I originally considered booking a guide because it was my first African market experience and I read lots about it being overwhelming. It's not!! Went as a group of four, we just paired off and came and went. In the produce section it's okay to take pictures of the goods, but please do not photograph the stallholders/customers without permission. The two areas you have to work a bit harder are the fabric/clothing section and the jewellery/baskets/bags/general TOURIST section. Just have fun with it though! Ask the price of something they will tell you straight away (no need to make a blind offer), ask the stall next door what their price is and it's not long before you can gauge what a fair price is. They will do discounts for buying multiples. They are never aggressively pushy, quite quiet, just be polite and firm. DO get of the 'main road' for each section, ESPECIALLY fabric/dressmakers and souvenirs - you are allowed to just walk through wherever 'out the back', even if it looks like you are meant to just stay on that one main path. The people on the main row have a huge advantage just by being visible, so it's nice to support those deeper inside the rows who don't get as much traffic.

Not for the faint of heart. If you dont like crowds or being approached by sales people, this is not the place for you. It can feel very overwhelming as everyone is trying to get your attention to buy from their stall. Lots of nice people though. Although it can feel pushy to westerners, everyone was extremely nice.

“Bustling” doesn’t begin to describe this Mecca of commerce. Tools, clothes, housewares, trinkets, an incredible array of things are on sale. The clothes made to order on treadle sewing machines are decent quality and fun. Now, the experience, because you have to be ready to roll with it. Aisles are narrow, some dimly lit, and packed with people and goods. Young non local women will attract a lot of attention, but mostly from a distance. Overall the market seems pretty safe. If you’re white or obviously a tourist, you will be approached by people persistently hawking their stuff or offering to “help” you. Politely and confidently telling them you’re not interested helps, ignoring them works too. There are no prices on anything, so everything is a negotiation. But even if you don’t buy anything it’s a great experience.