Overview
Bolivia pairs Amazon lowlands carrying malaria and yellow-fever risk with an Andean high plateau that is free of both. Altitude is the thing to plan for first: La Paz sits at around 3,600 m, and Uyuni and Lake Titicaca are also high, where altitude sickness replaces malaria as the main concern.
Recommended vaccines
Malaria by region
Preventive tablets are advised in the high-risk northern zone, alongside bite protection. Elsewhere below 2,500 m, mosquito-bite protection is usually enough, with tablets for the most exposed travellers. If fever develops, get tested for malaria promptly.
Malaria risk is regional, concentrated in the areas detailed below.
Pando department and the northern parts of Beni and La Paz departments.
Below 2,500 m: western and southern Pando and Beni, northern La Paz, the areas bordering Brazil, southern Beni, and parts of Santa Cruz, La Paz and Tarija: low-to-moderate risk depending on the exact area.
Above 2,500 m, including La Paz, Sucre, Oruro, Lake Titicaca and most of the central and southern part of the country.
Other health risks
Risks by region
The Andean high plateau (La Paz, Sucre, Oruro, Lake Titicaca)
Above 2,500 m, free of both malaria and yellow fever; altitude is the main risk to plan for.
The northern Amazon lowlands (Pando, northern Beni and La Paz)
The country's highest malaria-risk zone, also relevant for yellow fever.
The rest of the eastern lowlands (Santa Cruz, Tarija, southern Beni)
Low-to-moderate malaria risk depending on the area; yellow fever remains recommended east of the Andes.
Prepare your trip
Leaving in under 2 weeks? Still book a clinic: a first hepatitis A dose already protects, and yellow fever needs at least 10 days. A travel clinic will prioritise what fits your timeline.
Frequently asked questions
Is any vaccine required for Bolivia?
No vaccine is required for entry from Belgium, but yellow fever is strongly recommended for risk regions.
Is there a malaria risk?
Malaria: high risk depending on the region. Preventive tablets are advised in the high-risk northern zone, alongside bite protection. Elsewhere below 2,500 m, mosquito-bite protection is usually enough, with tablets for the most exposed travellers. If fever develops, get tested for malaria promptly.
How far ahead of departure should I start?
Ideally 6 to 8 weeks before departure, to complete multi-dose schedules. Yellow fever, where it applies, must be given at least 10 days before arrival.
Our sources
Indicative information for a typical traveller, not medical advice. What you need depends on your itinerary, region, season and duration. See an approved travel clinic 6–8 weeks before departure: only they can give yellow fever and issue the certificate.