Mali

Is Mali safe to visit?

No. The jihadist insurgency that started in Mali's north in 2012 now reaches the outskirts of Bamako, and both the US (Level 4) and the UK advise against all travel to every part of the country. The UK goes further: it tells anyone already in Mali to leave on a commercial flight and not to try the roads. The Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary 2026 ranks Mali 154th of 163. We score Mali 29, below Nigeria (35) and above Sudan (22). Its neighbour Senegal scores 58.

The two risks that matter most to a visitor are kidnapping and being caught in an attack. Ordinary crime and poor health care come next.

Who runs Mali, and who is fighting

The army has ruled since a coup in August 2020, led by Colonel Assimi Goïta, followed by a second in May 2021 that put him directly in charge. Elections due in February 2024 were postponed. The UN peacekeeping mission left in December 2023, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says attacks have increased since then.

The main armed groups are JNIM, al-Qaeda's affiliate in the Sahel, and Islamic State Sahel Province. In the north, Tuareg-led separatists of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) also fight the army. The UN recorded more than 9,000 deaths from security incidents across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in 2025, according to the Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, which says the central Sahel accounted for nearly half of the world's terrorism deaths that year.

On 25 April 2026 JNIM and the FLA attacked more than half a dozen places at once, including Kati, Gao, Sevare and the area around Bamako airport, which closed. A suicide car bomb hit the defence minister's home in Kati, about 15 km from Bamako, and he died of his injuries, the government said. It has not published a death toll. More coordinated attacks on military sites followed on 4 July in Gao, Sevare, Anefis, Aguelhoc and Kenioroba, according to the FCDO.

The fuel blockade and the roads

Since September 2025 JNIM has attacked fuel convoys and blockaded key routes in southern and western Mali, including those into Bamako, setting up its own checkpoints for travellers. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says fuel is short across the country, with long queues and higher prices. Landmines and roadside bombs are used on roads in the centre, north and east.

Road crashes are a serious risk even without the war. The WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 20.2 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, and the FCDO says roads outside Bamako are often damaged and dangerous. Bamako's streets flood in the rainy season from June to October. After a crash, the FCDO advises going to the nearest police station rather than waiting at the scene.

Kidnapping

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls the threat of kidnapping by al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups "very high" throughout Mali, including in Bamako, and says kidnaps increased in the south and west in 2025. Criminal gangs also kidnap foreigners, in Gao, Kayes and elsewhere, and may sell hostages on to terrorist groups. Tourists, aid workers, journalists and business travellers are all seen as targets, and a good reason for being there offers no protection. The UK does not pay ransoms, and paying one is illegal under UK law.

Crime and the law in Bamako

Violent crime, including armed robbery, is high in Bamako and the south. At night, people dressed as police officers have stopped drivers to demand money; ask for identification and a receipt. Fake taxi drivers and guides work around the airport, so arrange transport in advance. Do not walk alone at night, and use ATMs inside banks or hotels.

Carry your passport, since security checks are frequent. Do not photograph military or government buildings. A penal code adopted in December 2024 criminalises same-sex relationships with up to seven years in prison, and the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary reports a higher risk of violence and blackmail for LGBT+ people.

Health and heat

Malaria is the biggest health risk: the WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 346 cases per 1,000 people at risk in 2024. CDC advises malaria tablets and yellow fever vaccination for all travellers, and has polio and diphtheria notices that cover Mali. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls medical facilities very limited and says the emergency number, 15, has little capacity, so plan your own transport to a clinic and carry insurance that covers evacuation. Drink only bottled or boiled water. Heat peaks before the rains; Bamako topped 40°C on 23 days in 2025, and the north is hotter.

If you have to be there

Fly in and out of Bamako and stay in the city. Vary your routes and timings, travel only by day in pre-arranged vehicles, keep several days of food and water at home, and have an exit plan that does not rely on your embassy. Stay away from protests, which have turned violent.

How we scored it

Conflict (6) is the weakest factor, followed by health (22) and violent crime and petty crime (35 each). Natural hazards (50) score highest. Mali has no recent recorded homicide data, so we use WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary and set confidence to low. The weighted average is 29; our cap of conflict plus 35 (41) does not bind.