Illustration of a globe, passport and aeroplane, representing travel vaccinations

What vaccinations do I need for South Africa?

ByZain Rajabali

For South Africa, the big question usually isn’t vaccines. It’s whether you need malaria tablets, and that depends almost entirely on whether you’re going on safari in the northeast, and when.

This guide is based on the UK’s official travel health advice from TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC). It’s general information: which vaccines are right for you is decided at a travel consultation, based on your plans and health.

The short answer

  • Recommended for most travellers: hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid.
  • Some travellers, depending on your plans: hepatitis B, rabies, cholera, measles, tuberculosis.
  • Malaria: Malaria tablets are recommended for Kruger and the low-lying northeast from September to May. The rest of the country has no malaria risk.
  • Book 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. Some vaccines need more than one dose. If you’re short of time, it’s still worth coming in.

Vaccines recommended for most travellers to South Africa

TravelHealthPro recommends these for most travellers:

Hepatitis A spreads through contaminated food and water. TravelHealthPro recommends it for all previously unvaccinated travellers, because it’s well tolerated and gives long-lasting protection. £80 per dose with us, or free from your GP surgery.

Tetanus is everywhere, in soil and manure, and gets in through wounds. You should have completed the UK course. TravelHealthPro advises a booster if your last dose was more than 10 years ago and you’re going somewhere medical care may be limited. It’s given as a combined tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster: £50 with us, or free from your GP surgery.

Typhoid spreads through contaminated food and water. The risk is higher if you’re visiting friends and relatives, staying a long time or travelling often, or going where hygiene may be poor. £55 with us, or free from your GP surgery.

All travellers should also be up to date with their routine UK vaccines.

Vaccines some travellers need

These depend on what you’ll be doing, where you’ll stay and for how long:

  • Hepatitis B (£65 per dose, £195 for the course) – for anyone who might have unprotected sex, need medical or dental treatment, stay a long time, play contact sports, or work with blood.
  • Rabies (£90 per dose, £270 for the course) – for people who’ll be far from medical care, doing higher-risk activities like running or cycling, working with animals, or staying more than a month.
  • Cholera (£85 for the course, or free from your GP) – mainly for aid workers and people going to outbreak areas with limited access to safe water and medical care.
  • Measles – make sure you’ve had two doses of the MMR vaccine. If you’ve missed doses, ask your GP surgery, or we can give it (£60 per dose).
  • Tuberculosis (BCG) – recommended for unvaccinated children under 16 who are going to live there for more than 3 months, and some health workers. Ask your GP about BCG.

Do I need malaria tablets for South Africa?

According to TravelHealthPro:

  • Malaria tablets recommended from September to May in the low-lying areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, especially near the borders with Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. This includes the Kruger National Park. In June, July and August the risk there is very low.
  • Low or very low risk in the far northeast of KwaZulu-Natal and some designated areas of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, from September to May.
  • No risk in the rest of South Africa. That covers most of the country, including Cape Town and Johannesburg.

Malaria transmission typically only happens between September and May. Mosquito bite avoidance is recommended in all risk areas all year round.

Wherever you go, avoid mosquito bites: cover up, use insect repellent, and sleep under a net or in screened rooms where needed. If you do need tablets, a pharmacist can supply them at your consultation. See our malaria tablets page.

Do I need a yellow fever certificate?

There’s no yellow fever in South Africa, but you need a yellow fever certificate if you’re over 1 year old and arriving from a country with a risk of yellow fever. This catches out people combining South Africa with safari elsewhere in Africa, so check your whole route. Flying direct from the UK, you don’t need one.

How far ahead should I book?

The NHS and TravelHealthPro both advise seeing a travel health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. Our guide to how long travel vaccines last explains how far ahead each vaccine needs, and how long it protects you for.

Common questions

Are any of these vaccines free? Yes. The NHS says hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera and polio (as part of the tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster) are free from your GP surgery after a risk assessment. Many people still come to us so everything’s done in one appointment, or because their surgery can’t fit them in before they fly.

How much does a travel consultation cost? At MediPill, a travel consultation is £10, and it’s redeemable against same-day vaccines.

What if I’m travelling in less than 2 weeks? Come in anyway. Several vaccines can still be given, and some have faster schedules.

Where can I check the latest advice? Outbreaks and advice change, so check the TravelHealthPro page for South Africa before you travel, and the FCDO’s foreign travel advice for entry requirements.

Travel vaccinations in Oxford

All four MediPill branches run a full travel clinic, and all four are registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres:

See every vaccine and price on our travel clinic page, or book a travel health consultation.

More destination guides

Sources

  1. South Africa – TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC). https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries/south-africa (page updated 22 May 2026; accessed 23 September 2026)
  2. Travel vaccinations – NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/travel-vaccinations/ (accessed 23 September 2026)

Written by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist – GPhC #2219769
Medically reviewed by Zain Rajabali, Superintendent Pharmacist, Independent Prescriber – GPhC #2219769
Last reviewed: 23 September 2026 · Next review due: March 2027

This article is general health information based on UK travel health guidance and is not a substitute for a travel consultation. It does not recommend any specific vaccine or medicine for you. What you need is decided at an individual assessment with a pharmacist.

Similar Posts