Traveling in Africa

To travel to French-speaking Africa is to choose among 26 very different countries, from Morocco to Mauritius, from Senegal to Djibouti. The right season changes from one region to the next, and so do safety conditions: some countries are easy to visit, others are currently advised against. This guide helps you pick your destination and your dates, then points you to our country pages for visas, health and money.

Which countries make up French-speaking Africa?

Hambya covers 26 African countries where French is an official language, a working language or widely spoken in daily life. They fall into five major regions.

• Maghreb: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania.
• West Africa: Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo, Benin.
• Central Africa and the Great Lakes: Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, DR Congo, Rwanda, Burundi.
• Indian Ocean: Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius.
• Horn of Africa: Djibouti.

The status of French varies. In the Maghreb, it is not an official language but remains widely used. In Mali (2023 Constitution), Burkina Faso (amendment promulgated in January 2024) and Niger (refoundation charter of March 2025), it has become a “working language”. Elsewhere, it is an official language, alone or alongside others.

The 26 countries at a glance

The best time to go comes from our country pages, which draw on WeatherSpark, France Diplomatie (the French foreign ministry's travel advice) and the Belgian foreign ministry. It applies mainly to the capital or the most visited region. When France Diplomatie advises against travel to a country, we say so.

Maghreb and West Africa

Country	Region	Capital	Official language(s)	Best time to go
Morocco	Maghreb	Rabat	Arabic, Amazigh	Mid-March to late June, mid-September to mid-November
Algeria	Maghreb	Algiers	Arabic, Tamazight	Late May to late July on the coast
Tunisia	Maghreb	Tunis	Arabic	Mid-April to late June, late September to mid-November
Mauritania	Maghreb	Nouakchott	Arabic	Mid-December to early February
Senegal	West	Dakar	French	November to May
Mali	West	Bamako	National languages (French a working language)	Travel advised against
Burkina Faso	West	Ouagadougou	National languages (French a working language)	Travel advised against
Niger	West	Niamey	Hausa national language (French a working language)	Travel advised against
Guinea	West	Conakry	French	December to February
Côte d'Ivoire	West	Yamoussoukro	French	December to April in the south
Togo	West	Lomé	French	December to February
Benin	West	Porto-Novo	French	November to February in the south

Central Africa, Great Lakes, Horn and Indian Ocean

Country	Region	Capital	Official language(s)	Best time to go
Cameroon	Central	Yaoundé	French, English	Mid-November to mid-March
Chad	Central	N'Djamena	French, Arabic	December to February (country advised against)
Central African Republic	Central	Bangui	French, Sango	Travel advised against
Equatorial Guinea	Central	Ciudad de la Paz (since 2026)	Spanish, French, Portuguese	November to February
Gabon	Central	Libreville	French	June to September
Republic of the Congo	Central	Brazzaville	French	June to September
DR Congo	Central	Kinshasa	French	Tourist travel advised against
Rwanda	Great Lakes	Kigali	Kinyarwanda, English, French, Swahili	June to August
Burundi	Great Lakes	Gitega	Kirundi, French, English	June to August
Djibouti	Horn	Djibouti	French, Arabic	November to April
Madagascar	Indian Ocean	Antananarivo	Malagasy, French	April to mid-November
Comoros	Indian Ocean	Moroni	Comorian, French, Arabic	Late June to late September
Seychelles	Indian Ocean	Victoria	Seychellois Creole, English, French	Mid-March to late October
Mauritius	Indian Ocean	Port Louis	None in the Constitution (English and French in use)	Late April to late December

In Equatorial Guinea, a decree in January 2026 made Ciudad de la Paz the political capital, with one year to complete the transfer. Malabo remains the main city, along with Bata.

When to go to French-speaking Africa

There is no single good season for the whole continent. Keep one simple rule in mind: aim for the dry season, and avoid the hottest months in the Sahel and the Sahara.

Maghreb and Sahara: spring and fall

In Morocco and Tunisia, spring and fall are the most pleasant times. Summer is very hot inland: in Marrakech, highs reach about 37 °C in July. In Mauritania, it is often above 40 °C from April to October. Ramadan moves every year and changes the rhythm of daily life.

West Africa: the dry season, from November to February

In Senegal, the dry season runs from November to May, and the hivernage, the rainy season, from July to October. Along the Gulf of Guinea, there are often two rainy seasons. In southern Benin, they run from March to July, then from September to October. In Togo, from late March to July, then from mid-September to late October. In Côte d'Ivoire, the harmattan, a hot and dusty wind from the Sahara, blows from December to February.

Central Africa and the Great Lakes: two dry seasons

Near the equator, the calendar flips. In Gabon and the Republic of the Congo, the long dry season runs from June to September. In Rwanda and Burundi, it runs from June to August, the best time for outdoor activities. In Cameroon, in Yaoundé and Douala, the dry season runs from mid-November to mid-March. In the rainy season, many roads become difficult, or even impassable.

Indian Ocean: watch out for cyclones

In the Indian Ocean, the southern summer is hot, humid and exposed to cyclones. According to France Diplomatie, cyclone season in Mauritius runs from November to April. In Madagascar, cyclones can hit the island from January to April, especially the east coast. In the Comoros, storms and cyclones are possible during the rainy season, from November to April or May. The Seychelles are sheltered from cyclones, but not from torrential rain.

For Madagascar, our article on the best time to visit Madagascar goes through it region by region.

Travel to French-speaking Africa for the first time: which countries?

We do not rank countries. We look at France Diplomatie's alert levels, which appear on our country pages, and at health constraints. Also check your own government's travel advice, such as GOV.UK for the United Kingdom.

Of the 26 countries, only Mauritius is entirely at the normal alert level with France Diplomatie (October 2026). A few destinations remain easy to organize:

• Mauritius: no malaria. Read which coast to choose for your stay and renting a car or taking taxis. Demonstrations have been reported there since October 13, 2026.
• Morocco and Tunisia: no vaccine required on entry, no malaria. The areas advised against are mainly near the borders and in the desert. See train or CTM bus in Morocco.
• Senegal: the areas advised against except for essential travel are mostly along the borders, notably with Mali and around Casamance. Dakar and the Petite Côte are at a heightened alert level. See where to stay in Dakar and Saly, Somone or the Petite Côte.
• Seychelles: Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and Silhouette remain relatively safe according to France Diplomatie. To get around, read our article on the ferry between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue.
• Madagascar and Rwanda: no area formally advised against, but the whole country is at a heightened alert level. For Madagascar, see our 3-week itinerary.

Benin, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire and Cameroon have areas advised against, mainly in the north (and in Cameroon's English-speaking regions), and a heightened alert level elsewhere. For Cotonou, read where to stay in Cotonou. The details, area by area, are on our safety page and on each country page.

Getting between countries

To go from one country to another, flying is the safest option and often the only realistic one. Distances are long, and France Diplomatie advises against driving at night almost everywhere. Several land borders are closed or advised against.

Where	What France Diplomatie notes
Morocco and Algeria	Land border closed since 1994
Algeria and Libya	Crossing closed
Equatorial Guinea	Ferries attacked between Bioko and the mainland: fly instead
Comoros	Arrive by plane, never by kwassa-kwassa (smugglers' boat)
DR Congo	Domestic flights strongly advised against, as most airlines are banned in the EU

We do not list any bus, train or boat routes between countries: they change often and we have not been able to verify them.

Languages, currencies and budget

French will get you around most of these countries, at least in towns and cities. It sits alongside widely spoken languages: Wolof in Senegal, Lingala in the Republic of the Congo and DR Congo, Malagasy in Madagascar, Darija in Morocco, Kinyarwanda in Rwanda.

When it comes to money, two CFA francs coexist. The West African CFA franc (XOF), issued by the BCEAO, is used in the eight WAEMU countries, seven of which are covered by Hambya. The Central African CFA franc (XAF), issued by the BEAC, is used in six countries. Both have the same fixed peg to the euro, 655.957 francs to €1. The Comorian franc is also pegged to the euro, the Djiboutian franc to the dollar.

Elsewhere, currencies float: dirham, dinar, ariary, rupee, Guinean franc. In many countries, cash remains essential outside the big cities. In DR Congo, the US dollar is widely used. Exchange rates, accepted cards and cash withdrawals are on our budget page. For Tunisia, see also paying in euros or by card.

Visas, health, safety and festivals

Visas and entry requirements

Your visa depends on your nationality, not only on the destination. Use our tool on the entry requirements page, then the country page, for example entry requirements for Senegal. Several countries have an electronic visa, such as Côte d'Ivoire: read our guide to the Côte d'Ivoire e-visa. Apply one to two weeks before you leave. Our visas page brings together the general rules.

Health

The yellow fever vaccine is required on entry to most countries in West Africa and Central Africa. According to the WHO, a single dose gives lifelong protection. A second dose only concerns people vaccinated before the age of 2, during pregnancy, or living with HIV or a weakened immune system. Malaria is present in most countries south of the Sahara, but not in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, the Seychelles or Mauritius.

Everything is detailed on our health page and on the Institut Pasteur country sheets.

Safety

Risk levels change fast, sometimes within a few days. Check the France Diplomatie page just before you leave, and your own government's too. Follow the more cautious advice. Our safety page sums up the areas to avoid in all 26 countries.

Festivals

A festival can decide when you travel. In Benin, the Vodun Days in Ouidah take place from January 2 to 9, 2027, according to the calendar announced by the authorities and reported by the Beninese press. The full calendar is on our festivals page, and by country, for example festivals in Benin.

Frequently asked questions

What is the safest country when you travel to French-speaking Africa?

According to France Diplomatie, in October 2026, Mauritius is the only one of the 26 countries entirely at the normal alert level. Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and the Seychelles have areas to avoid, but their tourist regions remain accessible.

Do you need a visa to travel to French-speaking Africa?

It depends on your passport and the country. Some countries exempt entire nationalities from visas, others require an electronic visa or a visa from the embassy. Check your own case on the country's entry requirements page.

Is the CFA franc the same in every country?

No. There is a West African CFA franc and a Central African CFA franc. They are worth the same amount in euros, but each is used only in its own zone.