Recommended Vaccinations for Travelers to Zambia

Nov 12, 2025 0

With a thriving tourism industry and awe-inspiring natural wonders, Zambia is a must-visit destination for adventurers and nature lovers alike. From thrilling walking safaris to tranquil boat tours along the mighty Zambezi River, Zambia offers unforgettable experiences for travelers seeking unique encounters with wildlife. However, planning a trip to Zambia requires preparation for potential health concerns. This article provides essential information about recommended vaccinations and health precautions to ensure a safe and healthy travel experience.

Essential Travel Documents

Before you embark on your journey, ensure you have the necessary travel documents:

A passport is required to enter Zambia.
Passports must be valid for at least six months upon arrival.
Have at least three blank pages upon each entry.
You must carry the original or a certified copy of your passport and immigration permit at all times. Certified copies must be obtained from the office that issued the permit.

Routine Vaccinations

Before your trip to Zambia, make sure your routine vaccinations are up to date, including:

Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTaP)
Influenza

These are commonly given to children and adults in the US and other countries.

Recommended and Required Vaccinations

Yes, some vaccines are recommended or required for Zambia. Here is a list of vaccinations you should consider or may need:

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Typhoid: Typhoid fever, caused by Salmonella Typhi, is a serious illness transmitted through contaminated food and water.
Hepatitis A: Hepatitis A is an infectious liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus, often spread through contaminated food or water, or via direct contact with someone infected. It leads to liver inflammation, potentially impairing its function, and manifests as symptoms like tiredness, stomach pain, nausea, and yellowing of the skin or eyes. The vaccine for hepatitis A offers robust protection against this virus.
Polio: Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. The polio vaccine effectively prevents this virus. At least one case of polio was reported in Zambia over the last 12 months. The CDC and WHO advise all travelers to ensure their polio vaccination history is up-to-date.
Yellow Fever: Yellow fever is a serious, potentially fatal viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, characterized by fever, jaundice, and bleeding. Proof of yellow fever vaccination may be required if you’re arriving from a country with yellow fever risk. An official yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required depending on your itinerary.
Requirement: A certificate proving yellow fever vaccination is required for travelers aged ≥ 1 year coming from countries with risk of YF transmission. This also applies to airport transit stops (no exit through immigration checkpoint) longer than 12 hours in risk countries. (2018)
You must have the vaccination at least 10 days before you plan on entering a yellow fever area. This is because it takes a few days before you are effectively protected and you may experience flu-like symptoms, which are unpleasant on a long-haul flight.
Rabies: Rabies is a lethal disease transmitted through the saliva of infected animals, and vaccination is the key to prevention. Rabies poses some risk to travelers of various types.
Hepatitis B: Hepatitis B, a liver infection, is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids. Prevention includes practicing safe behaviors, but the cornerstone of protection is hepatitis B vaccination.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): Measles, mumps, and rubella are viral infections that can spread through close contact and respiratory droplets. Vaccination is the most effective way to halt their transmission. Given to anyone unvaccinated and/or born after 1957.
Pneumonia Two vaccines given separately.

Here's a summary of vaccine types and durations:

Vaccine	Transmission	Duration
Typhoid (Shot)	Food & Water	2 years
Typhoid (Oral)	Food & Water	5 years
Yellow Fever	Mosquito	Varies
Pneumonia	Airborne	Varies
Rabies	Saliva of Infected Animals	Varies
Polio	Food & Water	Routine Vaccination
Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR)	Various Vectors	Varies

Malaria Prevention

Malaria is widespread in Zambia. Malaria is a serious threat in Zambia. Antimalarials are recommended for all travelers to the country. Malaria risk due predominantly to P. falciparum exists throughout the year in the entire country.

Recommended prevention: Mosquito-bite prevention plus atovaquone-proguanil or doxycycline or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis (select according to drug-resistance pattern, reported side-effects and contraindications).

Malaria parasite are resistant to chloroquine in the region. Atovaquone, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine are often given to travelers to Zambia.

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Adhere to the prescribed schedule of your antimalarial prophylactics to ensure that they work as planned. You should seek immediate medical attention if you exhibit a fever and flu-like symptoms, including chills, headache, muscle aches and fatigue, within three months of your departure from the malaria area.

Transmission areasAllDrug resistanceChloroquineSpeciesP. falciparum (primarily)P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax (less commonly)Recommended chemoprophylaxisAtovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine

Mosquitoes transmit malaria and other diseases.

Other Health Risks and Precautions

Besides vaccinations, be aware of other potential health risks:

Food and Water Safety: High risk exists throughout the country, with moderate risk in deluxe accommodations. Community sanitation and food safety measures are generally inadequate. Some itineraries (e.g., remote destinations, austere accommodations) and activities (e.g., eating street or local-market food) further increase risk. When abroad, ensure food safety by avoiding street vendors, practicing hand hygiene, and opting for thoroughly cooked dishes. Choose bottled or canned drinks with intact seals. In many areas, tap water is not potable. Bottled water and beverages are generally safe, although you should be aware that many restaurants and hotels serve tap water unless bottled water is specifically requested.
Diarrhea: Travelers should carry loperamide for self-treatment of diarrhea and, if risk is moderate to high, an antibiotic to add if diarrhea is severe. Consult a knowledgeable health care provider regarding which antibiotic is appropriate for you and most effective for your destination.
Brucellosis: Precautions to prevent brucellosis may be needed.
Bug Bites: Keep bugs at bay by dressing smartly and applying EPA-registered repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or OLE. In case of a bug bite, cleanse the area, refrain from scratching, and find relief with readily available remedies. Protect yourself from mosquitoes. They can carry diseases like malaria.
Other Diseases: African trypanosomiasis, tick-bite fever, West Nile virus, Zika may pose a risk. Personal protective measures are important.
African Tick-Bite Fever: African Tick-Bite Fever (ATBF) is a tick-borne disease in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dengue: According to the CDC, dengue fever, caused by a virus from mosquito bites, manifests through fever, headaches, and severe muscle pain. Preventative measures include using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing.
Rift Valley Fever: Rift Valley Fever spreads through mosquito bites and contact with infected animal tissues.
Schistosomiasis: Schistosomiasis, a common tropical disease, is transmitted via contaminated water.
Cholera: A massive cholera outbreak in Zambia is still ongoing. So far, over 10,000 infections have been recorded with as many as 400 cases reported each day since October 2023. The majority of cases are in Lusaka.
Air Pollution: Air pollution can be a significant problem in many destinations overseas.

Additional Health Tips

Here are some additional tips to ensure a healthy trip:

Read also: Zambia Travel Guide

Ensure that you have comprehensive travel health insurance.
Try to stay as healthy and fit as you can before you depart - you don't want to start your vacation fighting off a cold or flu.
Stock up on enough of all your prescription drugs before you leave. Be sure to bring copies of your doctors' scripts and keep scheduled medication in its original packaging. Always carry your prescription medication in original packaging, along with your doctor’s prescription.
Exercise caution when purchasing medication overseas. Pharmaceuticals, both over the counter and requiring prescription in the United States, are often readily available for purchase with little controls. Customs and Border Protection and the Food and Drug Administration are responsible for rules governing the transport of medication back to the United States. Medication purchased abroad must meet their requirements to be legally brought back into the United States. Medication should be for personal use and must be approved for usage in the United States.
Private medical clinics in major cities provide reasonable care, but major medical emergencies usually require medical evacuation to South Africa, Europe, or the United States. The nearest air ambulances are based in South Africa. Government hospitals and clinics are often understaffed and lack supplies. Basic medical care outside of major cities is extremely limited. Make sure your health insurance plan provides coverage overseas. Most care providers overseas only accept cash payments. See our webpage for more information on insurance overseas.
Zambia has a very high burden of HIV. The UNAIDS Zambia country progress report of 2020 estimated the overall HIV prevalence in the adult population is 11%, compared to a prevalence of 0.2% in adults in the UK.
Chemical waste containing heavy metals was released from a mine in Copperbelt Province into the Chambishi Stream and the Mwambashi and Kafue Rivers in February 2025. Exposure to heavy metal contaminants may affect health. avoid consuming untreated locally sourced water or fish from this area.
Medical facilities throughout Zambia are of a lower standard than in the UK. Facilities in rural areas are basic and emergency services are limited. Carry basic medical supplies. Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health.

Safety and Security

Zambia has few major security concerns, but it's important to stay informed and take precautions:

Political activity, especially during national and local elections, can lead to civil unrest and low-level violence. Spontaneous demonstrations occasionally occur and are often exacerbated by police action. Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can quickly turn confrontational and escalate into violence.
The most commonly reported crimes committed against Westerners in Lusaka are non-violent confrontations characterized as crimes of opportunity (theft of unattended possessions in public places or hotel rooms, confidence scams). Pickpockets operate in crowded markets and on public transportation, and visitors have reported snatch attacks of bags and smartphones on busy city streets as well as smash-and-grabs of valuables from vehicles idling in slow traffic and from parked cars.
Other crimes, including thefts, violent attacks, including home invasions/robberies, and sexual assaults have occurred on many occasions. Victims are, on occasion, followed from banks, nightclubs, and ATMs and robbed at gunpoint, on the street, or upon arrival at their residence.
Travelers should not drive off-road or in remote areas near the borders with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Angola because of the danger of undetected land mines and unexploded ordnance. If you must travel to these areas, you should drive in convoys and carry satellite telephones. Parts of the DRC border area can be plagued with unrest and/or armed criminal elements.
Pay attention to your surroundings, especially in busy places.
Use taxis or ride-hailing services like Uber, especially at night.
Keep your money and other valuables safe in a hidden pocket or money belt.