Is It Safe to Travel to Sudan in 2026?
Sudan - 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 Sudan or parts of Sudan due to serious safety concerns. Key factors: crime, kidnapping, terrorism, civil_unrest, health, natural_disaster.
Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the southeast, and South Sudan to the south.
Is It Safe to Travel to Sudan in 2026?
Sudan is currently rated Level 4 — Do Not Travel by the U.S. Department of State. Do not travel to Sudan due to risk of unrest, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, landmines, and health threats. The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations in April 2023 due to the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan. Armed conflict continues in Sudan, particularly in the Kordofan and Darfur regions, as well as in the capital region, including Khartoum and Omdurman. Khartoum International Airport is currently closed to commercial traffic, and commercial service to Port Sudan International Airport has been limited due to drone strikes. Crime, including kidnapping and armed robbery, is a common threat throughout the country.
Key concerns cited in the advisory:
- crime
- kidnapping
- terrorism
- civil_unrest
- health
- natural_disaster
The overall security situation has been worsening recently. Contributing factors: armed conflict continues in Sudan, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations, crime, including kidnapping and armed robbery, is a common threat throughout the country.
Traveler Impact
Solo travelers face extreme risks from crime, including kidnapping and armed robbery, particularly in urban areas like Khartoum, where armed conflict is ongoing.
Business travelers are at extreme risk due to the closure of Khartoum International Airport and the unpredictable security situation, which severely limits operational capabilities.
Families with children face extreme risks from health threats, including high malaria prevalence and limited healthcare access, alongside the danger of civil unrest and crime.
Remote workers face extreme risks due to the lack of reliable internet and the ongoing armed conflict, making it unsafe to work from Sudan.
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 Sudan.
Regional Safety Breakdown
Do Not Travel Zones
The U.S. State Department advises against all travel to the following areas due to extreme risk:
- Sudan
▶Level 4 — Do Not Travel1 region
▶Sudan
Do not travel due to armed conflict, crime, and health threats.
Sudan has 1 distinct regions with varying advisory levels. Risk conditions differ significantly by area.
▶Safety and Stability Ratings
Threat Severity (0-10 scale)
Sudan has an overall threat severity of 9.9 out of 10. Crime risk is rated 9.0/10, 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 6/100 by Freedom House (2024). View full freedom profile →
▶Entry Requirements and Health
Entry Information
Visa
Check embassy for details
Currency
Sudanese Pound (SDG)
Language
Arabic / English
Notable restrictions:
- Drug possession illegal including medical marijuana.
Vaccinations
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 Dengue: Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites.
- 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, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel.
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 Sudan
▶What is the current travel advisory level for Sudan?
▶Is it safe to travel to Sudan right now?
▶Do I need a visa to visit Sudan?
▶What vaccines do I need for Sudan?
▶Is Sudan safe for solo travelers?
▶How bad is crime in Sudan?
More Sudan Data
Not Free — 6/100 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.