Vaccines for your safari
From the Serengeti and the Masai Mara to Kruger and the Okavango Delta, a quick chat with our pharmacist sets you up to spend the trip watching wildlife rather than worrying about your health.
A safari is a once-in-a-lifetime sort of trip, and the bush brings a different set of health risks to a city break — biting insects, food and water you can't always vouch for, and remote camps that are a long way from the nearest hospital. The vaccines and advice you need depend a lot on which countries you're crossing, the time of year and how rural you'll be.
Bring your itinerary to Davyhulme Pharmacy and our pharmacist will work through it with you — which vaccines are worth having, whether you'll need a yellow fever certificate, and how to handle the malaria risk that comes with so many of Africa's best wildlife regions.
Vaccines to consider for an African safari
This is a general guide — your exact recommendations depend on the countries and areas on your route, so we'll tailor them to your trip.
Yellow fever
Recommended for parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and several countries ask to see a certificate before they let you in. We're set up to advise on and provide this.
Hepatitis A
Food- and water-borne — one of the most commonly recommended jabs for the region.
Typhoid
Also spread through contaminated food and water, particularly away from main lodges and towns.
Tetanus, diphtheria & polio
A good moment to top up your routine booster before heading off the beaten track.
Hepatitis B
Worth considering for longer trips or if you might need medical or dental treatment while you're away.
Rabies
Carried by dogs, bats and other animals — worth thinking about for remote camps far from reliable medical care.
Yellow fever and the certificate
Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne illness found in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and the vaccine gives long-lasting protection. On top of protecting you, a number of countries require an International Certificate of Vaccination — the 'yellow card' — before they'll let you enter, sometimes depending on where you've travelled before. The certificate only becomes valid 10 days after vaccination, so timing matters. Tell us your full route and we'll advise whether you need it and make sure the dates work for you.
Malaria and biting insects
Much of safari Africa carries a malaria risk, and many of the prime wildlife areas sit firmly in malaria country. There's no vaccine you can simply pick up for it, so prevention comes down to two things: avoiding bites, and antimalarial tablets where they're appropriate. Our pharmacist will check the malaria risk on your specific route and, in a private consultation, discuss whether antimalarial tablets suit you. We'll also talk through the practical side — insect repellent, covering up around dawn and dusk, and a treated net at camp — which helps against other insect-borne illnesses too.
Out in the bush, far from a pharmacy
Safari lodges and mobile camps can be hours from the nearest clinic, so it's worth being a little self-sufficient. Stomach upsets are the most common thing travellers bring home, and sticking to bottled or treated water, hot freshly-cooked food and peelable fruit goes a long way. We can help you put together a sensible travel kit and talk through what to do if you're unwell away from help. Where it's clinically suitable, treatment for things like travellers' diarrhoea may be available after an assessment with our pharmacist.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the countries and areas on your route. Hepatitis A and typhoid come up for most travellers, yellow fever for many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and others like rabies and hepatitis B for longer or more remote trips. Bring your itinerary and our pharmacist will tailor it to you.
Possibly. Several African countries ask to see the certificate before entry, and the requirement can depend on where you've been beforehand. The certificate only becomes valid 10 days after vaccination, so come in with your full route and we'll tell you whether you need it and sort the timing.
Many safari areas carry a malaria risk and there's no vaccine for it, so antimalarial tablets are often part of the plan. Our pharmacist will check the risk on your route and, where it's clinically suitable, talk you through the options in a consultation, alongside advice on avoiding bites.
Ideally 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. That leaves comfortable time for any vaccines given as a course, and for yellow fever to take effect before your certificate counts. If your trip is sooner, still come in — there's usually something worthwhile we can do.
This information is grounded in NHS and TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) guidance and is for general information — not a substitute for a personal consultation. Your travel consultation is carried out by our pharmacist.
Getting ready for safari?
Pop in or call Davyhulme Pharmacy in Urmston on 0161 748 3016 and our pharmacist will build you a vaccine and health plan to match your route.