Health and vaccinations for Tanzania

This page summarises public health guidance. It is not medical advice. See a travel clinic or your doctor at least eight weeks before you travel: they can look at your health, your route and your dates, and tell you what you need.

Last checked: 1 November 2026. Rules, fees and advice change, so confirm them with the official source named at the end of this page before you book and again before you fly.

Yellow fever

Tanzania requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate from travellers aged one year and over who arrive from a country with yellow fever risk, including after more than 12 hours in transit at an airport in such a country. Arriving directly from a country without yellow fever risk does not trigger the requirement.

The UK and US health agencies (TravelHealthPro and the CDC) do not generally recommend the vaccine for a trip to Tanzania itself. A travel clinic can tell you whether your route means you need the certificate.

Malaria

TravelHealthPro rates the malaria risk as high in all areas of Tanzania below 1,800 metres, including Zanzibar. Above 1,800 metres there is no malaria risk. The CDC recommends antimalarial tablets for travel below that height. Some must be started before you arrive and continued after you leave, so see a travel clinic in good time.

  • Use insect repellent on exposed skin.
  • Wear long sleeves and trousers from late afternoon.
  • Sleep under a mosquito net or in a screened room.
  • If you get a fever during your trip or after you return, get medical help quickly and say where you have travelled.

Other vaccines

The CDC lists these for travellers to Tanzania. A travel clinic will tell you which apply to you.

  • Routine vaccines, including measles (MMR) and polio. The CDC has a level 2 notice for polio, and poliovirus has been found in Tanzania in the past year.
  • Hepatitis A and typhoid.
  • Hepatitis B, for unvaccinated travellers under 60.
  • Rabies: rabid dogs are common. Ask whether a pre-exposure course suits your trip.
  • Cholera: it is circulating in Tanzania, though rare in travellers. Ask whether the vaccine makes sense for your plans.

Dengue is also present. Avoiding bites is the main protection, even in places with no malaria.

Altitude

Altitude illness is a risk above 2,500 metres. Kilimanjaro reaches 5,895 metres. If you plan to climb, talk to a doctor about acclimatisation and your medical history before you book.

Medicines and medical care

  • Medicines that are legal at home may have a different legal status in Tanzania. Check before you pack, and carry them in their original packaging with a copy of the prescription.
  • Some herbal and CBD products are illegal, including some skincare products and vape refills.
  • Medical facilities are limited, especially outside Dar es Salaam. Make sure your travel insurance covers treatment and medical evacuation.
  • In an emergency, call 112 and ask for an ambulance.

Check before you travel

Sources: TravelHealthPro (UK National Travel Health Network and Centre), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the UK FCDO health advice for Tanzania. Confirm current requirements with a travel clinic and with TravelHealthPro or the CDC before you travel.