South Africa Health & Vaccinations
Malaria and Yellow Fever
There are many world-class private hospitals and medical centres around South Africa, especially in the urban centres. Most of South Africa is malaria-free, but it is important to check with the game reserves and take precautions if necessary. Make sure you have the latest safety tips from the establishment where you will be staying and take common sense precautions as you would when travelling.
Malaria Recommendations for South Africa
While the Eastern Cape Reserves are malaria free, Kruger National Park and other reserves in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu Natal lie in a low risk zone. Therefore, it is recommended you consult doctor to see whether you should take malaria prophylaxis before entering South Africa. Which tablets you take, and when you start and stop them, depends entirely on the drug your doctor prescribes — the schedules differ significantly between them, so ask a travel clinic rather than following a general rule.
Other prevention methods such as using mosquito repellent and sleeping under a mosquito net are recommended.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Requirements
South Africa requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all foreign visitors and citizens over 1 year of age travelling from an infected area or having been in transit through infected areas (>12 hours).
There is no risk of contracting yellow fever in South Africa. If you are travelling directly from USA or India and are not transiting through or arriving from a country with the risk of yellow fever, you do not need the yellow fever vaccination certificate.
To see more details of South Africa Yellow Fever Vaccination requirements.
Choosing between countries?
If South Africa is still one of several options, our guide to African safari destinations compares every country we work in side by side, including malaria status, the best months to visit, typical trip lengths and starting prices.
South Africa health and vaccinations: common questions
Do I need a yellow fever certificate to enter South Africa?
Only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, from age one, including transit exceeding twelve hours through the airport of a risk country. South Africa is not itself a risk country. Arriving without one when it is required means refused entry or surveillance for up to six days. Under the International Health Regulations the yellow fever certificate has been valid for life since 11 July 2016, and that applies retrospectively to certificates issued before then. No country may demand a booster as a condition of entry. The certificate becomes valid on the tenth day after vaccination.
My certificate is more than ten years old — is it still valid?
Yes. This is worth being firm about, because South African Tourism’s own website still describes the certificate as expiring after a decade, and that guidance is out of date. The World Health Organization extended validity to the life of the person vaccinated with effect from 11 July 2016, retrospectively, and no country may require a booster as a condition of entry. Do not let anyone talk you into revaccination on the basis of a stale web page — but do carry the original card, not a photocopy.
Which South African safari areas are malaria-free?
The reserves families usually ask about are outside the risk area entirely: Madikwe and Pilanesberg in North West, the Eastern Cape reserves including Addo, Shamwari and Kwandwe, the Waterberg, plus Cape Town and the Garden Route. Risk is confined to low-altitude Mpumalanga and Limpopo — which includes Kruger — and to far north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal. Official guidance phrases this as no risk with bite avoidance recommended, which is marginally weaker than the malaria-free wording used in marketing.
Is Kruger safe for children?
Transmission in Kruger runs from September to May, and in June, July and August the risk drops to very low — bite avoidance only. That is the basis on which winter family safaris to Kruger work, and it happens to coincide with the best game viewing of the year. If you want a genuinely no-risk option at any time of year, Madikwe and the Eastern Cape reserves are the standard answer, and we plan a lot of family trips around exactly this question.
What else should I know about health in South Africa?
Tick bite fever is common and under-mentioned — bush walks in the Eastern and Western Cape are where it happens. Rabies is present, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape. Schistosomiasis occurs in northern rivers and dams. Road traffic injury rates are high. A clinic will typically cover hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MMR, with hepatitis B and rabies by itinerary. Once that is settled, the harder planning question is timing — Kruger and Cape Town have opposite best seasons, which our guide to the best time to visit South Africa works through.