On Africa travel safety, the French-speaking countries share one pattern: the first danger, almost everywhere, is the road, especially at night. Next come petty crime in the cities and the sea. Terrorism and kidnapping mainly affect the Sahel and specific border areas, which governments mark in red. Before you leave, read your own government's travel advice, sign up for its traveler registry and take out insurance that covers medical care and repatriation.
Start with your own government's advice
Africa travel safety advice depends on your nationality, so read your own government's page first.
- France: France Diplomatie publishes a Safety page for each country with a color-coded map, for example for Senegal.
- United Kingdom: GOV.UK foreign travel advice covers 226 countries and territories. You can sign up for email alerts.
- Canada: Global Affairs Canada rates each country on four levels, from “Take normal security precautions” to “Avoid all travel” (voyage.gc.ca).
- Belgium: the FPS Foreign Affairs publishes its travel advice for every destination.
- Switzerland: the FDFA publishes travel advice on political risks and crime.
For other nationalities, look for the “travel advice” page of your foreign ministry. When two advisories disagree, follow the more cautious one.
How to read the France Diplomatie map
Our country pages use the map of the French foreign ministry. It has four levels:
- normal vigilance;
- increased vigilance (yellow);
- advised against unless essential (orange);
- strongly advised against (red).
An orange or red zone is more than a simple recommendation. Emergency services there are often limited, and your embassy may not be able to help you.
Watch out
Do not go to an orange or red zone for tourism. Before you book, check your government's page again: the maps change, sometimes overnight.
Sign up for your country's traveler registry
These free services let your government reach you in a crisis: a natural disaster, unrest, an evacuation.
| Nationality | Service | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| France | Fil d'Ariane | Alerts and instructions by email or text, for trips of less than six months |
| Canada | Registration of Canadians Abroad | Government notices in an emergency at your destination or at home |
| Belgium | Travellers Online | Lets the FPS reach you and reassure your family |
| Switzerland | Travel Admin | Saved itinerary, crisis notifications, useful contacts |
| United Kingdom | GOV.UK email alerts | A message each time a country's advice is updated |
Fil d'Ariane is neither travel insurance nor a geolocation service.
Africa travel safety: the alert level of all 26 countries
The table shows the level given on our country pages, taken from the France Diplomatie map when we checked it on October 17, 2026. These advisories change: open the country page for zone details and emergency numbers.
| Country | Level on our page | In short |
|---|---|---|
| Morocco | Zones advised against | Mauritanian border in red |
| Algeria | Zones advised against | Borders in red, Sahara with a guide |
| Tunisia | Zones advised against | Far south and west-central mountains |
| Mauritania | Zones advised against | East and north, Nouakchott at increased vigilance |
| Senegal | Zones advised against | Malian border, part of Casamance |
| Mali | Zones advised against | Whole country in red |
| Burkina Faso | Zones advised against | Whole country in red |
| Niger | Zones advised against | Whole country in red |
| Guinea | Zones advised against | Borders with Mali and Côte d'Ivoire |
| Côte d'Ivoire | Zones advised against | North, borders with Mali and Burkina Faso |
| Togo | Zones advised against | Savanes Region and tri-border areas |
| Benin | Zones advised against | North, Pendjari and W parks |
| Cameroon | Zones advised against | Far North, Northwest, Southwest |
| Chad | Zones advised against | Whole country in orange or red |
| Central African Republic | Zones advised against | Red everywhere, except Bangui and Bimbo in orange |
| Equatorial Guinea | Increased vigilance | No zone advised against |
| Gabon | Increased vigilance | No region advised against, caution at night |
| Republic of the Congo | Zones advised against | Border strips with the Central African Republic and DR Congo |
| DR Congo | Zones advised against | Tourism advised against everywhere, Kivu in red |
| Rwanda | Increased vigilance | Caution near the Congolese border |
| Burundi | Zones advised against | DR Congo border in red |
| Djibouti | Zones advised against | Eritrean border, road to Somaliland |
| Madagascar | Increased vigilance | High crime, no driving at night |
| Comoros | Increased vigilance | No zone advised against |
| Seychelles | Zones advised against | High seas to the north (piracy) |
| Mauritius | Normal vigilance | Demonstrations reported in October 2026 |
The large zones strongly advised against
A country “with zones advised against” is not dangerous everywhere. Marrakech, Dakar and Tunis are common destinations. In Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, on the other hand, nowhere is spared: the capital is in red like the rest of the country.
Broadly speaking, the red zones fall into three areas:
- the Sahel: all of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, and their borders with Algeria, Mauritania, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Benin;
- Central Africa: northern Cameroon and part of its English-speaking regions, Tibesti and Lake Chad, almost all of the Central African Republic;
- eastern DR Congo: North Kivu and South Kivu, along with the border with Burundi.
Add piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, where pleasure boating is advised against off Cameroon, Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
The road, the first danger: never drive at night
According to the WHO, Africa accounts for 19% of the world's road deaths, with 15% of the world's population and 3% of its vehicles (WHO Africa, 2023). The rate there reaches 19.4 deaths per 100,000 people.
All 26 of our country pages repeat the same advice: no driving at night. In Gabon, driving at night outside the capital is strongly advised against. In Burundi, the roads are no longer controlled after 6 p.m.
Our advice
Leave early and arrive before nightfall. If the trip is long, fly or split it into two stages.
Other reflexes come up from one country page to the next:
- Motorcycle taxis: advised against in Togo, Benin, Guinea, Chad and Rwanda.
- Intercity public transportation: advised against in Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo, because of accidents.
- Doors locked, windows closed: recommended in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and DR Congo.
- Checkpoints: stop and follow instructions. In Niger, approach slowly at night with the interior light on.
In Morocco, driving by day goes well if you follow these rules. Read our guide to driving in Morocco, or compare it with the train and CTM buses.
Petty crime: the simple habits that are often enough
In the big cities, the most common risk is theft. Our country pages mention bag snatching in Casablanca and Marrakech, and pickpockets at the markets of Conakry, at Dantokpa market in Cotonou and in Analakely, in Antananarivo.
- Leave your passport and spare cash in the hotel safe, and go out with a photocopy.
- Don't show off your phone, jewelry or camera in the street.
- Avoid walking alone at night, especially on beaches and in the neighborhoods the country page names.
- If you are attacked, don't resist. That is France Diplomatie's advice for Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and Burkina Faso.
Also keep away from demonstrations and gatherings. Political tension can escalate quickly, in Guinea as in Madagascar.
Watch out
In Conakry, do not open your door to police officers or soldiers who turn up unannounced, according to France Diplomatie.
The most reported scams
Our country pages and articles point to several traps:
- Fake travel agencies in Marrakech.
- Online and romance scams, common in Senegal according to France Diplomatie.
- Street money changers and taxis without a meter: our advice on paying in Tunisia applies elsewhere too.
- Unauthorized boats: in the Comoros, never board a kwassa-kwassa; it is dangerous and punishable by prison.
Never carry a package for a stranger: in Mauritius, drug offenses carry 15 to 20 years in prison.
Swimming: the sea kills more than you think
The Atlantic Ocean is dangerous along much of the West African coast. France Diplomatie reports frequent drownings in Morocco, on Senegal's Grande Côte and in Côte d'Ivoire. In Benin, swimming is advised against all year round. In Togo, only a few developed spots east of the port of Lomé are less risky.
In the Indian Ocean too, currents and reefs cause drownings every year, in Mauritius as in the Seychelles. On Praslin, there have been shark attacks, some of them fatal. In fresh water, avoid the rapids of the Congo River and Lake Tanganyika near Bujumbura (crocodiles, hippos).
Our advice
Only swim on a supervised or developed beach, never alone or at night, and always respect the flags and bans.
Emergency numbers: write them down before you leave
Each country has its own numbers. They appear on our country pages, in the Safety section: police 19 in Moroccan cities, SAMU (ambulance) 190 in Tunisia, SAMU 185 in Abidjan, police 999 or 112 in Mauritius. For Chad, France Diplomatie gives no police or emergency number. Save your embassy's number and your insurer's in your phone.
Health after an accident: insurance is not optional
All our country pages say it: insurance that covers medical costs and repatriation is essential. Your embassy does not pay these costs. Hospitals often ask for payment up front, in Côte d'Ivoire, Mali or DR Congo. In the Republic of the Congo, without insurance, you can be refused care, even in an emergency.
Medical capacity is limited in several countries. Serious cases in Madagascar, the Comoros and the Seychelles are often evacuated to Réunion or abroad. So check your policy's coverage limit and whether it includes medical evacuation.
Pack a first aid kit and your medications with their prescription. Vaccines and malaria are covered in detail in our health section.
Watch out
Before you leave, check that your policy covers the country you are visiting and medical evacuation. Keep its assistance number on you, not just in your suitcase.
Your Africa travel safety checklist in six points
Go over this list before every trip.
- Read your government's advice and the country page.
- Sign up for your country's registry (Ariane, Travellers Online, Travel Admin…).
- Take out insurance for medical care and repatriation.
- Write down the emergency numbers and your embassy's number.
- Plan your trips by day, without motorcycle taxis.
- Leave your papers and spare cash in the safe.
Our advice
If your nationality needs a visa, apply one to two weeks before departure: see our visas section.
For cash and cards, see the budget section. For the dates of major festivals, when crowds and thefts increase, check the festivals section.
Frequently asked questions
Is French-speaking Africa dangerous for tourists?
It depends on the country and the region. When we checked, France Diplomatie rated only Mauritius at normal vigilance everywhere. But destinations such as Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal and Rwanda welcome many visitors outside the zones advised against. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger are entirely in red.
Should I sign up for Ariane if I'm not French?
No: Fil d'Ariane is the French ministry's service. Canadians use Registration of Canadians Abroad, Belgians Travellers Online and the Swiss Travel Admin. For other nationalities, ask your foreign ministry.
Can you drive at night in Africa?
It is advised against in almost every country on our pages, and strongly so outside Libreville in Gabon. Plan your trips so you arrive before dark.
My country is in yellow: can I go?
Yes, increased vigilance does not rule out travel. It means following the advice on the country page, avoiding gatherings and staying informed. Also check your own government's travel advice, which may be stricter.
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