What Vaccinations Does Madagascar Require for Swedish Travellers in 2026?

Quick answer: Madagascar does not recommend yellow fever vaccination for travel because there is no yellow fever transmission risk in Madagascar, but it can require an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) from travellers arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk. The CDC specifies this requirement for travellers aged 9 months and over, including people who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport in a risk country.

For Swedish citizens, the requirement is based on the complete itinerary rather than the passport alone. Typhoid, hepatitis A, routine vaccinations and, depending on your plans and medical history, other travel vaccines may be recommended. Malaria prevention is also a major consideration outside Antananarivo.

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

Before booking a route, review your itinerary with a qualified travel-health professional in Sweden. This is particularly important if your safari includes rural areas, longer stays, close contact with animals, pregnancy, immunosuppression, or existing medical conditions. The UK travel-health guidance recommends checking vaccine advice at least 8 weeks before departure.

Yellow fever certificate rules for Swedish travellers

Madagascar has no yellow fever transmission risk, so yellow fever vaccination is not generally recommended solely for a holiday in Madagascar. The entry requirement is different: Madagascar can require proof of vaccination when a traveller arrives from a country with yellow fever transmission risk.

The CDC’s Madagascar guidance says the certificate requirement applies to travellers aged 9 months and over arriving from yellow-fever-risk countries. It also includes travellers who have spent more than 12 hours in transit or on a layover at an airport in a country with yellow fever transmission risk.

Journey scenario	What the research indicates
Travel from a country without yellow fever transmission risk	The conditional Madagascar certificate rule is not triggered solely by that departure country; check the full itinerary before travel.
Arrival after visiting a yellow-fever-risk country	A yellow fever vaccination certificate may be required for travellers aged 9 months and over.
Transit of more than 12 hours through a risk country	The CDC states that the certificate requirement includes this type of transit.
Short airport transit in a risk country	Sources do not present identical wording: the CDC and NaTHNaC specify more than 12 hours, while the U.S. travel advisory uses a broader reference to having been in a risk country within the last 6 months. Confirm the current interpretation with the official Malagasy authorities, airline and health authorities for your routing.

Do not assess the rule only from the first flight departing Sweden. Check every airport where you may pass through immigration, leave the transit area, stay overnight, or face a long layover. The CDC advises considering the full itinerary, including transfers that may require a traveller to pass through an immigration checkpoint.

If vaccination is required, carry the original ICVP, often called the yellow vaccination booklet. The CDC states that a completed ICVP is valid for the life of the vaccinated person under the International Health Regulations, and NaTHNaC gives the same lifetime-validity position. A medical waiver may be documented on the certificate where appropriate, but a clinician must decide whether vaccination is medically suitable.

Recommended vaccinations and timing

Entry requirements and health recommendations are not the same. Madagascar’s conditional yellow fever rule is an administrative entry requirement; it does not mean that yellow fever vaccination is routinely recommended for a trip that does not involve a risk-country itinerary.

Routine vaccinations

Ask your Swedish healthcare provider to review your routine immunisations before departure. Travel-health guidance lists routine protection, including measles, mumps and rubella, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, among the vaccines that may be considered for Madagascar, alongside travel-specific vaccines. The right choice depends on your previous vaccination record, age, health and itinerary.

Hepatitis A and typhoid

Hepatitis A and typhoid are commonly discussed for travel to Madagascar because food and water exposure can occur, especially outside major hotels and cities. The CDC lists typhoid as recommended for most travellers, particularly those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Safari itineraries involving remote camps, village visits or smaller towns deserve a more detailed consultation than a short, city-based trip. A vaccine recommendation is individual medical advice, not an automatic entry requirement, so ask your clinician which products are appropriate for you.

Other vaccines to discuss

Depending on your activities, length of stay and medical history, a travel-health professional may discuss hepatitis B, rabies, influenza, polio, meningococcal disease, chickenpox, shingles and other vaccines. The available destination guidance lists these as possible recommendations, but it does not establish that every traveller needs them.

Rabies deserves particular discussion for travellers planning extended rural travel, cycling, trekking, work with animals, or journeys where rapid medical care may be difficult. Avoid touching unfamiliar mammals, including dogs, cats, bats and wildlife, and seek urgent medical advice after a bite or scratch. The supplied research supports discussing rabies vaccination but does not provide a Madagascar-specific post-exposure treatment schedule, so follow a clinician’s advice.

When should you arrange vaccinations?

Begin planning at least 8 weeks before departure. That gives a clinician time to review your vaccination history, consider multi-dose schedules, assess yellow fever eligibility if your route requires it, and discuss malaria prevention.

Do not postpone a consultation simply because your departure is closer than 8 weeks. A healthcare professional can advise what remains useful for your individual circumstances and whether any vaccines or medicines are unsuitable.

If you are combining Madagascar with another African destination, route planning becomes especially important. For example, a Madagascar safari and beach holiday may include several flight connections, and those transit points can affect yellow fever documentation even when Madagascar itself has no yellow fever risk.

Malaria in Madagascar: risk areas, medicines and prevention

The CDC identifies malaria transmission throughout Madagascar except in Antananarivo, where transmission is rare. For areas outside the capital, it recommends that travellers discuss prescription malaria prevention with a doctor.

Area	Research-based guidance
Madagascar outside Antananarivo	Malaria transmission occurs; the CDC lists atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine as possible chemoprophylaxis options.
Antananarivo	No chemoprophylaxis is recommended in the CDC guidance; insect-bite precautions and mosquito avoidance are advised.
All areas	Use a clinician’s advice because the medicine choice depends on your itinerary, health and prescription suitability.

Malaria prevention medicines are prescription decisions. The CDC notes that some medicines need to be started multiple days before travel and continued during and after the trip, depending on the medicine selected. Do not choose a drug solely from an online checklist: pregnancy, allergies, drug interactions, mental-health history and other conditions can affect suitability.

Medication is only one layer of protection. Reduce mosquito bites by using repellent, covering exposed skin, and following your accommodation’s advice about nets or screened rooms. The CDC specifically recommends insect-bite precautions in Antananarivo, and malaria prevention guidance supports mosquito avoidance as part of travel protection.

Fever during or after travel can require prompt medical assessment. Tell the clinician that you have been in Madagascar and explain any malaria medicine you took. The supplied sources do not specify a single timeframe during which malaria can appear after return, so do not rely on a fixed waiting period before seeking advice.

For route ideas, compare the logistics of a 7-day Madagascar safari for first-time visitors with longer itineraries. The more time you spend outside Antananarivo, particularly in rural or coastal regions, the more important a personalised malaria discussion becomes.

Food, water and other health precautions

UK travel advice states that tap water in Madagascar is unsafe and recommends drinking and using boiled or bottled water, while avoiding ice in drinks. Use the same standard when brushing your teeth if the water source is uncertain, and check that bottled containers are sealed.

Food and water precautions are particularly relevant when travelling between cities, staying in rural accommodation or eating outside established hotels. Wash or sanitise hands before meals, choose food that is thoroughly cooked and served hot, and ask your travel-health professional about diarrhoea treatment appropriate for you. The research does not provide a specific medicine or dosage, so do not self-prescribe from this article.

UK guidance also identifies malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis and mpox among health risks to consider in Madagascar. Discuss activities such as freshwater swimming, trekking and close contact with animals during your consultation, because exposure varies significantly by itinerary.

Health documents and travel insurance

Carry your vaccination record and, if your route triggers the requirement, your ICVP. Keep copies of prescriptions and important medical information separately from the originals. The CDC says travellers must comply with a country’s yellow fever entry requirement by showing an ICVP with evidence of vaccination or an indication of a medical waiver.

Travel insurance should be checked before departure for medical treatment, evacuation, pre-existing conditions and the activities included in your safari. UK travel advice says to contact your insurance company quickly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment. The supplied research does not specify a minimum insurance policy or coverage amount, so confirm the policy wording directly with the insurer.

Keep a written itinerary showing flight connections and transit durations. This is useful for checking the yellow fever rule because the requirement can depend on countries visited or transited through, not simply on Swedish citizenship.

For immigration and entry paperwork beyond health documentation, see the separate guide to the Madagascar visa for Swedish citizens in 2026. Visa rules and vaccination rules are separate checks.

Medication rules and what to pack

Pack enough prescribed medicine for the trip and keep it in its original labelled packaging. Bring a copy of the prescription or a letter from your doctor, particularly for controlled medicines, injectables, syringes or medicines that may need explanation at border controls. The available research does not provide a Madagascar-specific list of permitted or prohibited medicines, quantities or import forms, so confirm those details with the Malagasy authorities, your prescriber and airline before departure.

• Prescription medicines in original packaging, with supporting prescription information.
• Your vaccination record and ICVP if your itinerary requires yellow fever proof.
• Repellent and clothing that helps reduce mosquito exposure.
• Personal hygiene supplies and hand sanitiser for journeys between destinations.
• A basic first-aid kit suited to your activities, prepared with advice from a pharmacist or clinician.
• Copies of your insurance details, itinerary and emergency contacts.

Do not start, stop or share antimalarial medicines without medical advice. The CDC lists several possible options for Madagascar, but selection and timing depend on the medicine and the traveller.

Health facilities and emergencies in Madagascar

Medical care is available in larger Madagascan cities and towns, while travellers in rural areas may need to travel a long distance to reach a physician. Safari operators can usually advise on the nearest available facility for a particular camp, but confirm the plan before departure rather than assuming that every lodge has clinical staff.

Ask your operator how medical evacuation is handled, what communications are available at remote camps and which facility would receive you in an emergency. Confirm that your insurance covers the full route and safari activities.

Seek medical help promptly for serious illness, dehydration, breathing difficulty, severe allergic reaction, animal bites or scratches, or fever after mosquito exposure. Tell medical staff about your route, dates, vaccinations and malaria medicine. For a broader comparison of itineraries, travellers can compare verified Madagascar safari packages on SafariFind and then discuss the chosen route with a travel-health professional.

Health requirements can change after this article is published. Recheck official Malagasy entry information, your airline’s transit rules and current travel-health advice shortly before departure, especially if you add another country to your itinerary.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Swedish citizens need a yellow fever vaccine for Madagascar?

Not automatically: Madagascar’s yellow fever certificate rule depends on the countries you have visited or transited through, not simply on holding a Swedish passport. A certificate can be required for travellers aged 9 months and over arriving from a yellow-fever-risk country, including transit of more than 12 hours through a risk-country airport.

Is yellow fever vaccination recommended for Madagascar?

The CDC does not recommend yellow fever vaccination for travel to Madagascar itself because the country has no yellow fever transmission risk. Vaccination may still be needed for entry if your itinerary includes a yellow-fever-risk country.

Does a transit stop affect Madagascar’s yellow fever requirement?

Yes, it can. The CDC states that the requirement includes travellers who transit for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country with yellow fever transmission risk, so check every connection in your itinerary.

How long is a Madagascar yellow fever certificate valid?

A completed International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis is considered valid for the life of the vaccinated person under the International Health Regulations. Carry the certificate if your route triggers Madagascar’s entry requirement.

What vaccinations are recommended for a Madagascar safari?

Typhoid is recommended for most travellers by the CDC, especially for people visiting smaller cities or rural areas. A clinician may also discuss hepatitis A, routine vaccinations, rabies and other vaccines according to your activities, health and itinerary.

How early should I get travel vaccinations for Madagascar?

Start checking your vaccine recommendations at least 8 weeks before departure. This gives a travel-health professional time to review your records and discuss multi-dose vaccines, malaria prevention and route-specific yellow fever documentation.

Do I need malaria tablets for Madagascar?

The CDC recommends discussing prescription malaria prevention for areas outside Antananarivo, where malaria transmission occurs. It lists atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine as possible options, while no chemoprophylaxis is recommended for Antananarivo in its guidance.

Is there malaria in Antananarivo?

Malaria transmission in Antananarivo is rare, and the CDC recommends mosquito avoidance rather than chemoprophylaxis for the capital. Other parts of Madagascar have malaria transmission, so the rest of your itinerary matters.

Can I drink tap water in Madagascar?

No: UK travel advice says tap water in Madagascar is unsafe. Drink and use boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.

What health documents should Swedish travellers carry?

Carry your vaccination record and, when required by your route, the original International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis. Also keep prescription information, insurance details and your full flight itinerary available.

Do Swedish citizens need a visa for Madagascar?

Visa requirements are separate from vaccination and health rules, so check the current entry process in SafariFind’s guide to the Madagascar visa for Swedish citizens in 2026. This article does not establish visa eligibility, fees or processing conditions.