For most South American countries, the following vaccinations are recommended or necessary:

- Polio
- Tetanus
- Typhoid
- Yellow Fever
- Rabies
- Hepatitis A

Take care of vaccinations at least 2 month before your journey starts since most vaccination schemes need time.

Malaria is a risk outside of the coastal and Andean region; an appropriate course of anti-malarials should be started prior to arrival - consult a doctor. If you should catch malaria, you can find treatment centers in all jungle towns.

If planning on camping, don't forget: Use close-meshed mosquito nets!

Pharmacies

Common medicines, like antibiotics, can be bought in pharmacies (farmacias or boticas) quite cheaply and without restrictions. However, make sure the expiration date has not been reached. Pharmacists are mostly very helpful and can be consulted if needed. For less serious illnesses, they may replace a doctor.

Diarrhea

Electrolytic drinks help guard against dehydration. You can get powders to dissolve in water in almost every pharmacy. If not, just dissolve sugar and salt in water. Bacterial diarrhea can be treated with antibiotics, if it doesn't vanish during a week. Usually, pharmacies are quite helpful.

If you stay in good hotels you may be able to avoid catching diarrhea, otherwise you will surely contract it. Just don't worry too much about. There are some rules that could avoid the worst:

- Avoid unboiled tap water, if possible. This can be difficult; If you eat a salad or drink some fruit juice, it will probably be prepared with tap water. Avoid ice in drinks if you can.
- If you must drink tap water, use some purification like mikropur.
- Don't eat food prepared in the street (if you can resist it).
- When going to cheap restaurants, first have a smell and listen to what your nose says.
- In some areas, refrigerators are rare. Just go to the meat section of a typical market hall and take a smell, you will understand. If you would rather vegetarian food, it can be hard to find. Chicken is worth a try, since they are mostly fresh.
- Don't eat unpasteurized milk products.

Altitude

If you do not have experience with higher altitudes (above 3,500m), don't underestimate it! Collapses of unacclimatized tourists are not unusual, serious health damage or even death can occur! If coming from sea level, stay at medium height ca. 3000m for at least one week. Then, altitudes of around 4500m should not be a risk, although you still will strongly feel the height.