010
Baskets of all sizes and colors, for all sorts of uses; beaded jewelery; Indian-style furniture. - Dec 2009
Lots of crafts. - Jul 2009
Tons of African carvings etc. - Jun 2008
Local art works purchased at the Maasi Market and travel throughout the region. - Feb 2008
