Travel health · Turkey
Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Aegean coast — and, for a great many Canadians, a dental chair or an operating theatre. That last one changes the appointment more than any vaccine on this page.
The short version
Most travellers to Turkey need 4 vaccines, and four to six weeks is enough time to do it properly.
Leaving sooner? Most of it can still be done — we prioritise what matters for your route. Nobody gets turned away for booking late.
Recommended for essentially everyone going to Turkey.
The Government of Canada states that medical tourism is common in Türkiye and that Canadian travellers have had serious health complications following surgeries abroad. It says the Turkish government recommends choosing a provider authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health, and that you should research the health and financial risks, the facility performing the procedure, language barriers, and whether your travel insurance actually covers the procedure you are having. If you are going for dental work, a hair transplant, bariatric or cosmetic surgery, tell us — the vaccine list barely changes, but everything around it does.
Before you pay the deposit, ideally. Insurance and vaccination both get harder to fix once the date is booked.
Spread through blood and body fluids, which in practice means medical and dental procedures, tattoos, piercings and unplanned injuries. Both sources recommend it: the Government of Canada for all travellers, CDC for unvaccinated travellers younger than 60 going to Türkiye. On most destination pages this is a background recommendation. On this one it is the main event, because a clinic in Istanbul is precisely the setting it covers.
The standard course runs over months, so this is the one to start early. Faster schedules exist — bring your dates.
Food and water, and both sources agree: CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over, the Government of Canada for all travellers to this destination.
Any time before you fly. One dose covers the trip; a second, six months later, covers decades.
Tetanus, measles-mumps-rubella, polio, chickenpox. CDC asks travellers to be current on routine vaccines before every trip and asks all international travellers to be fully vaccinated against measles with MMR. The Government of Canada says the same about routine vaccines and about measles.
Tetanus if it has been more than ten years — which for most adults it has.
The honest answer to “am I too late?” depends on the date. Put yours in and we’ll work backwards. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Worth a conversation — the answer changes with where you’re going and what you’ll be doing.
The full list for Turkey. Most people need the first two or three; the rest depend on where you are going and for how long.
Spread through blood and body fluids — medical and dental care, tattoos, piercings, unplanned injuries. The Government of Canada recommends vaccination for all travellers; CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers younger than 60 going to Türkiye. It carries more weight here than on most pages, because the Government of Canada also notes medical tourism is common in the country and that Canadians have had serious complications after surgery abroad.
Spread through contaminated food and water. CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over going to Türkiye; the Government of Canada recommends it for all travellers. CDC adds that infants aged 6 to 11 months should also be vaccinated for travel, that the dose does not count towards the routine two-dose series, and that unvaccinated travellers over 40, immunocompromised, or with chronic medical conditions who are leaving for a risk area in under two weeks should have the first dose and immune globulin at the same appointment.
CDC asks travellers to be up to date on routine immunisations — MMR, polio, DTaP/Tdap, chickenpox, flu and shingles — before every trip, and asks all international travellers to be fully vaccinated against measles with MMR. The Government of Canada gives the same advice on routine vaccines and on measles. Tetanus is the one that lapses quietly.
Bacterial infection from contaminated food and water. This is where the two sources part company. CDC recommends typhoid vaccination for most travellers to Türkiye, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. The Government of Canada describes the risk as low for most travellers and says vaccination may be recommended for some, depending on their risk. We would rather show you that than split the difference: a hotel-based city trip and a month with family in a village are different answers. Injection or oral capsules; the capsules take a week to finish.
CDC advises all eligible travellers to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines. The Government of Canada lists COVID-19 and influenza among the vaccines to consider before travel.
CDC states that dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Türkiye and that rabies is also present in some terrestrial wildlife. It frames pre-exposure vaccination around two questions: whether your activities raise the chance of contact with a potentially rabid animal, and whether you could get prompt access to safe post-exposure treatment — noting that if an exposure happens in Türkiye, rabies vaccine may only be available in larger suburban or urban medical facilities. The Government of Canada names children, adventure travellers, cave explorers, veterinarians and wildlife workers among those at higher risk. Stray dogs are common in Turkish cities and towns, which is the practical version of all of the above.
The Government of Canada lists TBE as a risk in some areas of Türkiye — a viral disease affecting the brain and spinal cord, with risk highest from April to November and highest for people who hike or camp. It also notes the vaccine is not available in Canada, though it may be available in Türkiye. CDC does not list TBE for Türkiye. We cannot give you this one in Calgary; what we can do is make sure the tick precautions are real rather than a line in a leaflet.
Listed here for completeness and because people ask, not because there is anything to give. Both sources carry CCHF for Türkiye. The Government of Canada describes the risk as generally low for most travellers, spread by the bite of an infected tick or by contact with the blood or tissues of an infected animal, and notes there is no vaccine. CDC lists it under tick bites, with the same one-line answer: avoid bug bites.
Honest about the risks, and specific about what prevents each one.
The Government of Canada states that medical tourism is common in Türkiye and that Canadian travellers have had serious health complications following surgeries abroad. It advises researching the health and financial risks, the facility performing the procedure, and language barriers that can lead to misunderstandings about your care — and notes the Turkish government recommends providers authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health.
Prevention Check your travel insurance actually covers that procedure before you pay a deposit; many policies exclude elective surgery entirely. Bring a written list of everything you take, hepatitis B cover sorted in advance, and a realistic plan for flying home.
The Government of Canada lists Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever — low risk for most travellers, but potentially fatal, spread by infected tick bites or contact with an infected animal’s blood or tissues, with no vaccine. It separately lists tick-borne encephalitis in some areas, with risk highest April to November and highest for hikers and campers.
Prevention An approved repellent on exposed skin, trousers tucked into socks in long grass, and a full skin and scalp check every evening you have been outdoors. Remove a tick promptly and keep the date in mind if you become unwell afterwards.
CDC states that dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Türkiye and that rabies is present in some wildlife, adding that if an exposure happens, vaccine may only be available in larger suburban or urban medical facilities. The Government of Canada notes it is carried by dogs and some wildlife including bats, and is almost always fatal once symptoms appear.
Prevention Do not touch stray dogs or cats however friendly, and teach children the same rule before you go. Any bite, scratch or lick on broken skin: wash it long and hard with soap and water, then seek medical care that day — do not wait until you are home.
The Government of Canada calls travellers’ diarrhoea the most common illness affecting travellers, with higher risk where standards of hygiene and sanitation are poorer. CDC lists food and water precautions for Türkiye.
Prevention The old rule still works: boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it. Handwashing before you eat, and rehydration salts in the bag — they weigh nothing and they are the actual treatment.
The Government of Canada notes Türkiye is in an active seismic zone and that severe earthquakes in February 2023 struck several southeastern provinces, causing tens of thousands of casualties and major damage to infrastructure, with continuing disruption possible. It also notes severe rainstorms causing flooding and landslides, and summer wildfires particularly in Mediterranean and Aegean coastal provinces.
Prevention Know your hotel’s exits. Keep a few days of any essential medication with you rather than all of it in one bag, and keep a charged phone and offline copies of your documents.
The Government of Canada states that modern medical care is available in major cities but may not be in remote areas, and that immediate cash payment is often required.
Prevention Travel insurance that covers what you are actually doing, a means of paying up front, and the policy number saved offline. Pack a travel health kit if you are going beyond the major cities.
The Government of Canada notes a threat of terrorism with armed attacks in crowded places in major cities such as Ankara and Istanbul, warns demonstrations may turn violent, and reports petty crime such as pickpocketing and purse snatching throughout the country. It also advises never leaving food or drinks unattended, as they may contain drugs that put you at risk of sexual assault.
Prevention Avoid demonstrations rather than watching them. Keep valuables out of back pockets in the bazaars, and watch your own drink being poured.
The Government of Canada advises avoiding contact with animals including stray dogs, livestock, monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds and bats, and notes human cases of avian influenza have been reported in Türkiye, with risk remaining low for most travellers but higher for those with occupational exposure.
Prevention No live-animal markets or poultry farms as a sightseeing stop. Wash hands after any animal contact, and keep children away from farm birds.
The things that prevent most travel illness are not medical.
A lot of the people who ask us about Türkiye are not going sightseeing. The Government of Canada is direct about it: medical tourism is common there, and Canadian travellers have had serious health complications following surgeries abroad. Its advice is to research the health and financial risks, to check the facility performing the procedure, to think about language barriers — which it notes can lead to misunderstandings about your care and your condition — and to confirm your travel insurance actually covers the type of procedure you are having, because many policies do not. It also notes the Turkish government recommends using providers authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health. From our side of the counter three things matter. First, hepatitis B: both sources recommend the vaccine, and a procedure is exactly the exposure. Second, your own medications — bring the full list, in labelled packaging, and tell whoever operates what you take, including anything blood-thinning and any supplement you would not normally mention. Third, plan the flight home. Talk to the surgeon about when it is safe to fly, and do not book a tight connection to a mountain trek two days after an operation.
The Government of Canada lists Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever as a risk in Türkiye, describing the risk as generally low for most travellers. It is caught from the bite of an infected tick, or from contact with the blood or tissues of an infected animal, and it can be fatal. There is no vaccine for it anywhere. Separately, the same source lists tick-borne encephalitis as a risk in some areas — a viral disease affecting the brain and spinal cord, with the risk highest from April to November and highest for people who hike or camp. There is a TBE vaccine, but the Government of Canada notes it is not available in Canada, though it may be available in Türkiye. CDC does not list TBE for Türkiye at all, which is a genuine difference between the two pages rather than an oversight on ours. What all of that adds up to is unusual for a travel-clinic page: the tick risks here are managed entirely by what you do, not by what we give you. Repellent on exposed skin, long trousers tucked into socks in long grass, and a proper look at skin and scalp at the end of every day outdoors — including children, and including the hairline.
The Government of Canada advises Canadians to exercise a high degree of caution in Türkiye overall, with regional advisories on top. It says to avoid all travel to within 10 km of the borders with Iraq and Syria, and to avoid non-essential travel to the southeastern provinces of Hakkari and Şırnak because of the unpredictable security situation. It notes a threat of terrorism, with armed attacks in crowded places in major cities such as Ankara and Istanbul, warns that demonstrations may occur and could turn violent, and notes that petty crime such as pickpocketing and purse snatching happens throughout the country. It also repeats advice worth taking seriously in any nightlife district: never leave food or drinks unattended, because they may contain drugs that put you at risk of sexual assault. None of that describes the standard Istanbul–Cappadocia–coast itinerary, and we are not going to pretend it does — but read the current advisory in full on travel.gc.ca before you book, not after.
The Government of Canada notes Türkiye sits in an active seismic zone, and that in February 2023 severe earthquakes struck several provinces in the southeast, causing tens of thousands of casualties and significant damage to critical infrastructure — with continuing disruption possible to telecommunications, electricity, accommodation and transport in affected areas. It also notes severe rainstorms that can cause flooding and landslides, and wildfires in summer, particularly in Mediterranean and Aegean coastal provinces. On care: modern medical care is available in major cities but may not be in remote areas, and immediate cash payment is often required. That last phrase is the one to plan for. Carry a means of paying up front, keep your insurance policy number saved offline, and pack a travel health kit if you will be away from major city centres — advice the same source gives directly.
Most people booking a travel consult with us are sorting out a household, not just themselves. A few things are different for children.
Bring the whole household to the same consultation. We review each person’s records separately but plan the trip as one, which usually means fewer visits and no repeated explanations. Tell us how many people when you book so we set aside the time.
CDC recommends it for unvaccinated travellers aged one year and over. Infants aged 6 to 11 months can have a travel dose, which does not count towards the routine two-dose series and is repeated later.
CDC says dogs infected with rabies are commonly found in Türkiye, and the Government of Canada lists children among those at higher risk. Stray dogs and cats are a normal part of Turkish street life and children want to pet them. Agree the rule at home rather than in the moment, and tell them that a scratch or a lick on a graze is something to mention immediately, not to hide.
Children come back from long grass with ticks in places adults do not think to look — behind the ears, along the hairline, behind the knees. Make it part of the evening routine rather than a special event, and note the date if you find one.
Any immunisation records you can find, for each traveller. Alberta records we can often look up; out-of-province and overseas records we cannot. A photo of a yellow card is plenty.
Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and your routine vaccines brought up to date are the core, with typhoid worth discussing and rabies depending on what you are doing. There is no malaria in Türkiye and no yellow fever requirement. The list is short — which is why the appointment ends up being mostly about ticks, and about what you are actually going there to do.
Yes, and it is the reason this page is arranged the way it is. The Government of Canada says medical tourism is common in Türkiye and that Canadian travellers have had serious health complications following surgeries abroad. It advises researching the facility, the health and financial risks, the language barrier, and whether your travel insurance covers that specific procedure — many policies exclude elective surgery. It also notes the Turkish government recommends providers authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health. From the pharmacy side: get hepatitis B cover sorted in advance, bring a written list of everything you take including supplements, and ask the surgeon when it is safe to fly before you book the return leg.
Neither. CDC says yellow fever vaccine is not recommended for Türkiye and not required for entry, and the Government of Canada says there is no risk of yellow fever in the country and proof of vaccination is not required. Neither source puts malaria risk in Türkiye either, so there are no tablets to take. If Türkiye is one leg of a longer trip, bring the whole itinerary — entry requirements can depend on where you have been.
CCHF is a viral illness spread by the bite of an infected tick or by contact with the blood or tissues of an infected animal, and it can be fatal. The Government of Canada lists it for Türkiye and describes the risk as generally low for most travellers. There is no vaccine anywhere. The same source also lists tick-borne encephalitis in some areas, with risk highest April to November and highest for hikers and campers. So: worry is the wrong word, but tick precautions here are not optional decoration. Repellent, trousers tucked into socks in long grass, and a proper skin and scalp check every evening you have been outdoors.
No. The Government of Canada notes the TBE vaccine is not available in Canada, though it may be available in Türkiye. CDC does not list TBE for Türkiye at all, which is one of the places the two sources differ and we would rather tell you than hide it. If you are hiking or camping between April and November, the bite prevention is the protection.
You have, and both sources are on this page. CDC recommends typhoid vaccination for most travellers to Türkiye, especially anyone staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas. The Government of Canada calls the risk low for most travellers and says it may be recommended for some, depending on their risk. We show you the disagreement and decide with you — a week in Istanbul hotels and a month with family in a village are genuinely different answers.
The Government of Canada advises exercising a high degree of caution overall, with regional advisories: avoid all travel to within 10 km of the borders with Iraq and Syria, and avoid non-essential travel to the southeastern provinces of Hakkari and Şırnak because of the unpredictable security situation. It notes a threat of terrorism including armed attacks in crowded places in cities such as Ankara and Istanbul, and that Türkiye sits in an active seismic zone. That is the honest picture; it does not describe the usual Istanbul, Cappadocia and coast itinerary, but read the current advisory in full before you book.
Nothing. The travel consultation is free — a full itinerary review, every recommended vaccine discussed, and advice for your particular trip. You pay only for the vaccines actually given. You do not need a doctor’s referral in Alberta; a pharmacist can assess and immunise you here.
Bring your travel dates. A pharmacist will go through what you need for Turkey, give what can be given that day, and book anything that needs a second dose. No doctor referral, no wait list.
Written from current CDC and Government of Canada guidance, checked 31 July 2026. Advice for your particular trip comes from our pharmacist, in person.
Imagine Health Pharmacy & Travel Clinic — #4120, 15 Sunpark Plaza SE, Calgary, Alberta. In Sunpark Plaza, off Macleod Trail, serving Sundance, Midnapore, Shawnessy, Chaparral and the rest of south Calgary.
No doctor’s referral is needed. In Alberta a pharmacist can assess you, prescribe what your trip needs and give the vaccines in the same visit — so for most travellers this is one appointment, not a clinic queue and then a pharmacy.
The vaccine guidance on this page follows the official recommendations below, read and applied by a pharmacist. Where the two differ we say so rather than pick one.
Checked against both sources on 31 July 2026. Official advice changes — if your trip is months away, check again or ask us.
