How can I prevent malaria?

If you are visiting an at-risk malaria area, we recommend that you take anti-malaria medication as prescribed by your doctor or travel clinic, before travelling to Africa. The most up-to-date malaria prophylaxis can be found on the Netcare travel clinic site.

That said, the best way to prevent malaria is to not get bitten. Be sure to bring insect repellent with you – the best ones contain 30% to 50% DEET (diethyltoluamide), such as Mylol, Peaceful Sleep and Tabard. These shouldn't be applied directly to the skin during pregnancy.

Most (but not all) game lodges and safari camps have mosquito nets hanging over the beds, and even the basic bungalows in the Kruger National Park have insect screens at the windows and doors. Electric fans and air conditioning are also very effective at keeping mosquitos away.

Please also visit our malaria information page for more info and a malaria map.