Is It Safe to Travel to Burkina Faso in 2026?
Burkina Faso - Level 4: Do Not Travel
Last updated: · Source: U.S. Department of State
⛔ Do Not Travel
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to Burkina Faso or parts of Burkina Faso due to serious safety concerns. Key factors: crime, kidnapping, terrorism, health.
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest.
Is It Safe to Travel to Burkina Faso in 2026?
Burkina Faso is currently rated Level 4 — Do Not Travel by the U.S. Department of State. Do not travel to Burkina Faso for any reason. U.S. government employees are not allowed to travel outside of Ouagadougou due to safety risks.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
- kidnapping
- terrorism
- health
The overall security situation has been worsening recently. Contributing factors: Do not travel to Burkina Faso for any reason due to crime, kidnapping, terrorism, and health., The entire Sahel and East regions are under a state of emergency due to violent crime., The threat of kidnapping of Westerners remains high throughout the region..
Note: A state of emergency is currently declared in Burkina Faso or parts of Burkina Faso. Check the latest reports before finalizing travel plans.
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face extreme risk of violent crime and kidnapping throughout Burkina Faso, particularly in urban areas like Ouagadougou where safety is severely compromised.
Business travelers are at extreme risk due to high levels of violent crime and terrorism, with U.S. government employees restricted to Ouagadougou and discouraged from traveling at night.
Families with children face extreme risks from crime, health hazards, and limited medical facilities, making travel to Burkina Faso highly inadvisable.
Remote workers would encounter extreme risks including violent crime and health threats, with inadequate infrastructure and healthcare access further complicating their stay.
Data on this page comes from the U.S. Department of State, the CDC, the World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, and Freedom House. All sources are updated regularly and cross-referenced to provide a composite safety picture for Burkina Faso.
Regional Safety Breakdown
Do Not Travel Zones
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to the following areas due to extreme risk:
- entire Sahel and East regions
- provinces of Kossi and Sourou (Boucle de Mouhoun region)
- province of Kenedougou (Hauts Bassins region)
- province of Loroum (North region)
- province of Koulpelogo (Center-East region)
- Ouagadougou
▶Level 4 — Do Not Travel6 regions
▶entire Sahel and East regions
State of emergency declared.
▶Ouagadougou
U.S. government employees are not allowed to travel outside of this city.
▶province of Kenedougou (Hauts Bassins region)
State of emergency declared.
▶province of Koulpelogo (Center-East region)
State of emergency declared.
▶province of Loroum (North region)
State of emergency declared.
▶provinces of Kossi and Sourou (Boucle de Mouhoun region)
State of emergency declared.
Burkina Faso has 6 distinct regions with varying advisory levels. Risk conditions differ significantly by area.
▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Burkina Faso has an overall threat severity of 9.9 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 8.0/10, terrorism risk 7.0/10, and kidnapping risk 9.0/10.
Governance Indicators (World Bank, percentile)
Political Stability▶
Measures the likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-motivated violence and terrorism. Higher percentile means greater stability.
Rule of Law▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including the quality of contract enforcement, property rights, the police, and the courts, as well as the likelihood of crime and violence.
Control of Corruption▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both petty and grand forms of corruption, as well as capture of the state by elites and private interests.
Government Effectiveness▶
Captures perceptions of the quality of public services, the quality of the civil service and the degree of its independence from political pressures, the quality of policy formulation and implementation, and the credibility of the government's commitment to such policies.
Regulatory Quality▶
Captures perceptions of the ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Voice & Accountability▶
Captures perceptions of the extent to which a country's citizens are able to participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression, freedom of association, and a free media.
Data from World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators (2023).
Freedom Status: Not Free — scored 27/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
West African CFA Franc (XOF)
Language
French
Notable restrictions:
- drug possession illegal including medical marijuana
- e-cigarettes prohibited
Vaccinations
Required:
- Yellow Fever: Vaccine is required for all arriving travelers ≥9 months old.
Recommended:
⚠ Malaria Risk: high
Recommended medications: Atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, tafenoquine
Active health notices:
- alertGlobal Polio: Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines.
- watchGlobal Measles: Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Vaccination data sourced from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Consult a travel health professional before your trip.
Common Questions About Traveling to Burkina Faso
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Burkina Faso?
▶Is it safe to travel to Burkina Faso right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Burkina Faso?
▶What vaccines do I need for Burkina Faso?
▶Is Burkina Faso safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Burkina Faso?
More Burkina Faso Data
Not Free — 27/100 on the Freedom House index.
Governance indicators including rule of law, corruption control, and regulatory quality.
View all 195 countries color-coded by advisory level.
Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov.
Access this data programmatically. Free tier available.
On-demand country risk PDFs from 6 government sources.