Do I need malaria tablets for Tanzania?

For most travellers, yes — Tanzania and Zanzibar are malaria areas. The right medication depends on your health and itinerary, so get a prescription and advice from your doctor or a travel clinic before you go.

Is there malaria on Kilimanjaro?

Risk is low at the high altitudes of the climb itself, as mosquitoes don't thrive up there, but the lower slopes, towns and the rest of Tanzania do carry risk. Take precautions for the trip as a whole.

Is there malaria in Zanzibar?

Yes, Zanzibar is a malaria-risk area, so the same precautions — prophylaxis, repellent and nets — apply on the islands as on the mainland.

Malaria in Tanzania: What You Need to Know

The short answer

Tanzania, including Zanzibar, is a malaria-risk area, so protection is important: take antimalarial medication prescribed by your doctor, use insect repellent, sleep under nets and cover up at dusk. Risk is lower at Kilimanjaro's high altitude but present elsewhere. Always seek personalised medical advice before you travel.

Malaria is a real but very manageable risk in Tanzania, and it shouldn't put you off — millions visit safely every year. The key is sensible preparation: the right medication and a few simple habits to avoid mosquito bites. Here's a clear overview, though your doctor's advice always comes first.

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Is there malaria in Tanzania?

Yes. Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar are malaria-risk areas, with mosquitoes most active between dusk and dawn. The risk is generally lower at high altitude — for example on the upper slopes of Kilimanjaro — but you should assume risk in the parks, on the coast and on Zanzibar.

Important

This is general information, not medical advice. Visit your doctor or a travel clinic four to six weeks before you travel for prophylaxis suited to you and the latest guidance.

How to protect yourself

›Take antimalarial tablets exactly as prescribed — before, during and after your trip
›Use insect repellent (DEET or equivalent) on exposed skin at dusk and after dark
›Wear long sleeves and trousers in the evenings
›Sleep under a mosquito net and/or in screened, air-conditioned rooms
›Consider permethrin-treated clothing for extra protection

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Know the symptoms

Malaria symptoms — fever, chills, headache, body aches — can appear from a week after exposure up to months later, even after you've returned home. If you develop a fever during or after your trip, seek medical attention promptly and tell the doctor you've been in a malaria area. Treated early, malaria is very manageable.

Frequently Asked Questions

: For most travellers, yes — Tanzania and Zanzibar are malaria areas. The right medication depends on your health and itinerary, so get a prescription and advice from your doctor or a travel clinic before you go.
: Risk is low at the high altitudes of the climb itself, as mosquitoes don't thrive up there, but the lower slopes, towns and the rest of Tanzania do carry risk. Take precautions for the trip as a whole.
: Yes, Zanzibar is a malaria-risk area, so the same precautions — prophylaxis, repellent and nets — apply on the islands as on the mainland.

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