Yellow Fever, Malaria and Vaccines for Manu and Tambopata (2026)

If your Peru trip includes Manu National Park or the Tambopata National Reserve, the two health questions to sort out before you fly are yellow fever and malaria. Below is what the official health agencies say in 2026, summarized by our team in Cusco. It is practical information, not medical advice: book an appointment with a travel clinic or your doctor well before the trip and take this page with you.

Quick answer

Do you need a yellow fever vaccine for Peru?

Not to enter the country. The US CDC, the UK’s TravelHealthPro and the World Health Organization all list no yellow fever certificate requirement for entering Peru.

It is recommended for the Amazon. The CDC recommends the vaccine for all travelers aged 9 months or older going below 2,300 m (7,550 ft) in several regions, including Cusco and Madre de Dios. That covers the lowland rainforest of Manu and the whole Tambopata and Puerto Maldonado area. The CDC does not recommend it for travel limited to the highland tourist areas: the city of Cusco, the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu.

Yellow fever and Manu or Tambopata tours

• Manu: on its English visitor page, SERNANP, the agency that runs Peru’s protected areas, asks visitors to the Manu River and the Pusharo petroglyphs to get vaccinated against yellow fever. Those are the routes of our Reserved Zone and Pusharo tours.
• Certificate checks: Peru’s Ministry of Health notes that the vaccination certificate may be requested at some entry points to the jungle, so carry it with your passport.
• Timing: the certificate is valid from 10 days after vaccination, and Peru’s Ministry of Health recommends getting the vaccine at least 10 days before the trip.
• How long it lasts: under the International Health Regulations the certificate is valid for life. The CDC says a single dose gives long-lasting protection for most travelers; a booster can be considered if your last dose was 10 or more years ago and your trip is higher risk.

Recent yellow fever cases in Peru

Yellow fever is not only a theoretical risk. The Pan American Health Organization reported 49 confirmed cases in Peru in 2025, including 19 deaths, with one death linked to Madre de Dios. In the first seven weeks of 2026 it reported two more confirmed cases in Madre de Dios. In October 2025 TravelHealthPro reported a confirmed case in an American traveler who had visited the Peruvian Amazon without being vaccinated.

Who should talk to a doctor first

The yellow fever vaccine is not for everyone. The CDC lists infants under 6 months, people with thymus disorders or weakened immune systems and people with a severe allergy to vaccine components (including egg) among those who should not get it. It advises extra caution for babies of 6 to 8 months, people aged 60 or older and during pregnancy or breastfeeding. In the United States the licensed vaccine is YF-VAX, given at authorized clinics, so plan ahead. If you cannot be vaccinated, discuss your options with your doctor before booking a lowland tour.

Malaria in Manu and Tambopata

The CDC lists malaria risk in all areas of Peru below 2,500 m (8,200 ft) east of the Andes, including Puerto Maldonado. The lowland rainforest of Manu falls in that same description. There is no malaria transmission in Cusco city, Machu Picchu or Lake Titicaca.

• CDC (USA): recommends preventive medicine for these areas and lists atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine as options. About 80% of cases in Peru are P. vivax and 20% P. falciparum, with resistance to chloroquine.
• TravelHealthPro (UK): considers the risk low in this part of the Amazon Basin and recommends awareness and bite avoidance, with medicine only in exceptional circumstances.

Because the two agencies disagree, this is a decision to make with your doctor, based on your health, the length of your trip and the season. Whatever you decide, avoid mosquito bites: insect repellent, long sleeves and long pants, and sleeping under a mosquito net where one is provided.

Other vaccines and health risks

For travelers to Peru, the CDC also lists:

• Hepatitis A for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older.
• Hepatitis B for unvaccinated travelers younger than 60.
• Typhoid to consider for rural areas with poor sanitation, long stays or visits to friends and relatives.
• Rabies depending on your activities and access to medical care.
• Chikungunya, with a vaccine considered for long stays.
• Routine vaccines, including measles (MMR).

Dengue, Zika and Oropouche are also transmitted by insects in the Amazon and have no vaccine for most travelers, which is one more reason to avoid bites. TravelHealthPro reported 34,820 dengue cases in Peru as of June 2026.

Don’t forget the altitude

Manu tours start and end in Cusco, at 3,399 m (11,150 ft), and the road to Manu crosses the high Andes before descending to the rainforest. The CDC notes that altitude sickness is possible at Peru’s high-altitude destinations. Plan a day or two in Cusco before your tour, and see our guide on how to get from Cusco to the Amazon for the route.

Health checklist for your Amazon trip

• Travel clinic appointment well before you fly.
• Yellow fever vaccine at least 10 days before the trip, and the certificate in your bag.
• A decision on malaria medicine, made with your doctor.
• Insect repellent, long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
• Your usual medicines and a basic first-aid kit.
• Travel insurance with medical cover; it is not included in our tours.

Planning the rest of the trip? Compare Manu and Tambopata, check the entrance fees and tour costs or see all our Amazon tours from Cusco.

Sources, checked on 2 October 2026: CDC Travelers’ Health – Peru; CDC Yellow Book 2026 – Yellow fever; TravelHealthPro – Peru; PAHO epidemiological alert, 13 March 2026; Peru Ministry of Health – advice for international travelers; SERNANP – Manu National Park. This page does not replace advice from a health professional.