Malaria-free safaris

About that malaria-free safari

Avoiding malaria areas makes sense for that family safari - when you are travelling with very young children or the elderly. Although there are effective ways to significantly reduce the risk of contracting malaria, some travellers prefer to avoid malaria areas altogether

Some areas are low-risk throughout the year, and some are low-risk at certain times - but only a few are always non-malaria areas. The only non-malaria areas in Africa are in parts of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.

Scroll past the safari packages below to find out EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW about malaria and where to go to avoid it.

The safaris below are in non-malaria areas

Everything you need to know about a malaria-free safari

Malaria is a parasitic disease that attacks red blood cells and is usually spread by the female Anopheles mosquito.  Although the implications of being infected with malaria can be severe, the likelihood of tourists in Africa being infected is extremely low if the advice from our travel experts is followed and simple precautions are taken.

Despite what friends may tell you, malaria is present in most African safari destinations - the only exceptions being a handful of malaria-free places in South Africa and Namibia. Some places may be low-risk at times - for example, arid high-altitude areas outside of the rainy season - but few are truly malaria-free throughout the year. 

So, if you are looking for a guaranteed malaria-free African wildlife safari, this is where you will find it:

Madikwe Game Reserve, South Africa

Madikwe is famous for excellent sightings of the Big 5 plus wild dogs (painted wolves), cheetahs and brown hyenas. This is an excellent family-friendly malaria-free safari option that is an easy 5-hour drive or 1-hour flight from Johannesburg, and there are many lodges options to suit most budgets. Whether you are after a malaria-free option or not, the 750km² (75,000 hectares) Madikwe is a prime safari destination that is not accessible by day-trippers and self-drive tourists.

Read more about Madikwe here and about a child’s Madikwe safari here.

Pilanesburg National Park, South Africa

The 572km² (57,200 hectares) malaria-free Pilanesburg offers Big 5 wildlife sightings a mere 2,5-hour drive from OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg. Because the habitat is a transition zone between Kalahari and Lowveld you will see a wide variety of other species, including wild dogs, cheetahs and brown hyenas. Pilanesburg is open to day-trippers and self-drive tourists, so sightings can be crowded during peak seasons. 

Cape malaria-free safaris, South Africa

 Cape malaria-free wildlife safaris are a convenient link between two of South Africa’s prime tourism destinations - Cape Town and the Garden Route. 

Western Cape, South Africa

The Western Cape offers a range of wildlife safari options in both national parks and private game reserves. Because of a Mediterranean climate, the ecosystems and wildlife species are very different to those of the bushveld further east in South Africa. Safari destinations include

1. Karoo National Park

   Karoo National Park is an arid 750km² (75,000 hectares) landscape that hosts black rhinos, lions and an assortment of other rare and critically endangered creatures like the Cape mountain zebra and the riverine rabbit (one of the most endangered mammals in the world). Karoo NP is a comfortable 5-hour drive on a good tar national road from Cape Town.   

2. Sanbona Wildlife Reserve

   The 580km² (58,000 hectares) Sanbona Wildlife Reserve is one of the world’s largest privately owned game reserves. This rehabilitated farmland hosts the Big 5 plus cheetahs and brown hyenas and is a convenient 3-hour drive from Cape Town. 

Eastern Cape, South Africa

1. Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa - and surrounding private reserves

   The greater Addo ecosystem offers an astonishing variety of wildlife encounters for your malaria-free, including the Big 5 plus dolphins and whales, making up the ‘Big 7’. This 1,640km² (164,000 hectares) covers five of South Africa’s eight vegetation zones - all within a comfortable one-hour drive on a good tar road from Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha. 

2. Kariega Private Game Reserve

   Kariega Private Game Reserve is a family-owned 100km² (10,000 hectares) Big 5 malaria-free game reserve wedged between the Bushman's and Kariega Rivers - adding river cruises to possible safari activities. Kariega is less than two hours by good tar road from Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha.

3. Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

   A private Big 5 malaria-free reserve with a proud record of rehabilitation from farmland to restored wilderness, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve straddles the Great Fish River and covers 220km² (22,000 hectares). Kwandwe is two hours by road from Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha.

4. Shamwari Private Game Reserve

   The 250km² (25,000 hectares) Big 5 (plus cheetahs) Shamwari shares many habitat similarities with Addo Elephant National Park. This malaria-free reserve is also home to a wildlife rehabilitation centre; no interaction with the animals is permitted as the end goal is to release the animals back into the wild whenever possible. Shamwari is a one-hour drive from Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha.

5. Samara Karoo Reserve

   The 283km² (28,300 hectares) Big 5 malaria-free Samara is restoring a patch of wilderness and bringing wildlife back to the spectacular Great Karoo. Guests can expect sightings of white and black rhinos, elephants, lions, and herds of springbok, but tracking cheetahs on foot is one of the reserve's particular highlights. Read more about Samara here. Samara is a three-hour drive from Port Elizabeth / Gqeberha.

Northern Cape / Kalahari, South Africa

Tswalu Kalahari

The 1,140km² (114,000 hectares) Tswalu offers a luxurious wilderness experience on the southernmost edge of the Kalahari. This malaria-free private reserve is the largest private reserve in South Africa and hosts classic Kalahari species, such as black-maned lions, cheetahs, black rhinos, oryx and wild dogs to elusive nocturnal creatures, such as pangolin, aardvark and brown hyena. Aside from the usual safari activities, Tswalu offers horseback safaris, visiting a meerkat colony and Michelin star food.   

Western Namibia malaria-free safaris

Western Namibia is an arid sand desert region that hosts an astounding variety of desert-adapted species, such as lions, elephants and black rhinos. Must-see destinations in this malaria-free safari area include the Namib Naukluft National Park, Sussusvlei, Damaraland, Skeleton Coast National Park and the coastal cities of Swakopmund and Luderitz. Read more about Western Namibia here.

Malaria-free resources

SEARCH FOR malaria-free lodges

READ MORE ABOUT Cape malaria-free safari destinations

Advice for when travelling to a malaria area 

Avoid being bitten

It’s impossible to avoid every single mosquito bite, no matter how diligent you are, but there are a few tips to avoid being bitten wherever possible:

1. travel during low-risk seasons – the dry and cool months;

2. use insect repellent;

3. cover legs and arms with long-sleeved shirts and trousers, particularly at night;

4. sleep under a mosquito net in an air-conditioned or well-screened room and, if possible, sleep with a fan on;

5. avoid standing water that may breed mosquitoes.

Preventative Prophylactics

There are several prophylaxis medications available, and many different factors should be considered in choosing an appropriate one. Most important is to follow the advice of a doctor, who should be up to date on personal medical history, as well as which medications are more effective for different strains of malaria.