Viajante
Vaccines for a safari in Kenya and Tanzania (and Zanzibar) — 2026
Flying from Portugal to Kenya, Tanzania or Zanzibar? Yellow fever depends on the order of the countries and on stopovers. Malaria includes the parks and Zanzibar.
General information — it does not replace a medical consultation. Vaccination centre hours may change.
Masai Mara, Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar — many East Africa trips combine the two countries. That combination is exactly what creates the most common question: is yellow fever required or not? The answer depends on the order and the stopovers. It is the same question if you live in Portugal and the tickets leave from Lisbon or Porto.
A travel consultation (€39, in English) looks at the full route, stopovers included.
Quick summary
| Kenya | Tanzania (incl. Zanzibar) | |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow fever — CDC recommendation | Recommended for most of the country (includes the Masai Mara) | Generally not recommended |
| Yellow fever — entry | Required if you arrive from a risk country | Required if you arrive from a risk country, including Kenya, and stopovers longer than 12 h |
| Malaria | The whole country below 2,500 m, including parks | The whole country below 1,800 m, including Zanzibar |
| Malaria tablets | Yes (except central Nairobi) | Yes |
When to book: 6 to 8 weeks ahead. Yellow fever must be given at least 10 days before.
Yellow fever: the trap of a combined trip
Kenya: the CDC recommends the vaccine for anyone aged 9 months or older, except if the trip is limited to the city of Nairobi, the old North-Eastern counties (Mandera, Wajir, Garissa), or the coast (Mombasa, Malindi, Lamu, Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River). In other words: for a Masai Mara safari, the vaccine is recommended. To enter, Kenya only requires a certificate if you arrive from a risk country.
Tanzania: yellow fever risk is low and Tanzania is not on the WHO list of risk countries. The CDC generally does not recommend the vaccine. But Tanzania requires a certificate if you arrive from a risk country — and Kenya is one of them — including stopovers longer than 12 hours.
In practice:
- Tanzania only, a flight without a long stopover in a risk country: you do not need it.
- Kenya → Tanzania (or a stopover in Nairobi or Addis Ababa): you need the certificate.
- Any safari in Kenya outside Nairobi and the coast: recommended.
If the route continues to other destinations (for example India or Cape Verde), having been in Kenya can also make the certificate required there.
The vaccine is given at an International Vaccination Centre in Portugal, at least 10 days before arrival. Vaccine guide: yellow fever. It is not given at CUF.
Malaria: yes, including on safari
Kenya: transmission in all areas below 2,500 metres, including the safari parks. Rare cases only in central Nairobi.
Tanzania: transmission in all areas below 1,800 metres — Serengeti, Tarangire, Lake Manyara, Nyerere, Ruaha and the coast. Zanzibar has made progress on malaria control, but the CDC states that transmission still occurs in the archipelago.
Travel consultation · video
Prepare your trip with a personal vaccine plan
- €39 · video consultation
- Prescriptions and vaccine plan the same day, when indicated
- Vaccines paid separately, at an International Vaccination Centre
In both countries, malaria is mainly falciparum (the most severe form) and resistant to chloroquine. The CDC recommends preventive tablets: atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine or tafenoquine. The choice depends on length, your health, and other medicines. The prescription comes from the consultation: malaria prophylaxis.
As well as the tablets: repellent, long clothing at the end of the day, a mosquito net. Any fever during or after the trip is an emergency.
Kilimanjaro and altitude
There is no malaria on the high slopes of Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru, but the access areas and the days before and after the climb count. If you are climbing Kilimanjaro, also talk about altitude sickness in the consultation.
Other vaccines to consider
- Hepatitis A and typhoid: recommended for most travellers.
- Hepatitis B: long stays, or a chance of medical treatment.
- Rabies: contact with animals, long stays, remote areas far from medical care.
- Meningitis and cholera: in specific situations, to be assessed.
- Routine vaccines: measles and tetanus in particular. If your record is from outside Portugal, bring it.
More context: malaria and hepatitis A/B.
How far ahead to book
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 6–8 weeks before | Travel consultation, with the full route and the stopovers |
| At least 10 days before | Yellow fever vaccine |
| 1–2 weeks before | Collect malaria tablets |
| Last minute | Get in touch — malaria can be arranged in time; yellow fever is the critical point |
Frequently asked questions
I am only going to Zanzibar. Do I need yellow fever vaccine?
No, if you do not arrive from a risk country and you do not make a long stopover in one. Watch connections through Nairobi or Addis Ababa.
Do I need malaria tablets in Zanzibar?
The CDC states there is still transmission in the archipelago and suggests considering prevention for all travellers to Tanzania. Decide with the doctor.
I am doing a safari in Kenya and then a beach in Tanzania. What do I need?
Yellow fever vaccine (recommended for Kenya and required on entry to Tanzania) and malaria tablets for both countries.
Book the travel consultation
Other destinations
- Vaccines for Brazil
- Vaccines for Angola
- Vaccines for Mozambique
- Vaccines for Cape Verde
- Vaccines for Thailand
- Vaccines for India
- All destinations
Sources
- CDC Yellow Book — Yellow Fever Vaccine and Malaria Prevention Information, by Country
- CDC — Tanzania & Zanzibar
- CDC Yellow Book — Yellow Fever
This article is information. It does not replace a medical consultation. Entry rules can change; check them before you travel.
