Yellow Fever, Malaria and Visas for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda

Entry rules and health advice are the least exciting part of planning a safari, and the part most worth getting right early. This guide covers the essentials for Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. Rules change, so always confirm the current position on the official government portals and with a travel clinic before you travel. We check the requirements for every route we book.

Passports

Your passport should be valid for at least six months after the date you leave East Africa, with at least two blank pages for entry stamps.

Visas and travel authorisations

Kenya

Kenya uses an electronic travel authorisation, the eTA, in place of a traditional visa for most visitors. Apply online through the official portal, etakenya.go.ke, before you travel, and allow several days for approval. Citizens of most African countries are exempt.

Tanzania

Most visitors need a visa, which can be applied for online through Tanzania’s official e-visa portal, eservices.immigration.go.tz. The fee depends on your nationality. Apply at least a few weeks ahead. Since 1 October 2026, foreign visitors to mainland Tanzania who are not resident in an EAC or SADC country must also buy the government inbound travel insurance (US$44 per adult, US$22 for children aged 3 to 17) at inbound.nicinsurance.co.tz, whatever other cover they hold. Zanzibar has required its own insurance since October 2024, bought at inbound.visitzanzibar.go.tz. Checked 27 October 2026.

Uganda

Most visitors need a visa, applied for online through Uganda’s official portal, visas.immigration.go.ug. Apply well before travel and carry a printed copy of the approval.

Rwanda

Rwanda has one of the most open visa policies in Africa: visitors of every nationality can get a visa on arrival, and many, including citizens of African countries, travel without a visa fee. Visas can also be arranged online through the official portal, irembo.gov.rw.

Combining countries

The East Africa Tourist Visa has long allowed travel between Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya on one document. Since Kenya introduced its eTA, ask us how it applies to your route before you choose between a regional visa and individual ones.

One rule for every country: use only the official government portals above. Third-party websites charge extra fees for the same application, and some are not genuine.

Yellow fever

• Uganda asks every arriving traveller for proof of yellow fever vaccination.
• Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda ask for a certificate if you arrive from, or transit for more than twelve hours through, a country with a risk of yellow fever.
• Kenya and Uganda are both on that list, so a trip that combines Kenya or Uganda with Tanzania or Rwanda will usually need a certificate.

The vaccine is given at registered clinics and the certificate is valid for life. In practice, most travellers on a multi-country East Africa safari are vaccinated, and many travel clinics recommend it for Kenya and Uganda regardless of border rules. Carry the certificate with your passport.

Malaria

Malaria is present in most safari areas of East Africa below around 1,800 metres, including the Maasai Mara, the Serengeti, Tarangire, the Lake Victoria region, the coast and Zanzibar. Nairobi and the higher highlands carry a much lower risk.

• Speak to your doctor or a travel clinic six to eight weeks before you travel. They will advise whether you need antimalarial tablets, and which ones suit you.
• Use insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin from dusk onwards.
• Wear long sleeves and trousers in the evening.
• Sleep under a mosquito net where one is provided. Most safari lodges and camps provide nets or screened rooms.

If you develop a fever during your trip or in the weeks after you return, see a doctor straight away and mention that you have been to a malaria area.

Other vaccinations

Travel clinics commonly recommend being up to date with routine vaccines, and often suggest hepatitis A, typhoid and tetanus for East Africa. Your clinic will advise on anything else, such as rabies or hepatitis B, based on your trip.

Travel insurance

Comprehensive travel insurance covering medical treatment, emergency evacuation and cancellation is a condition of travelling with Volcan. If your trip includes gorilla trekking or climbing, check that your policy covers those activities.

We check it for you

Every Volcan booking comes with the entry requirements for your nationality and route, and a reminder of what to apply for and when. Ask us if anything is unclear, and read our safari packing list for the documents to bring.

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Always follow the advice of your doctor or travel clinic.