Travel vaccinations for Namibia: recommendations, yellow fever rules and malaria in the north

Namibia requires no vaccinations if you travel directly from Germany. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) recommends hepatitis A and polio for all travellers. Whether you need malaria precautions depends on your route: the south, with Windhoek, the Namib Desert and the coast, is malaria-free, whereas the north, with Etosha National Park and the Caprivi Strip, has a seasonal to year-round high risk.

Entry rules: yellow fever only after a stay in a risk area

If you fly straight from Germany to Namibia, the Foreign Office says no proof of vaccination is needed. The situation changes if you arrive from a yellow fever country or have spent more than twelve hours in transit there: Namibia then requires yellow fever vaccination for everyone aged nine months and over. Namibia itself is not a yellow fever area.

This matters for multi-country trips, for example if you visit a country with risk of yellow fever transmission beforehand or fly in via such a country with a long layover. In that case, check in good time whether you need the vaccination. In Germany it is only given at approved yellow fever vaccination centres; our guide to yellow fever vaccination has the details. Many travellers also combine Namibia with South Africa, which has its own rules.

Recommended vaccinations according to the Foreign Office

The table at the top of this page summarises the recommendations:

• All travellers: hepatitis A and polio. Polio (cVDPV-2) has been detected in Namibia, so the Foreign Office advises complete protection. For stays of more than four weeks, WHO rules also require vaccination within a set period before departure. Your practice will tell you whether this applies to you.
• Based on individual risk: hepatitis B, rabies and typhoid.
• Meningococcal disease and cholera: usually not needed. According to the Foreign Office, meningococcal vaccination may make sense during outbreaks or when travelling on a basic budget with close social contact.
• Routine vaccinations: keep up to date with the STIKO schedule, the official German vaccination calendar. The Foreign Office specifically highlights protection against measles.

In Namibia, rabies is mainly transmitted by dogs. According to the Foreign Office, vaccines and immunoglobulins are not available or only to a very limited extent. If you camp, travel in remote areas or work with animals, discuss the vaccination before you go. Our guide to rabies when travelling explains more.

Malaria: where and when there is a risk

Malaria in Namibia varies strongly by region and season. More than 99 per cent of cases are falciparum malaria. According to the Foreign Office and the DTG:

The Foreign Office reports a sharp rise in malaria cases in some areas of the north and north-east in 2025 and 2026. In high-risk areas it considers preventive medication useful in addition to mosquito protection. For moderate-risk areas more than 48 hours away from a facility that can diagnose malaria, it recommends carrying emergency standby treatment. Which approach fits your route is something to agree with your doctor. Our guide to malaria prevention covers the basics.

In the north, protect yourself particularly at dusk and at night: wear long clothing, use repellent and sleep under a bed net. Always have a fever during or after your trip checked by a doctor, and mention that you have been to northern Namibia.

What depends on your type of trip

Ticks, animals, water and sun

In Namibia, ticks transmit African tick bite fever and, rarely, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever. Check your body carefully after walks and game drives. Avoid contact with animals and their droppings. According to the Foreign Office, anthrax occurs mainly in the north-east and the Caprivi and is transmitted through contact with infected hoofed animals or their carcasses. Avoid meat of unknown origin and raw animal products. Venomous snakes are found in rural areas.

If you are bitten or scratched by an animal, wash the wound with soap and water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical help. Schistosomiasis occurs mainly in the northern regions of Kavango West, Kavango East and Zambezi, including in flowing water, so do not swim in rivers and lakes there. Take care with drinking water and food hygiene, as travellers’ diarrhoea, hepatitis A and E and typhoid also affect visitors. The intense sun can damage your skin and eyes, so plan sun protection and enough drinking water for long drives.

Medical care in Namibia

The Foreign Office describes medical care as not comparable with Germany. Emergency and basic care is available at the large state hospitals and a number of private clinics, but qualified staff are often lacking away from the main centres. On self-drive routes you are often far from larger towns. Take a well-stocked travel health kit and your regular medication with you, and make sure your travel health insurance covers medical evacuation.

Timing: when to see a travel health specialist

Allow several weeks for your consultation. Following STIKO and DTG, travel vaccinations should be completed at least two weeks before departure. Give your doctor your exact route and travel dates, as malaria prevention depends on them. The travel vaccine check gives you a first overview, and our directory of travel clinics helps you find a practice in Germany.