Travel vaccinations for Tanzania and Zanzibar: yellow fever, malaria and safari

Tanzania and Zanzibar require no vaccinations if you arrive directly from Germany, and that includes yellow fever. The German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt) recommends hepatitis A and polio for all travellers. Throughout the country below 2,500 metres, the islands included, there is a high malaria risk all year round. Further vaccinations depend on how long you stay and how you travel.

Entry rules: yellow fever only when arriving from a yellow fever country

According to the Foreign Office, no vaccinations are required for direct arrival from Germany on the mainland or in Zanzibar. This also applies after a connection in a yellow fever country, provided you do not leave the airport and the stopover lasts less than 12 hours. Anyone arriving from a yellow fever country, for example a neighbouring country, must show valid yellow fever vaccination from their first birthday.

This matters most for combined trips. Many safaris link Tanzania with Kenya, which the WHO lists as a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Give your doctor every country in the order you will visit them. For Zanzibar, the Foreign Office also refers to guidance from the Zanzibar Ministry of Health and the Tanzanian embassy. Our guide to yellow fever vaccination explains how proof and validity work.

Recommended vaccinations according to the Foreign Office

The table at the top of this page shows the classification. In context:

• All travellers: hepatitis A and polio. For stays of more than four weeks, WHO rules require polio vaccination within a set period before departure. Your doctor will check whether and when this applies to you.
• Based on individual risk: hepatitis B, meningococcal ACWY, rabies and typhoid, as well as dengue and chikungunya.
• Cholera: according to the Foreign Office, only for longer periods of work in cholera epidemic areas, for example in healthcare or disaster relief.
• Routine vaccinations: check that you are up to date with the STIKO schedule, the official German vaccination calendar, especially for measles.

The Foreign Office reports that meningococcal disease is mainly transmitted in the dry months, particularly January to April, in the north and west. Rabies vaccines and immunoglobulins are available only to a very limited extent in the country. That is a good reason to seek advice early if you are travelling for longer, staying in basic accommodation or expect contact with animals.

Malaria and other insect-borne risks

According to the Foreign Office and the DTG, there is a high malaria risk all year round throughout the country below 2,500 metres. This explicitly includes the national parks, Dar es Salaam and the islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia. Falciparum malaria accounts for more than 99 per cent of cases. In high-risk areas the Foreign Office considers preventive medication useful in addition to mosquito protection; discuss the options with your doctor. Our guide to malaria prevention has more detail.

Dengue, chikungunya, leishmaniasis and Rift Valley fever also occur. In national parks, the Foreign Office names African tick bite fever as the most common febrile illness after malaria. In the Serengeti, Tarangire National Park and the west of the country, tsetse flies can transmit sleeping sickness. They bite through thin fabric and are only poorly deterred by repellents. Wear dense, long clothing and check your body after time outdoors.

Have any fever after your return checked by a doctor, even months later, and mention your trip, because according to the DTG malaria must be ruled out without delay.

What depends on your type of trip

Hygiene, water and animals

According to the Foreign Office, poor drinking water, food and hand hygiene frequently lead to diarrhoeal illness. Hepatitis A and E and, rarely, typhoid also affect travellers, whereas cholera hardly ever does. Drink only water from a safe source. Do not swim in inland waters, as schistosomiasis can be transmitted through even slight contact with fresh water.

Rabies is mainly transmitted by dogs. Avoid contact with animals and seek medical help straight away after a bite, having first washed the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Avoid meat of unclear origin and raw animal products.

Altitude, medical care and insurance

The Foreign Office warns that altitude sickness is a risk on Kilimanjaro and Mount Meru and that mountain rescue is virtually non-existent. Read up on altitude sickness before your climb and discuss any pre-existing conditions with your doctor.

Outside major centres, qualified medical staff are often lacking. Pharmacies stock a limited range and counterfeit medicines occur. Pack a travel health kit and your regular medication. Since 1 October 2026, the Foreign Office says travellers must show Tanzanian inbound travel insurance, and Zanzibar has its own mandatory policy. The Foreign Office also recommends travel health insurance with repatriation cover and medical evacuation insurance.

Timing: when to see a travel health specialist

Allow several weeks for your travel health consultation. STIKO and DTG recommend completing travel vaccinations at least two weeks before departure. Our guide to the travel vaccination timeline shows how to plan the weeks before you go. You can find a travel medicine practice in Germany in our directory of travel clinics, and the travel vaccine check gives a quick overview.