African Safari Travel: COVID-19 Entry Requirements by Country

[Last update: 15.08.2023]

However, keeping up with ever-changing entry requirements and travel protocols for various African countries can be overwhelming. We are here to help you take the stress out of planning your trip by laying out each country's current COVID-19 entry requirements and health screening protocols. While we try to keep this post updated as requirements change, we strongly advise you to regularly check government and airline websites for the latest updates and any changes to travel restrictions.

With an estimated 80% of the South African population having some form of immunity due to a combination of vaccinations and previous infection and with fewer South Africans getting severely ill, the country has lifted all lockdown restrictions, mask mandates and proof of vaccination certificate entry requirements for travellers with immediate effect. Visitors to South Africa are no longer required to provide a vaccination certificate or recent negative PCR test, or proof of recovery from Covid-19.

Namibia is open for international travel and mandates regarding the wearing of face masks in public places have been lifted. All coronavirus travel restrictions have been lifted and arrivals are not required to present proof of vaccination status or a negative PCR test to enter the country.

The government of Zimbabwe has lifted all COVID-19-related entry requirements for tourists. Travellers are no longer required to produce vaccination certificates or negative COVID-19 PCR tests, and the mandatory wearing of face masks indoors has been scrapped.

Zambia is also open to all foreign visitors. All coronavirus travel restrictions have been lifted and arrivals are no longer required to present proof of vaccination status or a negative PCR test to enter the country. Depending on nationality, some travellers to Zambia can enter without a visitor visa while others can either obtain a visitor visa on arrival or apply for an e-visa before travelling to Zambia. Consult the Zambian Department of Immigration website for more information or ask your Wild Wings Safaris travel consultant for details.

Botswana's airports and land borders are open and all lockdown restrictions, mask mandates and proof of vaccination certificate entry requirements for travellers were lifted with immediate effect on 28 September 2022. Visitors to Botswana are no longer required to provide a vaccination certificate, recent negative PCR test or proof of recovery from Covid-19 at ports of entry.

Tanzania has been open to travellers from all countries since 18 May 2020 and the country has recently dropped vaccination and PCR testing requirements. Travellers entering or transiting the mainland through land borders, ports or airports are not required to present a COVID-19 vaccination or RT-PCR certificate. Rapid Antigen testing is not required either. However, travellers entering Tanzania may be screened for COVID symptoms or randomly selected for rapid antigen testing by health officials on arrival.

Other measures

International arrivals entering mainland Tanzania from or through the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Uganda are required to complete an online Health Surveillance Form.

Visitors travelling within Tanzania may be asked to complete an online Domestic Departure Health Surveillance Form before a domestic departure or on arrival at a domestic destination on flights originating in Tanzania.

Kenya is also open for travel and the government has dropped all previous COVID-19 entry requirements. Travellers arriving in Kenya are no longer required to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 PCR test.

Travellers exhibiting flu-like symptoms at any port of entry into Kenya:

• will be required to fill in a traveller's locator form on the Kenyan Ministry of Health web portal and
• will be required to take a rapid antigen test at their own cost. Positive rapid antigen test cases will be asked to take a PCR test at their own further cost. Travellers whose symptoms are severe will be allowed to self-isolate.

Visitors to Mozambique are no longer required to present a vaccination certificate or negative PCR test on arrival at ports of entry. All other COVID-19 protocols, such as rapid testing upon arrival and isolation for individuals who test positive for covid have also been lifted.