Before you travel
Health preparation for Zanzibar
Zanzibar is commonly visited as a beach extension after a mainland Tanzania safari, though many travellers also visit the island on its own for its beaches, Stone Town and spice plantations.
Malaria risk is present on the island, so travellers combining a safari with a beach stay are generally advised to continue antimalarial tablets throughout rather than stopping partway through the trip.
Final vaccine and medicine recommendations always depend on your medical history, previous vaccinations, current travel health guidance, trip duration and planned activities. This page is general information, not a personal clinical recommendation — book a consultation so our pharmacist can assess your individual trip.
Personalised recommendations
Vaccines commonly discussed
No single list applies to everyone. Recommendations depend on your route, trip length, activities, health and previous vaccinations.
View the Africa regional travel-health guide
TyphoidMost travellers
Widely recommended
£38 per dose
Hepatitis A&B CombinedMost travellers
Widely recommended
£85 per dose (adult & junior)
RabiesSome travellers
Considered for longer stays or trips combined with a mainland safari; rabies is present in Tanzania
£74 per dose / £222 for a full course
DTPAll travellers
Booster if it's been over 10 years; vaccine-derived polio was detected in Tanzania in December 2025, so check yours is current
£38 per dose
Mosquito-borne illness
Malaria risk and bite prevention
Present across the island, including in Stone Town and coastal resort areas.
Risk can differ within a country and can change over time. A consultation assesses your exact itinerary and whether antimalarial medicine should be considered.
Read the malaria prevention guideBeyond vaccination
Practical advice for your trip
- Malaria prevention across the whole island, including resort areas
- Sun protection given intense equatorial sun
- Food and water hygiene, particularly around spice tours and local markets
Food, water and traveller's diarrhoea
Follow careful food and water hygiene where standards are uncertain. Vaccination does not replace these everyday precautions.
Climate planning
June to October and December to February are generally drier.
Entry requirements
A visa is generally required for UK travellers, in line with mainland Tanzania's entry requirements.
Yellow fever
No yellow fever vaccination is needed when arriving directly from the UK, and vaccination is generally not recommended for Tanzania. A certificate is required if you arrive from a yellow fever risk country such as Kenya or Uganda, and for travellers who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport in one. Many Zanzibar routes go through Nairobi, so check yours.
Entry and certificate rules can change. Check the latest official foreign travel advice on GOV.UK before departure, and see TravelHealthPro for country-specific health guidance. Yellow Fever vaccination is not currently administered at this clinic; where a requirement is relevant, the pharmacist can discuss your itinerary and explain that an authorised Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre may be needed.
Common questions
Zanzibar travel health FAQs
Yes — malaria risk is present across the island, including resort areas, so prevention is generally recommended for the whole stay rather than just for inland safari time.
If you feel seriously unwell
- If you are seriously unwell abroad, seek local emergency medical care immediately.
- If you are seriously unwell after returning to the UK, call 999 or go to A&E — always mention any recent travel.
- For urgent but non-emergency advice in the UK, call NHS 111 or contact your GP.