Namibia Vaccinations & Health Rules 2026 for Indians

Quick answer: Namibia does not generally recommend yellow fever vaccination for travel within Namibia, but it requires proof of vaccination for travellers aged 9 months and older arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk, including a qualifying airport transit of more than 12 hours. Indian citizens should check their complete flight itinerary rather than relying only on their passport nationality.

Before travelling, review routine vaccinations and discuss hepatitis A, typhoid, malaria prevention and any personal medical needs with a healthcare professional. Travel-health guidance recommends seeking advice several weeks before departure; the Canadian travel-health authority suggests visiting a provider preferably 6 weeks before travel, while UK guidance recommends checking advice at least 8 weeks before departure.

Last checked July 2026 — always confirm with official sources before travelling.

Vaccination checklist for Indian citizens visiting Namibia

Vaccine or health measure	Namibia entry rule or travel-health recommendation	What Indian travellers should do
Yellow fever	Required for travellers aged 9 months or older arriving from a yellow-fever-risk country, including a qualifying airport transit of more than 12 hours. Namibia itself has no reported yellow fever risk in the cited travel advice.	Review every connection. If the rule applies, carry the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, commonly called the yellow card.
Routine vaccines	Travellers should ensure routine vaccinations are up to date.	Ask a clinician to review your vaccination history, including routine childhood and adult protection.
Hepatitis A	Recommended for unvaccinated travellers aged 1 year or older going to Namibia. Infants aged 6–11 months should also be vaccinated in the CDC guidance, although that dose does not count towards the routine two-dose series.	Discuss timing with a travel-health provider, especially for family travel.
Typhoid	Recommended for most travellers, particularly people staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities and rural areas.	Discuss it if your itinerary includes rural communities, local food and water exposure, or extended travel.
Cholera	Vaccination may be considered for travellers going to areas of active cholera transmission.	Ask whether your specific itinerary and health circumstances justify vaccination.
Malaria	The need for preventive medicine depends on the destination, season, activities and personal health factors; the cited research does not establish one nationwide prescription for every Namibia itinerary.	Ask a clinician or travel clinic for a route-specific assessment and use mosquito-bite precautions.

Vaccines are recommendations for personal protection unless identified as an entry requirement. A vaccine listed as recommended does not automatically mean that Namibia's border authorities will ask for proof of it. Conversely, the yellow fever certificate rule can apply because of a transit point even when Namibia itself is not a yellow fever-risk destination.

If you are planning a wildlife itinerary, you can also compare Namibia safari parks and routes for 2026 while checking the health advice for each stop. Travellers can compare safari packages on SafariFind once their medical and entry-document planning is in place.

Yellow fever certificate rules for Indian travellers

Namibia requires travellers aged 9 months or older to show a yellow fever vaccination certificate when travelling from a country with risk of yellow fever virus transmission. The CDC also includes airport transits or layovers of more than 12 hours in a yellow-fever-risk country.

For an Indian citizen, the decisive issue is the full journey: departure point, connection airports and the length and conditions of any transit. A direct itinerary or a connection outside a yellow-fever-risk country may produce a different result from an itinerary that routes through a risk country. Check the current Namibia entry rule with an official Namibian mission or relevant government authority before departure, particularly if the airline changes your routing.

Carry the original International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, or ICVP, if the requirement applies. The U.S. Embassy in Namibia refers to this as the WHO Immunization Record or "yellow card".

Under the International Health Regulations, a completed yellow fever ICVP is considered valid for the life of the vaccinated person; the CDC notes that the yellow fever booster requirement was eliminated from the regulations in 2016. Keep the certificate with your passport and other travel documents rather than in checked baggage.

Medical exemptions

Travellers with a medical contraindication may be able to obtain a medical waiver at the discretion of a clinician. The U.S. Embassy guidance says the clinician should complete and sign the medical-contraindications section of the ICVP and provide a signed, dated exemption letter on letterhead, validated with the uniform stamp of the yellow fever vaccination centre. Reasons other than medical contraindications are not accepted as exemptions under that guidance.

A waiver may not be accepted in every border situation, so discuss the risk with a travel-medicine clinician before relying on one. Do not make a medical decision about yellow fever vaccination solely to satisfy an itinerary; individual age, immune status and other health factors must also be considered.

Recommended vaccinations and timing

Begin with a review of your existing vaccination record. Routine vaccination protection should be current regardless of destination, and travel-health authorities recommend arranging advice several weeks before departure.

• At least 6–8 weeks before departure: arrange a travel-health appointment, review routine vaccines and discuss hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera and any itinerary-specific advice. The exact schedule depends on the vaccine, your age, previous doses and medical history.
• Before finalising flights: inspect every transit airport for yellow fever risk and check whether any layover exceeds the applicable threshold. The CDC identifies a transit of more than 12 hours as relevant to Namibia's entry requirement.
• Before departure: collect your vaccination records, prescriptions, insurance information and any ICVP that your route requires. Confirm current requirements with official sources because airlines and border authorities may check documents during the journey.
• If departure is soon: seek advice even when the recommended planning window has passed. The Canadian travel-health guidance says it is still worthwhile to make an appointment when travel is imminent.

Hepatitis A is recommended for unvaccinated travellers aged 1 year or older in the CDC Namibia guidance. Typhoid is recommended for most travellers, with particular relevance to rural travel, smaller cities and visits to friends or relatives. A clinician can separate vaccines that are broadly useful from those that only make sense for a longer, rural or higher-exposure itinerary.

Malaria in Namibia: risk assessment and prevention

Malaria advice should be based on the exact area, travel dates, accommodation, activities and your health profile. The research supplied for this article does not support a single countrywide malaria-tablet rule or a reliable list of risk zones, so do not assume that one prescription applies to every Namibia safari.

Ask a travel-health clinician whether malaria prophylaxis is appropriate for your route and when to start, continue and stop any prescribed medicine. This is especially important for pregnancy, children, immune conditions, medication interactions and travel to remote areas. Do not self-prescribe antimalarial medicine based on advice for another African country.

Use mosquito-bite protection as part of the plan. The available travel-health guidance recommends insect repellent on exposed skin, long sleeves and long trousers, and an impregnated mosquito net when sleeping in the countryside or other areas where mosquito exposure is possible.

Seek medical care promptly for a fever or illness during or after travel and tell the clinician where you travelled. Malaria symptoms can resemble other illnesses, so a recent safari itinerary is clinically relevant. For a self-drive route, read Namibia safari car-rental routes and risks before choosing remote areas where access to care may be limited.

Health documents and travel insurance

Carry a passport, vaccination record and any required ICVP in your hand luggage. If you have a medical condition, take a concise letter from your clinician describing the condition and prescribed treatment. Ask the issuing clinician or official health authority whether additional certification is needed for your particular document.

Travel insurance should cover medical treatment and unexpected medical evacuation. UK government advice says travellers should check that their destination can provide the healthcare they may need and have appropriate insurance, particularly when they have a health condition or are pregnant.

Check the policy's exclusions, limits, claims process and acceptance in Namibia before departure. Private Namibian hospitals may insist on payment before treatment, and some insurance products may not be recognised by some hospitals; travellers may need to pay and reclaim from the insurer.

Keep your insurer's emergency number, policy number, passport copy and key medical information accessible offline. These are practical preparations, not substitutes for confirming your policy's terms.

Medication rules and what to pack

The research supplied here does not specify Namibia's current import limits or documentation requirements for particular prescription medicines. Confirm the current rules with the Namibian authorities, your airline and your prescribing clinician before travelling, especially for controlled medicines, injectable medicines or medicines requiring refrigeration.

• Carry medicines in their original labelled packaging and bring only the quantity permitted by the applicable rules.
• Carry a prescription and a clinician's letter describing the medicine and why you need it.
• Keep essential medicines in hand luggage and store them according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• Pack drinking water for hot, dry conditions and plan hydration for long drives; UK travel advice specifically warns that Namibia's hot, dry climate can cause dehydration.
• Pack sun protection, suitable clothing, insect repellent and any personal medical supplies needed for time away from towns. Insect-bite precautions are recommended in the cited travel-health guidance.

Do not buy a medicine solely because it appears on a generic safari checklist. A clinician or pharmacist should check whether it is safe with your existing medicines, allergies, pregnancy status and medical conditions.

Health facilities and emergencies in Namibia

Medical facilities are strongest in Windhoek according to UK government travel advice, while access and standards can vary in rural areas. Private hospitals may request payment before treatment, even when you have travel insurance.

In an emergency, UK government guidance lists 211111 for an ambulance in Windhoek and 10111 elsewhere in Namibia. Confirm these numbers before travel because emergency arrangements can change.

Before leaving Windhoek or another large centre for a remote safari, confirm how your operator handles evacuation, what communication is available and which facility would receive you. This is particularly relevant for multi-day drives, remote camps and self-drive routes. If your trip focuses on conservation areas, the 2026 guide to black rhino conservation in Namibia can help you understand why some wildlife experiences take place far from major medical facilities.

For entry documentation beyond health certificates, use SafariFind's guide to the Namibia visa requirements for Indian citizens in 2026. Visa rules and vaccination rules are separate checks, so confirm both before booking.

Important: This article is informational content, not legal or medical advice. Vaccination, certificate, transit, medication and healthcare rules can change. Confirm your route and current requirements with official Namibian authorities, your airline and a qualified travel-health professional before travelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Indian citizens need a yellow fever certificate for Namibia?

Indian citizens need a yellow fever certificate if they are aged 9 months or older and arrive from a yellow-fever-risk country, including after a qualifying airport transit of more than 12 hours. The requirement depends on the complete itinerary, so check every connection before departure.

Is yellow fever vaccination recommended for travel to Namibia?

Yellow fever vaccination is not generally recommended solely for travel to Namibia because Namibia has no reported yellow fever risk in the cited guidance. A certificate can still be an entry requirement when the traveller comes from, or has a qualifying transit through, a yellow-fever-risk country.

How long must a yellow fever transit be to affect Namibia entry?

The CDC identifies an airport transit or layover of more than 12 hours in a country with yellow fever transmission risk as relevant to Namibia's entry requirement. Confirm the rule for your exact itinerary with official sources and your airline.

Which vaccines are recommended for Indian travellers to Namibia?

Routine vaccines should be up to date, while hepatitis A is recommended for unvaccinated travellers aged 1 year or older and typhoid is recommended for most travellers. Cholera vaccination may be considered for travel to areas of active transmission.

How early should I get Namibia travel vaccinations?

Arrange a travel-health appointment around 6–8 weeks before departure where possible. It is still worthwhile to seek professional advice if your trip is sooner, because the appropriate schedule depends on your previous vaccinations and health circumstances.

Do I need malaria tablets for a Namibia safari?

The decision depends on your exact route, dates, activities and personal health factors, and the research does not support one malaria-tablet rule for every Namibia itinerary. Ask a travel-health clinician for route-specific advice and use mosquito-bite protection.

What yellow fever document should I carry for Namibia?

Carry the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis, also called the ICVP or yellow card, when your itinerary triggers Namibia's yellow fever certificate requirement. Keep the original document with your passport and other hand luggage.

Can I get a yellow fever medical waiver for Namibia?

A clinician may provide a medical waiver when yellow fever vaccination is medically contraindicated, but acceptance can depend on border authorities. The waiver should be completed and validated according to the ICVP and vaccination-centre requirements described by the U.S. Embassy in Namibia.

Does travel insurance cover medical treatment in Namibia?

Coverage depends on the policy, and travellers should confirm that it covers local treatment and unexpected medical evacuation. Some private hospitals may require payment before treatment, and some insurance products may not be accepted by some Namibian hospitals.

What is Namibia's ambulance number for travellers?

The cited UK government advice lists 211111 in Windhoek and 10111 elsewhere in Namibia. Confirm emergency arrangements and numbers before travel because information can change.