India travel vaccines: What you need before you go
When planning a trip to India, India travel vaccines, preventable shots that protect you from diseases common in the region. Also known as travel immunizations, these aren’t optional extras—they’re the difference between a smooth trip and a hospital visit. Most travelers think they need a dozen shots, but the truth is simpler: you need a few, and you need them at the right time.
Start with the basics: typhoid vaccine, a must for anyone eating street food or drinking tap water in India. It’s not rare—over 70% of travelers to India get it. Then there’s hepatitis A, a liver infection spread through contaminated food and water. You don’t need to be in a remote village to catch it—just one bad salad in Delhi can do it. Both vaccines are single shots, last years, and are way cheaper than a week in an Indian hospital.
What about rabies? If you’re planning treks, volunteering with animals, or just love dogs (and India has a lot of them), this one matters. A bite from a stray dog isn’t a movie scene—it’s real. Pre-exposure rabies shots mean you avoid multiple painful injections after an incident. Cholera vaccine? Only if you’re heading to flood zones or rural areas with poor sanitation. Most tourists skip it. Malaria pills? Not a vaccine, but you’ll hear about them. They’re pills, not shots, and you take them before, during, and after your trip. Not everyone needs them—talk to a travel clinic about your route.
Here’s the thing: India isn’t dangerous if you’re prepared. The vaccines aren’t about fear—they’re about control. You can’t control the food stalls, the water sources, or the stray dogs. But you can control whether you get sick. Skip the generic advice from blogs that say "get everything." Focus on the ones that match your trip. Are you staying in luxury hotels in Mumbai? Typhoid and hepatitis A are your main focus. Heading to rural Rajasthan or the Himalayas? Add rabies and maybe cholera. Backpacking for months? Talk to a doctor about boosters.
Timing matters too. Most vaccines need weeks to work. Don’t wait until the day before your flight. Get them at least 4–6 weeks out. And yes, you can get them in the U.S., Canada, the UK, or Australia—no need to wait until you land in India. Your local travel clinic will know exactly what to give you. Bring your itinerary. Mention if you’re visiting temples, doing yoga in Rishikesh, or riding trains. That changes the risk.
What you won’t find in this list? Yellow fever. Unless you’re coming from a country with yellow fever risk, you don’t need it. Polio? India hasn’t had a case in over a decade. Measles? Only if you’re unvaccinated as a child—then get it, everywhere. Don’t let fear sell you shots you don’t need.
Below, you’ll find real stories from travelers who got sick—and those who didn’t. You’ll see what worked, what didn’t, and what you can skip without regret. No fluff. No fearmongering. Just what you actually need to stay healthy and enjoy India.
