r/Botswana • u/Darkknyfe • 6d ago

Question Mosquito/Malaria Protection

We are travelling for a safari trip to Botswana during mid-September. I have 2 questions regarding protecting ourselves from mosquitoes and malaria:

1) Do we need anti-malarial tablets during mid September visit to Okovango delta, Chobe and Zambezi national parks

2) Any other mosquito protection recommended?

Thanks in advance!

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u/ThatGuyWhoDayDreams 6d ago
  1. Anti-malarial tablets are recommended for tourists visiting the north of Botswana. I used to take malarone and never had any issues. I would recommend it for you as a visitor, even though I don't take it anymore myself when I visit there now that I live here.
  2. Use anti mosquito spray on your exposed skin every evening when it starts to get dark, this is very effective. Covering up also really helps, long sleeve shirts etc. but might be too hot in September.

If you use the spray reliably and anti-malarials you should be fine. You can also get room sprays from almost any supermarket here which are pretty good but not as good as the other two options.

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u/Darkknyfe 6d ago

Thank you for the pragmatic advice. Why did you mention tourists and visitors need it? Does it help to know I was born and brought up in the malarial belt of a far east tropical country, and have had malaria twice in my life. Although I have moved and living in Europe now for 20 years.

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u/ThatGuyWhoDayDreams 6d ago

Generally, locals who live here don't take anti-malarials when they go up north even though malaria is fairly common there. They're aware it's there and aware of the risks and usually know how to manage it. For tourists who don't know the risks I really think they should just take the pills.

If you've had malaria before, you would have built up a resistance to it. Like a vaccine. However, 20 years since means your resistance will be gone by now. If you've grown up in a malaria region you probably know what it's like so arguably you don't need the pills, just like when I go up north.

BUT my advice would be to just get the pills malaria's no joke especially if you're camping.