TRAVEL MEDICINE · KENYA & SAFARI
Most people heading to Kenya on safari need only a few vaccines. The hard part is yellow fever — the rules change depending on where else you travel. This page gives you a clear answer fast, then explains the details so you can plan with confidence.
In this article
01
For a typical safari from the US, here is what most travelers get:
ALMOST EVERYONE SHOULD GET
• Hepatitis A
• Typhoid
• Malaria pills (a prescription pill, not a shot)
MANY SHOULD GET, DEPENDING ON THE TRIP
• Yellow fever (especially if you visit more than one country — see below)
ONLY SOME TRAVELERS NEED
• Rabies
• Cholera
• Meningitis
Also make sure you are up to date on: measles (MMR), tetanus (Tdap), and polio.
Your exact list depends on where you go in Kenya, what you do, how long you stay, and which shots you already have. A travel doctor confirms it in one visit. See our prices or book online.
02
This causes more confusion than anything else, especially on multi-country trips. Here is the plain version.
Flying straight from the US to Kenya? Kenya does not require the yellow fever certificate from you.
Should you still get it? For most safari areas, yes — it is recommended because yellow fever exists in parts of Kenya. It is generally not needed if you only visit Nairobi, the far northeast, or the coast (Mombasa, Diani, Lamu). You can see which areas carry yellow fever risk here.
Once you have been in Kenya, other countries treat you as arriving from a yellow-fever country. So your next stop may demand the certificate, even though Kenya never asked for it.
Kenya + Tanzania
Tanzania asks for the certificate from travelers coming from Kenya. Get it to cross smoothly in either direction.
Kenya + Seychelles
The Seychelles requires it from anyone who has recently been in Kenya (ages 1 to 59). Travelers 60 and over are usually exempt.
Even a layover counts. Some travelers have been stopped at a border for passing through Nairobi airport without a certificate. If your route touches Kenya, carry it.
THE CERTIFICATE
A yellow card called the International Certificate of Vaccination. It becomes valid 10 days after your shot and is now valid for life — no booster needed. Keep it with your passport. We provide the yellow fever vaccine and certificate in NYC in a single visit.
Tell us your full route and we will tell you exactly what you need. Rules can change and officers sometimes apply them strictly.
03
Malaria comes from mosquito bites and can be deadly. There is no malaria vaccine for travelers — you take prescription malaria pills instead.
Where the risk is: Most safari areas, including the Maasai Mara, Amboseli, Lake Nakuru, Tsavo, and the coast (Mombasa, Diani). Risk is much lower in central Nairobi and the high mountains above about 2,500 meters.
The pills: Several options exist. They differ in cost, how often you take them, and side effects. Your doctor picks the right one for you. Some start a day or two before travel; others a week before. You keep taking them for a set time after you return.
Pills are not 100%. Also prevent bites: use repellent, cover up at dusk and dawn, and sleep under screens or a net. If you get a fever during your trip or for up to a year after, see a doctor and mention Kenya.
04
Both spread through unsafe food and water, and both are a risk across Kenya — even at good hotels and on the coast. These are the two most recommended shots for safari travelers.
Two doses six months apart, but a single dose protects you well for the trip. Get it ideally more than two weeks before you leave.
One shot protects for about two years. There is also an oral version (pills) that lasts about five years. Neither is perfect, so still eat and drink carefully.
05
Most short safaris do not need the rabies vaccine. Consider it if you will spend a lot of time in remote areas far from medical care, have close animal contact, stay a long time, or are traveling with young children.
The pre-trip shots do not remove the need for treatment after a bite, but they make that treatment simpler and buy you time — which matters when help is far away.
Either way: if any animal bites or scratches you, wash the wound well and get medical care right away.
07
You may already be protected, which can save you money and needles.
Finding old records: There is no national US vaccine database. Try the clinic that gave the shots, your childhood or school records, past employers, or your current doctor. If you cannot find them, a blood titer test can check whether you are still protected.
| VACCINE | PROTECTION |
|---|---|
| Hepatitis A | One dose covers your trip; the full two-dose series lasts 20+ years |
| Typhoid (shot) | About 2 years |
| Typhoid (oral) | About 5 years |
| Yellow fever | For life |
Can't find your records? You have two choices: a blood test to check if you are still protected, or simply get the shot again. For these vaccines, an extra dose is safe and will not harm you — many travelers just re-vaccinate when time is short.
Yellow fever is the one exception: you want the actual certificate, not just a memory of the shot. If you lost your card, getting another dose gives you a valid certificate again.
08
You can still be protected. Most shots work if given about two weeks before you leave. Yellow fever needs 10 days to become valid. Some malaria pills can start just one to two days before departure. Come in anyway — last-minute travelers can almost always be helped. We offer same-day appointments.
For full protection with multi-dose vaccines, the ideal is to come in 4 to 6 weeks before you go.
09
Traveling with children
Most vaccines are safe for kids, often at adjusted doses. Rabies is worth discussing, since children are more likely to approach animals.
Pregnant travelers
Some shots are fine and some are not. Malaria is especially dangerous in pregnancy. Talk to us before booking a safari.
Over 60
Most vaccines are well tolerated, but the yellow fever vaccine carries slightly higher risks in this age group, so it needs a quick individual review.
10
We keep pricing simple and upfront. Every travel visit includes a one-time $90 office visit fee that covers your consultation, the shots, and any travel prescriptions. Vaccines are priced separately depending on which ones you get.
Insurance is not accepted for travel vaccines, but we can give you a receipt to submit for possible reimbursement.
See the full list on our travel vaccine prices page.
We handle the whole plan in one visit: work out exactly what you need, give the shots, write your malaria prescription, and provide your yellow fever certificate.
35 W 36th Street, Suite 7E
New York, NY 10018
(212) 696-5900
This page is general information, not medical advice for your specific trip. Your plan depends on your health and your exact itinerary. See a travel medicine provider before you go.
