TBE Vaccine for Hikers and Campers
If your trip involves hiking, camping or cycling in Europe’s forests and hills, ticks come with the territory. Why outdoor travellers are most at risk, and how to protect yourself.
If your trip involves hiking, camping or cycling in Europe’s forests and hills, ticks come with the territory. Here is why outdoor travellers are most at risk from tick-borne encephalitis, and how to protect yourself before you go.
Tick-borne encephalitis is very much a traveller’s risk that depends on what you do, not just where you go. The people most likely to be exposed are those who spend time in exactly the places that make a great outdoor holiday: forests, hillsides, meadows and lakesides. If that sounds like your kind of trip, this guide is for you. For the vaccine, schedule and pricing, see our main guide to the TBE vaccine in Sutton.
Why outdoor activities raise the risk
TBE is spread by the bite of an infected tick, and ticks live in leaf litter, long grass, woodland fringes, forest glades, riverside meadows and shrubbery. They are most active from April to October across most of Europe. Activities that put you in close contact with this habitat are what increase your risk, including:
- Hiking, trekking and trail walking
- Camping and wild camping
- Cycling and mountain biking on forest trails
- Trail running and orienteering
- Fishing, hunting and wildlife watching
- Outdoor work such as forestry, farming and fieldwork
The longer you spend outdoors in these settings, and the more of the tick season you cover, the more the case for vaccination stacks up. A fortnight hiking hut to hut in the Alps is a very different proposition from a weekend in a city.
Vaccination plus tick-bite prevention
The strongest approach pairs vaccination with good habits on the ground, because no vaccine is a complete guarantee and ticks can carry other illnesses too. Wherever you are walking, a few simple measures make a real difference:
- Wear long sleeves and long trousers, and tuck trousers into socks in dense vegetation
- Use a DEET insect repellent on exposed skin
- Consider treating clothing with permethrin
- Check your whole body for ticks every day, focusing on the hairline, ears, armpits, groin and behind the knees
- Remove ticks promptly with a tick tool or fine-tipped tweezers, gripping close to the skin and pulling straight out
- Stick to clear paths where you can, and avoid brushing through long grass
Timing your vaccine around an active trip
If you are planning an outdoor holiday, the earlier you start the course the better, because the standard schedule spreads three doses over several months, as set out in our complete guide to the TBE vaccine in Sutton. Good protection is reached after the second dose, and for adults there is an accelerated option that brings the first two doses just two weeks apart when time is short. We explain that fully in our guide to the last-minute TBE vaccine.
Getting protected in Sutton
At Gaiger Pharmacy we offer TBE vaccination with TicoVac at £75 a dose through our travel clinic, with no GP referral and no waiting list. Because TicoVac stock has been limited across the UK during 2026, call us on 020 8643 6787 to check current availability, and get in touch early if your trip is soon. Our pharmacist will also review any other vaccines your destination may call for. You can see where the risk areas are in our guide to the countries that need the TBE vaccine.
Frequently asked questions
I am going hiking in the Alps this summer. Should I have the TBE vaccine?
If you will be in forested or rural areas during the tick season, it is well worth considering. Speak to our pharmacist about your route and dates and we will help you decide.
Do day hikes count, or only camping trips?
Regular time in tick habitat is what matters, and day hikes through forests and grassland do count. The more days outdoors across the season, the stronger the case.
If I am vaccinated, do I still need to worry about ticks?
Yes. Keep up tick-bite prevention, because the vaccine does not cover every tick-borne illness, including Lyme disease, for which there is no vaccine.
How soon should I book before an outdoor trip?
As early as you can. The course takes planning, and TicoVac stock can be limited, so booking ahead gives you the most options. See our main TBE guide for the schedules.
