I've had many past travelers ask me about buying Tanzanite during their trip. Tanzanite is a blue/violet gemstone found only in Tanzania, specifically in the Manyara region.
As you drive up the escarpment from Lake Manyara towards Karatu, there are two large stores that sell lose stones and an array of jewelry. The Tanzanite Experience is a great option for those just looking for Tanzanite. Just past that is the African Galleria which offers not only a huge amount of Tanzanite, but also other gems, art and handicrafts. When I mentioned to my guide that I wanted to buy Tanzanite, he suggested that we go to African Galleria because it is a great place to shop for everything you can find in Tanzania.
Favorite Curio Shop (Kassandra Magruder)
I ended up purchasing a beautiful ring and was happy to find that they accept all major credit cards. There is a strong culture of price negotiating in Tanzania, even at a store like this. By offering cash, I was able to secure what I felt was a good price for a piece of jewelry I've wanted all my life. That being said, I did drain all of my cash on hand. ATM's are hard to come by in Tanzania, so I was glad that we could stop at a bank in Karatu to replenish my tipping cash.
If you want to buy Tanzanite or do any serious shopping, please let your guide know on the first day of your safari. That way, they can make time for a stop at the right location for you.
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
1 day ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
1 day ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
6 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
