Health and vaccinations for a trip to India

For most travellers, no vaccination is legally required to enter India. The one exception is a Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate, but only if you're arriving from or have transited through a yellow-fever-risk country — see our visa and entry guide for the detail. If your trip doesn't route through one of those countries, this doesn't apply to you.

Hepatitis A and typhoid are the two vaccinations most travel clinics recommend for India specifically, given they spread through contaminated food and water. Make sure routine vaccinations (MMR, tetanus/Tdap, annual flu) are up to date too — this is standard travel-health advice regardless of destination.

Malaria risk varies significantly by region and season within India; whether antimalarial medication makes sense for your trip is exactly the kind of thing to discuss with a travel clinic rather than decide from a blog post, since it depends on where you're going and when.

Stick to bottled or filtered water, including for brushing teeth in places with uncertain tap water, and be cautious with ice in drinks outside reputable restaurants.

Street food is often the best food in the country, but ease in gradually and favour stalls with a fast-moving local crowd — a sign of fresh turnover.

At altitude (Ladakh, high Himachal), give yourself a day to acclimatise before exerting yourself. Altitude sickness is common at these elevations and is about pacing, not fitness level.

Travel insurance that covers medical treatment and emergency evacuation is worth having regardless of how healthy you feel — private hospitals in Indian cities are generally excellent, but out-of-pocket costs add up fast without cover. Pharmacies are common and well-stocked in towns and cities; carry a small personal supply of any prescription medication you rely on, since availability is patchier in remote areas.