Venezuela
Travel Destination – Venezuela
Venezuela's natural landscapes vary from the world's highest uninterrupted waterfall to Caribbean islands and Andean mountains. Canaima National Park is home to Salto Ángel, while the Los Roques Archipelago features coral islands, beaches and diverse marine life. The Orinoco Delta supports rich wildlife and Warao communities, and the Andean city of Mérida provides access to surrounding highlands and páramo landscapes.
As Venezuela presents a range of health risks not present in Australia, it's worthwhile making sure you're well prepared.
Health Risks
Pre-travel preparation
A travel medicine consultation is essential for anyone planning to enter Venezuela, and should be arranged at least six to eight weeks before departure. The range of infectious disease risks, including year-round malaria in several states, yellow fever outbreaks, and a substantial burden of mosquito-borne disease, requires careful and personalised assessment. A travel doctor will review vaccination history, recommend appropriate immunisations, and prescribe antimalarial medication based on which regions will be visited.
Healthcare infrastructure throughout Venezuela can be limited. Private clinics in Caracas and other major cities are available but require payment upfront. All prescription medications, including antimalarials, should be obtained in Australia before departure as reliable access within Venezuela cannot be assumed. Comprehensive travel insurance that explicitly covers emergency medical evacuation is essential.
Insect avoidance
The mosquito-borne disease burden in the DRC is among the heaviest of any country in the world, and insect protection requires genuine and sustained commitment across both day and night throughout the entire trip. is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes active from dusk to dawn. are spread by the daytime-biting Aedes species.
Mosquito-borne diseases including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever are common in Venezuela. Malaria is also present. Because the different mosquito species that transmit these diseases feed at different times, protection is necessary throughout the full 24-hour period. Malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes are active primarily after dusk, and dengue, chikungunya, and Zika-carrying Aedes mosquitoes are more active during the day.
Insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin should be applied to all exposed skin and reapplied regularly. Long-sleeved clothing and trousers provide a physical barrier particularly valuable around dusk and during outdoor activities in forested or wetland environments. Accommodation with fly screening or air conditioning is preferable, and a permethrin-treated bed net is recommended when this is not available.
Permethrin treatment of outer clothing adds further defence for travellers heading into Canaima National Park, the Orinoco Delta, or any rural or jungle environment. Sandflies, which transmit leishmaniasis, are also present in parts of the country, and fine-mesh or permethrin-treated nets offer better protection against them than standard nets.
Food and water hygiene
Venezuelan cuisine varies regionally across the Andean west, the coastal regions, and the llanos interior. Arepas and pabellón criollo, made with cornmeal, rice, beans, beef and plantain, are staples of Venezuelan cuisine. Enjoying local food requires consistent attention to hygiene throughout the stay. Contaminated food and water is a significant source of gastroenteritis and other gastrointestinal infections in Venezuela.
Tap water is not safe to drink across the country, and bottled or boiled water should be relied upon consistently for both drinking and dental hygiene. Ice from uncertain sources should be avoided.
Washing hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet, or carrying alcohol-based hand sanitiser for situations where running water is unavailable, is one of the most practical preventive measures available. Freshly cooked food served hot carries the lowest risk, and raw or reheated dishes from informal settings should be approached with care. Fruit should be peeled immediately before eating.
Rabies prevention
Animal encounters can occur in urban, rural and wilderness areas of Venezuela, making rabies prevention important for travellers, particularly those spending time around dogs, bats or wildlife. Avoid approaching or handling unfamiliar animals, including stray dogs and wildlife encountered during trekking, caving or other outdoor activities.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, so prompt treatment after an exposure is essential. Travellers staying in remote areas, spending longer periods in Venezuela, working with animals, or undertaking activities likely to involve animal contact should discuss pre-travel rabies vaccination with a travel doctor, particularly where access to medical care may be limited.
After any animal bite, scratch, or contact between saliva and broken skin, immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and running water and seek prompt medical assessment. This is necessary even if you have previously received rabies vaccination.
Our Travel Doctors
Our fully qualified doctors have an interest in travel medicine and immunisations. And they know travel. Their expert advice will be tailored for you, your travel companions and your trip.
Which shots do I need for Venezuela?
Yellow Fever
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Yellow fever cases have been reported in Venezuela, including in Aragua, Carabobo and Lara states. Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne infection that can cause fever, jaundice and, in severe cases, bleeding and organ failure.
Depending on the exact itinerary, vaccination is usually recommended for travellers aged nine months and over. The vaccine should be given at a registered yellow fever vaccination centre at least 10 days before travel and provides long-lasting protection. Venezuela does not currently require a yellow fever vaccination certificate for travellers arriving from Australia, although proof of vaccination may be required when travelling onwards to some countries. A doctor should confirm whether vaccination is appropriate for you.
Hepatitis A
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Hepatitis A is a viral liver infection acquired through food or water contaminated with the virus, causing fatigue, nausea, and jaundice that can range in severity from a brief illness to several weeks of significant liver inflammation. Vaccination is recommended for all previously unvaccinated travellers to Venezuela. Given the documented problems with water safety across the country, the risk of exposure exists in all settings. Two doses provide lasting protection, and many Australians have not yet completed the course.
Typhoid
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Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection spread through food and water contaminated with infected faeces. It can cause prolonged fever, headache, weakness, abdominal pain and diarrhoea or constipation, and can lead to serious complications without treatment.
Typhoid vaccination is recommended for travellers to Venezuela, particularly those visiting smaller cities, rural areas, or places where sanitation and water quality may be unreliable. Vaccination does not provide complete protection, so careful food and water hygiene remains important.
Rabies
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Animal encounters can occur in urban, rural and wilderness areas of Venezuela, making rabies prevention important for travellers, particularly those spending time around dogs, bats or wildlife. Avoid approaching or handling unfamiliar animals, including stray dogs and wildlife encountered during trekking, caving or other outdoor activities.
Rabies is almost always fatal once symptoms develop, so prompt treatment after an exposure is essential. Travellers staying in remote areas, spending longer periods in Venezuela, working with animals, or undertaking activities likely to involve animal contact should discuss pre-travel rabies vaccination with a travel doctor, particularly where access to medical care may be limited.
After any animal bite, scratch, or contact between saliva and broken skin, immediately wash the area thoroughly with soap and running water and seek prompt medical assessment. This is necessary even if you have previously received rabies vaccination.
Measles
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Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. It typically causes fever followed by a widespread rash and can lead to complications such as pneumonia or inflammation of the brain.
Measles cases continue to occur internationally, so Australian travellers born during or after 1966 should have two documented doses of a measles-containing vaccine before departure.
Hepatitis B
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Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and is spread through infected blood and other body fluids, including through sexual contact, contaminated needles, tattoos or piercings, and some medical or dental procedures.
Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for unvaccinated travellers to Venezuela, particularly those who may require medical care, have sexual exposure, or undertake activities where contact with blood or needles is possible. Many Australians have received hepatitis B vaccination through childhood programs, so checking your immunisation history before departure is worthwhile.
Routine vaccinations
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Before departing for Venezuela, ensure all routine vaccinations are up to date, as vaccine-preventable infections may occur more frequently overseas and spread easily in crowded settings. Routine protection should include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, polio, chickenpox and influenza, with COVID-19 vaccination kept current according to Australian recommendations.
Check your Australian Immunisation Register records before departure and discuss any missing or overdue vaccines with a travel doctor, particularly if you are unsure of your vaccination history.
Venezuela
Other health risks in Venezuela
Malaria
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Malaria is a risk in some parts of Venezuela. The parasite is transmitted by mosquitoes active from dusk to dawn, infecting red blood cells and causing fever, chills, headache, and muscle aching that can progress to serious illness without prompt treatment. The full antimalarial prescription must be obtained in Australia before departure, as pharmaceutical access within Venezuela cannot be relied upon.
Any fever arising during or within four weeks of returning from a malaria-risk area requires immediate medical attention with travel history clearly disclosed.
Gastroenteritis
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Gastroenteritis and gastrointestinal illnesses are a frequent concern for visitors to Venezuela, with bacteria, viruses, and parasites in contaminated food and water producing diarrhoea, nausea, stomach cramps, and vomiting within one to three days of exposure.
Oral rehydration is the primary treatment for straightforward cases of gastroenteritis, and most episodes resolve within a few days. Medical attention should be sought if symptoms are severe, contain blood, or are accompanied by fever.
Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika
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Dengue, chikungunya and Zika are mosquito-borne viral infections transmitted mainly by Aedes mosquitoes, which are most active during the day. Dengue commonly causes sudden fever, severe headache, and muscle and joint pain, and can occasionally progress to severe disease. Chikungunya typically causes fever and marked joint pain, which may persist for weeks or months. Zika is often mild or causes no symptoms, but infection during pregnancy can cause serious complications for the developing baby and the virus can also be sexually transmitted.
There are no specific antiviral treatments for these infections, so prevention relies on avoiding mosquito bites. Apply insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin to exposed skin, wear long sleeves and trousers where practical, and use screened or air-conditioned accommodation. Because Aedes mosquitoes bite during the daytime, protection should be maintained throughout the day, including when sightseeing or undertaking outdoor activities.
Leishmaniasis
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Leishmaniasis is a parasitic infection transmitted through the bites of infected sandflies present in forested and rural areas of Venezuela. Leishmaniasis is present in Venezuela, and prevention involves the use of insect repellents, protective clothing, and staying indoors during sandfly peak hours in the evenings. The cutaneous form causes persistent skin sores and is the most common type encountered in travellers.
There is no vaccine or preventive medication for leishmaniasis. Any slow-healing skin sore developing after travel to Venezuela should be assessed by a doctor with travel history clearly disclosed.
Schistosomiasis
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Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection acquired through contact with freshwater containing microscopic parasites released by infected freshwater snails. The parasites can penetrate intact skin while swimming, wading or bathing, and infection can occur even when the water looks clean. In Venezuela, freshwater exposure in some rural areas can pose a risk, particularly around rivers and lakes.
Early infection may cause an itchy rash where the parasite enters the skin, followed by fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or blood in the urine. Repeated or untreated infection can cause long-term damage to the bowel, liver, bladder or urinary tract. Travellers should avoid swimming, wading or bathing in untreated freshwater in areas where schistosomiasis occurs and use chlorinated pools or the sea instead.
There is no vaccine to prevent schistosomiasis. Any persistent symptoms following freshwater exposure should be discussed with a doctor, with the travel history clearly mentioned.
Tuberculosis
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Tuberculosis (TB) is an airborne bacterial infection spread when a person with active disease coughs or speaks in a shared environment, primarily affecting the lungs and causing a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and weight loss. Venezuela has a higher risk of transmission of tuberculosis, compounded by the disruption of public health services in recent years. The risk to short-stay travellers with limited community contact is relatively lower, while those on extended stays, in healthcare or humanitarian settings, or in close ongoing contact with local populations face a more meaningful level of exposure. TB screening before departure and after returning home is advisable for higher-risk travellers.
Non-infectious conditions
Crime and unrest
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Security conditions in Venezuela vary by location and can change, with risks including violent crime, kidnapping, political unrest and arbitrary detention. Protests and demonstrations may occur and can escalate with little warning. Access to essential services such as electricity, water, fuel, telecommunications and medicines also varies across the country.
Travellers should plan transport and accommodation carefully, particularly when travelling outside major cities, and exercise increased caution at night and in unfamiliar areas. Those visiting should have comprehensive travel insurance and consider an evacuation plan, as consular assistance may be limited. Check the Australian Government's Smartraveller website regularly for current travel advice before and during the trip.
Altitude sickness
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Parts of Venezuela are at high altitude, particularly the Andean region around Mérida, where Pico Bolívar reaches approximately 4,978 metres. Travellers who ascend rapidly to elevations above 2,500 metres can develop acute mountain sickness (AMS), which commonly causes headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue and difficulty sleeping.
To reduce the risk, ascend gradually, allow time to acclimatise and avoid strenuous activity during the first few days at altitude. Staying hydrated and limiting alcohol can also help. If symptoms develop, stop ascending and rest; worsening symptoms at the same altitude require immediate descent and medical assessment. Severe altitude illness can cause high-altitude cerebral or pulmonary oedema, which are medical emergencies requiring immediate descent and treatment.
Safety on the roads and elsewhere
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Road conditions and driving standards vary across Venezuela, with poor lighting, road hazards and increased risks at night. Use trusted transport and experienced local operators, particularly for airport transfers and travel to remote areas. Access to Canaima and Salto Ángel involves small aircraft and canoe travel, while the Orinoco Delta requires boat transport; use reputable operators and take appropriate precautions for heat, sun and challenging terrain. Altitude precautions may be relevant in the Andes around Mérida.
Deep vein thrombosis
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Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a consideration during the long-haul journey from Australia to Venezuela, which commonly involves at least one connection and may take over 17–20 hours. Prolonged sitting can increase the risk of blood clots forming in the deep veins of the legs. Move regularly, perform simple ankle and calf exercises, and drink fluids regularly during the journey.
Travellers with additional risk factors, such as previous blood clots, recent surgery, pregnancy, hormonal contraceptive use or significant overweight, should discuss their individual risk and whether compression stockings are appropriate with a doctor before travel.