Travel destination
Nile cruises, Luxor, the pyramids and Red Sea diving. Food-and-water cover is the main thing for most Egypt trips.
Egypt is moderate risk for most travellers. Hepatitis A and typhoid come up for many, rabies is a consideration, and there is very limited malaria. Avoid contact with fresh water such as the Nile and canals due to schistosomiasis. Yellow fever is not a risk but a certificate may apply if arriving from a risk country. We tailor advice to your trip.
Egypt, from Cairo and the pyramids to the Nile and the Red Sea, is a popular trip where food-and-water illness is the main theme.
Your pharmacist tailors advice to your plans at South London Clinic.
Vaccines
A starting point, not a prescription. What you actually need depends on where exactly you're going, what you'll be doing, how long for and what you've already had — a pharmacist confirms all of it at your appointment.
What to check before you fly
No vaccination certificate is routinely required for UK travellers going directly to Egypt. A record of polio vaccination may be required if you are staying longer than four weeks. We will check the current requirement for your dates. Entry requirements change — we confirm the current rules for your exact itinerary at your appointment.
Bites, risk and tablets
Malaria risk changes by region, altitude and season, and depends on exactly where you are going and when. We check the current TravelHealthPro country advice against your itinerary at your appointment, and talk you through bite avoidance and, where it is needed, antimalarial tablets.
Give yourself enough time
Ideally see us six to eight weeks before you travel, as some vaccines are given as a course over several weeks. A rabies course runs over about three to four weeks, so start that one early. Travelling sooner than that? Book anyway — there is usually still something worth doing.
A Red Sea resort, a Nile cruise and Cairo sightseeing are slightly different pictures, and how you travel shapes what you need, at your South London Clinic consultation.
Hepatitis A and typhoid come up for many travellers because both spread through food and water; the NHS lists them among common recommendations. Hepatitis B and rabies come in for longer or adventurous trips, plus a routine tetanus, diphtheria, polio and MMR check. Rabies is present in Egypt, so any animal bite needs urgent care.
A specific Egypt point: avoid swimming, paddling or wading in fresh water such as the Nile, canals and lakes, because of schistosomiasis (bilharzia), a parasitic infection. The Red Sea and chlorinated pools are fine. The TravelHealthPro Egypt advice covers this, and we will flag it as part of your plan.
Malaria risk in Egypt is very limited and most trips need no tablets. There is no yellow fever risk in the country itself, but a certificate can be required if arriving from or transiting a risk country.
Four to six weeks is usually enough, more if a course is involved.
Q: Which vaccines for Egypt?
A: Hepatitis A and typhoid for many, with hepatitis B and rabies for longer or adventurous trips.
Q: Can I swim in the Nile?
A: Best avoided due to schistosomiasis; the Red Sea and pools are fine.
Q: Do I need malaria tablets for Egypt?
A: Usually not; risk is very limited.
Who you'll see
Superintendent Pharmacist & Independent Prescriber
Rafay has been a pharmacist for more than 12 years and runs the travel clinic at Hills Pharmacy. He'll go through where you're going, what you'll be doing and what you've already had, then explain in plain language what's worth having for your trip and what isn't.
GPhC registration 2240995
Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane, Kennington, South London SE11 4HQ — GPhC premises 1093041 (Marlborough UK Limited)
Check on the GPhC registerHepatitis A and typhoid for many travellers, with hepatitis B and rabies for longer or adventurous trips, plus a routine vaccine check. Your pharmacist at South London Clinic tailors it.
Best avoided. Fresh water such as the Nile, canals and lakes can carry schistosomiasis (bilharzia), so avoid swimming, paddling or wading. The Red Sea and chlorinated pools are fine.
Usually not. Malaria risk is very limited and most trips need no antimalarial tablets.
Yes, it is present, so any animal bite, scratch or lick needs urgent care. Pre-travel doses are worth discussing for longer or adventurous trips.
Book a travel appointment and a pharmacist will go through your itinerary with you — where you're going, what you'll be doing and what you've already had — then tell you what's worth having and what isn't.
Vaccines and antimalarial tablets are prescription only medicines. Suitability is assessed at your consultation — nothing is sold or supplied without it.
Book an appointment
Appointments are with a pharmacist at Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane — free parking nearby.
What to bring: a list of any medicines you take, and any records that are relevant to what you're coming in for.
Book an appointmentSouth London Clinic at Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane, Kennington, South London, Lambeth, SE11 4HQ · Free parking nearby
Bookings for this clinic are taken by phone and email. Give us a call during opening hours and we'll go through the times that are free.
Opening hours
Appointments are subject to availability. If you are travelling, call as early as you can — some travel vaccines need a course started in advance.
Where to find us
The clinic is inside Hills Pharmacy on High Street. Come in through the shop and tell the counter you're here for an appointment.
Address
South London Travel Clinic at Hills Pharmacy99 Kennington LaneOpening hours
Clinic appointments run within these hours. Bank holiday hours can differ — please call before travelling in.
South London Travel Clinic at Hills Pharmacy, 99 Kennington Lane, Kennington, Lambeth, SE11 4HQ