What Vaccinations Does Ethiopia Require for German Travellers in 2026?

Quick answer: German citizenship alone does not create a yellow fever certificate requirement for Ethiopia. A certificate is required for travellers aged 9 months or older arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk, including travellers who have transited for more than 12 hours through a risk country's airport. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for most travellers aged 9 months or older, except that it is generally not recommended for itineraries limited to Afar or Somali.

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travellers of all ages visiting Ethiopia. Malaria prevention depends on altitude and itinerary: the Ethiopian Public Health Institute reports year-round risk below 2,000 metres, with no malaria risk in Addis Ababa. This guide is for German citizens travelling from Germany in 2026; requirements can depend on the complete route, not only nationality or departure airport.

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

Vaccination overview for German travellers to Ethiopia

Health measure	Entry requirement	Travel-health recommendation
Yellow fever	Required for travellers aged 9 months or older arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk, including qualifying airport transit of more than 12 hours.	Recommended for most Ethiopia itineraries; generally not recommended when travel is limited to Afar or Somali.
Hepatitis A	No entry requirement is stated in the supplied research.	Recommended for unvaccinated travellers of all ages visiting Ethiopia.
Routine vaccinations	No Ethiopia-specific entry rule is stated in the supplied research.	CDC advises travellers to be up to date with vaccinations recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Malaria prevention	Malaria medication is not an immigration requirement.	Use mosquito-bite prevention and obtain personalised advice about preventive medication for risk areas.

Vaccination decisions should be based on your route, activities, health history, pregnancy status, age and previous doses. A German travel-medicine doctor or vaccination centre can review these factors before departure. If your trip includes remote parks or high-altitude areas, compare the route in your Ethiopia safari itinerary with your health plan rather than relying on the capital-city conditions alone.

Yellow fever certificate rules for Ethiopia

Ethiopia requires proof of yellow fever vaccination for travellers aged 9 months or older who arrive from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission. The rule also covers travellers who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport in a country with yellow fever transmission risk.

For a traveller departing from Germany, the key question is therefore the complete itinerary. A direct route from Germany is different from a journey that includes a qualifying transit in a yellow-fever-risk country. Check every connection, including the length of an airport layover, before deciding whether you need to carry an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP). CDC guidance states that travellers must comply with entry requirements by showing an ICVP containing evidence of vaccination or a medical waiver.

Do not assess the rule only by whether you leave the airport. The CDC says the full itinerary should be considered, including transfers where a traveller may need to pass through immigration for accommodation or during a long layover. If your route changes after vaccination, recheck the requirement against the new transit countries.

Ethiopia's yellow fever recommendation is broader than its border-control rule. The vaccine is recommended for all travellers aged 9 months or older, except it is generally not recommended for travellers whose itineraries are limited to Afar or Somali. This means a traveller may be advised to vaccinate even when an entry certificate is not required for the route.

Carry the original vaccination certificate with your passport and keep a digital backup. The certificate is a travel document, while the medical decision about whether vaccination is suitable belongs with a qualified clinician. Travellers with a contraindication should ask a travel-medicine provider about the official medical-waiver process before departure; the CDC identifies a medical waiver as an alternative form of documentation where applicable.

Recommended vaccinations for Ethiopia and timing

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travellers of all ages travelling to Ethiopia. Ask a German doctor or travel clinic to check whether you have already received the relevant vaccination course and whether your planned departure leaves enough time for an appropriate schedule. The supplied CDC research does not specify a universal number of days before departure for this vaccine, so confirm the current schedule with your clinician.

Yellow fever

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for most Ethiopia itineraries for travellers aged 9 months or older, but it is generally not recommended when travel is limited to Afar or Somali. Whether it is medically appropriate can depend on age, immune status, allergies, pregnancy and other conditions. A clinician should assess those factors and provide the ICVP when vaccination is given.

Routine vaccinations

The U.S. Department of State advises travellers to be up to date on vaccinations recommended by the CDC. For German travellers, this means reviewing your German vaccination record with a doctor and checking that routine protection is current. The research supplied for this article does not establish an Ethiopia-specific list of routine vaccines or a separate compulsory routine-vaccine certificate, so do not treat general travel blogs as a substitute for official or clinical advice.

There is no single vaccine list that fits every German visitor. A short Addis Ababa stay, a high-altitude cultural route and a lowland safari can involve different health considerations. Share your accommodation style, rural travel, animal contact, season and onward destinations with the clinician. You can also review the wider Ethiopia entry requirements guide alongside your vaccination documents.

Malaria in Ethiopia: risk areas, prophylaxis and prevention

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute reports malaria risk throughout the year in the country below 2,000 metres. Its summary describes the parasite mix as approximately 60% Plasmodium falciparum and 40% Plasmodium vivax, and reports no malaria risk in Addis Ababa.

Altitude therefore matters. A trip based in Addis Ababa is not the same as travel to lower-lying regions, and a route can move between areas with different risk profiles. Give your doctor a destination-by-destination itinerary, including overnight stops, road transfers and safari extensions.

EPHI classifies the relevant malaria prevention approach as type C in risk areas: mosquito-bite prevention plus atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine chemoprophylaxis, selected according to drug resistance, side effects and contraindications. EPHI also reports resistance of P. vivax to chloroquine in Ethiopia. These medicines are not interchangeable for every traveller, so do not self-prescribe or use leftover tablets.

• Ask a doctor whether preventive medication is appropriate for every part of your itinerary.
• Use mosquito-bite prevention in risk areas, including repellent, covered clothing and suitable sleeping protection.
• Tell the clinician about pregnancy, allergies, mental-health history, chronic conditions and current medicines before a prescription is chosen.
• Seek medical advice promptly if you develop a fever during or after travel and explain that you visited a malaria-risk area.

The supplied research supports the risk classification and medication options above, but it does not provide one universal start date, dosing schedule or post-travel duration. Your prescriber should give those instructions for the medicine selected and the dates of your journey.

Health documents and travel insurance

Keep your passport, vaccination record, ICVP where applicable, prescriptions and medical letters together in your hand luggage. If yellow fever rules apply to your route, border officials may require the ICVP as evidence of vaccination or a medical waiver.

Ask your insurer what medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation are covered before booking remote travel. The supplied official sources do not specify an Ethiopia insurance requirement or a minimum policy level, so confirm the terms directly with your insurer rather than relying on a generic policy summary.

Make a written record of prescription names, active ingredients, doses and your doctor's contact details. This is particularly useful if a medicine is lost, delayed or unavailable under the same brand name in Ethiopia. Travellers comparing routes can compare safari packages on SafariFind once the medical demands of each itinerary are clear; a highland itinerary and a lowland itinerary should not be treated as identical health products.

Medication rules and what to pack

The U.S. State Department advises travellers to carry prescription medication in its original packaging together with the doctor's prescription. It also states that if the quantity exceeds what would be expected for personal use, a permit from Ethiopia's Ministry of Health is required.

Before departure, check that every medicine is legal to bring into Ethiopia. The State Department advises contacting the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration at +251-11-552-41-22 or 8484 to confirm legality. Because medication rules and contact arrangements can change, verify the details directly before travelling.

• Pack medicines in original labelled packaging and carry the prescription.
• Bring a copy of your medication list, including generic names and doses.
• Carry essential medication in hand luggage rather than placing it in checked baggage.
• Ask the EFDA about any medicine that could be controlled, restricted or needed in unusually large quantities.
• Pack insect repellent and suitable clothing for mosquito-bite prevention in malaria-risk areas.

Do not assume that a medicine permitted in Germany is automatically permitted in Ethiopia. The official advice is to check legality with the EFDA, particularly when carrying quantities beyond ordinary personal use.

Health facilities, altitude and emergencies in Ethiopia

Many Ethiopian cities, including Addis Ababa, are at high altitude. The U.S. State Department advises travellers to be aware of altitude-sickness symptoms and take precautions before travelling to high-altitude locations. Tell your doctor if your itinerary includes Addis Ababa or other elevated destinations, especially if you have a condition that may be affected by altitude.

The State Department says the U.S. Embassy maintains a list of doctors and hospitals but does not endorse or recommend a specific provider. This is a useful starting point for identifying medical facilities, but it is not a guarantee of availability, quality or suitability for your particular emergency.

Air pollution can be a significant problem in some overseas destinations, according to the State Department's Ethiopia travel information. Travellers with respiratory conditions should discuss their itinerary and medication plan with their doctor and monitor local conditions during the trip.

For a safari or rural journey, ask your operator how medical assistance is arranged, where the nearest facility is and how an evacuation would work. Record emergency contacts offline because mobile coverage and internet access can vary by location. Your operator's plan does not replace travel insurance or medical advice.

Final checklist for German citizens travelling to Ethiopia

• Check whether any transit country creates a yellow fever certificate requirement.
• Arrange a travel-health consultation and review your routine vaccinations.
• Ask about hepatitis A vaccination if you are unvaccinated.
• Discuss yellow fever vaccination for your route, particularly if you will leave Addis Ababa or visit areas outside Afar and Somali.
• Map malaria risk by altitude and ask whether chemoprophylaxis is suitable.
• Carry the ICVP, prescriptions and medicines in original packaging where relevant.
• Confirm medicine legality and quantity rules with the EFDA before departure.
• Review altitude, air-quality, medical-facility and insurance arrangements for your exact itinerary.

Health and entry rules change. Recheck Ethiopia's official requirements, the latest medical guidance and every transit-country rule immediately before travelling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do German citizens need a yellow fever certificate for Ethiopia?

Not solely because they are German citizens. Ethiopia requires a certificate for travellers aged 9 months or older arriving from a country with yellow fever transmission risk, including qualifying transits of more than 12 hours through a risk country.

Is yellow fever vaccination recommended for a trip to Ethiopia?

Yes, it is recommended for most travellers aged 9 months or older. It is generally not recommended when the itinerary is limited to Afar or Somali.

Does a transit airport count for Ethiopia's yellow fever rule?

Yes, a transit of more than 12 hours through an airport in a country with yellow fever transmission risk can trigger the certificate requirement. The full itinerary should be checked, including transfers involving immigration or accommodation during a long layover.

What vaccinations are recommended for German travellers to Ethiopia?

Hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travellers of all ages, and the CDC advises travellers to be up to date with recommended routine vaccinations. Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for most Ethiopia itineraries.

Is hepatitis A vaccination required to enter Ethiopia?

The supplied research does not state that hepatitis A vaccination is an entry requirement. It does state that hepatitis A vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travellers of all ages visiting Ethiopia.

Is there malaria in Addis Ababa?

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute reports no malaria risk in Addis Ababa. It reports year-round malaria risk elsewhere in Ethiopia below 2,000 metres, so the rest of the itinerary must be assessed separately.

Which malaria tablets are used in Ethiopia?

For type-C malaria-risk areas, EPHI lists atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline or mefloquine alongside mosquito-bite prevention. A clinician must select the medicine based on resistance patterns, side effects, contraindications and your personal health history.

What medication documents should I carry in Ethiopia?

Carry prescription medicines in their original packaging with your doctor's prescription. If the quantity exceeds what would normally be expected for personal use, the State Department says a Ministry of Health permit is required.

Can I bring my prescription medicine into Ethiopia?

Check its legality with the Ethiopian Food and Drug Administration before travelling. The official travel information gives EFDA contact numbers of +251-11-552-41-22 and 8484 for this check.

Can altitude affect travellers in Ethiopia?

Yes, many Ethiopian cities, including Addis Ababa, are at high altitude, and travellers should be aware of altitude-sickness symptoms and take precautions. Discuss an elevated itinerary with a doctor before departure.

Do German citizens need a visa for Ethiopia?

Visa requirements are separate from vaccination and health rules. Check the current requirements for German passport holders in SafariFind's guide to the Ethiopia visa for German citizens, and confirm the current rule on Ethiopia's official visa portal before travelling.