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Botswana is one of the best places to visit in Africa for wildlife lovers. The country has dedicated nearly half of its entire area to national parks and wildlife tourism. The Moremi Game Reserve is home to the world renowned Okavango Delta, an oasis of life surrounded by the Kalahari Desert. Given the complex nature of the country, you'll need to travel safely and make sure you’ve had all the vaccinations needed for Botswana. To begin with, think about your childhood immunisations, are they up to date? Tetanus, diphtheria and MMR vaccines are all important considerations. Other core vaccinations needed for Botswana include typhoid and hepatitis A. If you’re travelling for prolonged periods, or visiting remote parts of the country, then you will also need to consider some specialist inoculations for Botswana, such as rabies, hepatitis B or cholera. Yellow fever is not a risk, so you won't need the yellow fever vaccination for Botswana. Sometimes it can seem all a bit complicated and you might find trying to figure out what vaccinations you need for Botswana quite confusing. Please don't worry, we’re happy to help and can make expert recommendations for your inoculations for Botswana, based on a careful risk assessment. As a starter, have a look at our useful travel vaccination guide below.
What travel vaccinations do I need for Botswana?
Dr Ravi Gowda, Consultant in Infectious Diseases or one of his highly trained clinical colleagues will be looking after your Botswana vaccine requirements. Find out more about the Health Klinix team.
Who will be providing your travel injections for Botswana?
"Don't forget that when you go on safari, some of the diseases you might encounter are not always covered by vaccinations. For example, African trypanosomiasis is transmitted by the tsetse fly and other insect transmitted diseases include African tick bite fever, Rift Valley fever and the West Nile virus. So it’s vital to try and protect yourself from insect bites with the following measures;
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Wear long sleeved clothing in neutral colours
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Apply insect repellent containing 50% DEET, saltidin, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus
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Sleep under mosquito nets
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Avoid walking in tall grass or bushy areas
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After spending time outdoors, travellers should inspect their bodies for ticks and remove any ticks promptly with tweezers designed for removal
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If you develop symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, or rash after being bitten by a tick, seek medical attention immediately."
Dr Gowda's top tip for travel to Botswana
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Frequently asked questions
The total cost is likely to vary depending on which vaccinations you need for your trip. You can see the recommended vaccinations and the price per dose in the table above.
Please note; you will need to book a travel consultation before we can administer travel vaccinations and this costs £30 (1 person).
Some vaccines last a lifetime after the primary schedule such as hepatitis B. Other vaccines like cholera will need to be restarted every 2 years to maintain good immunity
Come and talk to us as soon as possible and at least 4 weeks of your trip as some vaccine courses take a month to complete. If you don’t have time, don’t worry as there are accelerated courses we can offer you, so please do have a chat with us.
Most travel vaccinations are well tolerated. Some like typhoid can occasionally cause muscle aches and fever but these usually subside within a day or so
Following a careful travel risk assessment, inactivated vaccines like typhoid and hepatitis A may be given if the risk of the disease is significant. However, there is a risk of malaria in Northern Botswana and if you’re pregnant then we’d advise you not to travel. This is because malaria can be severe in pregnancy and can be harmful to the baby.
Yes, but usually with lower paediatric doses. Some vaccines for Botswana will have lower age limits and you can find more information on the individual vaccine pages.
Yes, very much so and you should have a lower threshold for travel vaccinations as you can have a more severe illness than a healthy individual.
You're at high risk of malaria in Northern Botswana from November to June and low risk from July to October. For Southern Botswana, you’re at very low risk throughout the year. However, at all times you should be aware of the risks and take steps to avoid mosquito bites in all areas throughout the whole year and be aware of the symptoms of malaria fever.
Recommended malaria tablets for Bolivia
Malaria tablets are mainly recommended for Northern Botswana from November to June, however you might still need malaria tablets even if you’re travelling through a low risk area. It all depends on you as an individual and the type of journey you’re making. Don’t worry, we can help you make that decision after a travel risk assessment.
The table below is a guide for the malaria tablets you’ll need for Botswana - the type of malaria tablets will depend on your individual circumstances, so please ask us for advice.
Malaria risk map for Botswana
CDC Yellow Book
You're not at risk of yellow fever in Botswana but there may be a yellow fever vaccine certificate requirement Just ask us for advice if you need any help, and we always recommend reading the helpful information found on the World Health Organization for specific yellow fever vaccine certificate requirements.
Botswana's fascination lies in its wilderness and diverse landscapes. Although the country is largely made up of desert and dry grassland, the Okavango Delta floods from the mountain watersheds of Angola and this creates an oasis teaming with wildlife. It's surrounded by the arid and seemingly lifeless, hostile environment of the Kalahari Desert but it's actually the home of the meerkats and iconic boab tree. The most obvious activity would be to book a safari in Botswana. Here you’re spoilt for choice with the Moremi Game Reserve, the Chobe National Park and the Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Some of the more remote safari lodges in the Okovango Delta are quite upmarket and naturally the prices reflect this. If you’re a budget traveller then you might want to visit in the summer season (November- March) when prices are significantly cheaper.
All about Botswana
Additional health advice and risks for Botswana
You may also be at risk of the following diseases:
Just ask us for advice if you need any help, and we always recommend reading the helpful information found on the World Health Organization for specific yellow fever vaccine certificate requirements.
Botswana vaccine certificate requirements
Authors:
Dr Ravi Gowda, Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Travel Medicine
MBBS, MRCP (UK), DTM &H, MRCGP, DCH, DRCOG, DFFP
Caitlin Lancaster, BSc
Resources: