Heading to Rwanda? Most UK travellers are advised to be up to date with hepatitis A, typhoid and their tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster, with malaria prevention important countrywide and a yellow fever certificate required for entry. Crewe Travel Clinic can confirm your personal list at a consultation.
For Rwanda, most UK travellers are advised to be up to date with hepatitis A, typhoid and a tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster, while hepatitis B and rabies may be recommended depending on your trip. A yellow fever certificate is required for entry for all travellers aged 1 and over, and malaria prevention is important as malaria is present countrywide. Crewe Travel Clinic can review your itinerary and confirm exactly which vaccines, your yellow fever certificate and malaria tablets you need.
Rwanda, the "land of a thousand hills", has become one of East Africa's most rewarding destinations for UK travellers, best known for mountain gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, chimpanzee tracking in Nyungwe Forest, and big-game safaris in Akagera. Most visitors fly into Kigali, a clean and welcoming capital that sits at around 1,500 metres, before heading out to the rainforest, the lakeshore of Lake Kivu or the savannah. Whether you are on a short gorilla itinerary, a longer East Africa loop taking in Uganda, Tanzania or Kenya, or visiting friends and family, a little planning helps keep your trip healthy.
We recommend booking a travel health appointment around 6 to 8 weeks before you fly, as some vaccines need more than one dose or take time to become fully protective, and a yellow fever certificate only becomes valid ten days after vaccination. Even so, it is always worth coming in at shorter notice. At Crewe Travel Clinic we review your itinerary, planned activities, medical history and vaccination record, then give you a tailored plan. The recommendations below are general guidance based on NaTHNaC (TravelHealthPro) and NHS Fit for Travel advice, and your final list is always confirmed at your consultation.
Spread through contaminated food and water, hepatitis A is recommended for most travellers to Rwanda.
A combined booster is advised if your last dose was more than ten years ago or your UK course is incomplete.
Recommended where food and water hygiene may be variable, particularly for longer stays, rural travel and those visiting friends or relatives.
Considered for longer trips, possible medical or dental treatment abroad, adventure activities or other exposure to blood and body fluids.
Worth discussing for stays of a month or more, remote areas with limited medical care, or activities such as cycling, running, trekking and working with animals.
Usually only for aid and relief workers or those heading to areas with poor sanitation or active outbreaks.
May be considered for unvaccinated under-16s staying over three months, or healthcare workers with likely TB exposure.
Considered for longer stays in close contact with the local population, particularly during the dry season.
Malaria is present throughout Rwanda all year round, including in lower-lying rural areas and the eastern savannah around Akagera National Park, so prevention is important. Antimalarial tablets (atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine) are recommended for most itineraries, alongside thorough bite avoidance. Risk is generally lower in the higher-altitude areas of Kigali and the gorilla-trekking region around Volcanoes National Park, but it is not absent, so we still advise discussing tablets and taking bite-avoidance seriously. We will help you choose the right tablets for your dates, route and medical history, and advise on covering up at dusk and after dark, using DEET-based repellent and sleeping under a treated net where needed.
Rwanda requires a yellow fever vaccination certificate for entry. Proof of vaccination is required from all travellers aged 1 year and over, including those arriving directly from the UK. Although there is a low risk of yellow fever transmission within parts of the country, the vaccine is given primarily to meet this entry requirement, and the certificate becomes valid ten days after vaccination and now lasts for life. Yellow fever vaccine has some medical cautions, so it must be discussed and given at a registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre, which is why a consultation is essential before you travel.
Check yellow fever certificate requirementsStick to safe food and water practices: drink bottled or treated water, avoid ice of uncertain origin, and choose food that is freshly and thoroughly cooked. Insect-bite avoidance protects against malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses, so use a DEET-based repellent, cover up around dusk and after dark and use a net where needed. Avoid swimming or paddling in fresh water such as Lake Kivu, rivers and lakes to reduce the risk of schistosomiasis (bilharzia). Rabies is present, so do not approach dogs, cats, monkeys or bats, and seek urgent medical advice after any bite, scratch or lick on broken skin even if you have been vaccinated. Kigali and much of the country sit at altitude, and gorilla trekking can involve strenuous hikes at higher elevations, so pace yourself, stay hydrated and allow time to acclimatise. Take out comprehensive travel insurance covering trekking and medical evacuation, pack any regular medication in your hand luggage, and protect yourself from the strong equatorial sun.