ES
Registrarse

tanzania Tanzania v.2026-05-15

Armed groups, terrorism and kidnapping near Mtwara’s Mozambique border, plus current fuel availability problems affecting travel logistics.

  • Artículo
  • actualizado 2026-05-15

Tanzania has active official travel advisories as of 2026-05-15. The strictest warnings apply to parts of Mtwara Region near Mozambique, especially the Mozambique border zone, where official advisories cite armed groups, terrorism, militant attacks, and kidnapping risk.

What Is Being Advised

Avoid all travel to the Mtwara Region border area with Mozambique where official advisories place the risk at the highest level. One advisory specifies within 10 km of the Mozambique border in Mtwara Region; others use wider scopes around the Mozambique border or Mtwara.

Avoid non-essential travel to nearby southern Mtwara areas covered by official warnings, including the area between the A19 highway and the Mozambique border, and any area within 20 km of the Tanzanian border with Mozambique where that scope applies.

Use heightened caution elsewhere in Tanzania. Current advisories cite violent crime, terrorism risk, demonstrations in Zanzibar, crime in Dar es Salaam, security risks in Kigoma and Kagera regions, and a fuel-availability update from Italy.

Check your government's Tanzania page before booking or moving overland, then re-check close to travel. The official pages used here were checked on 2026-05-14; the newest listed update is Italy's 2026-05-12 notice.

Where exactly this applies
  • Mtwara Region near Mozambique: Canada warns against all travel within 10 km of the Mozambique border in Mtwara Region, and against non-essential travel between the A19 highway and the Mozambique border.
  • Wider Mozambique border area: New Zealand and the UK warn against non-essential travel within 20 km of the border with Mozambique in Mtwara Region or the Cabo Delgado border area.
  • Kisiju area: New Zealand also warns against non-essential travel to the area south of Kisiju, described as islands or coastal area, due to militant attack, terrorism, and kidnapping threats.
  • Western border regions: France flags western regions bordering Burundi in its security-zone advice.
  • Dar es Salaam: Italy marks Dar es Salaam for heightened caution due to crime.
  • Zanzibar: Italy marks Zanzibar for heightened caution due to demonstrations.
  • Kigoma and Kagera: Italy marks Kigoma Region and Kagera Region for heightened caution due to security risks.
Organizations issuing warnings
  • Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia
  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, United Kingdom
  • Global Affairs Canada
  • Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres, France
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale, Italy
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand

The Main Risk Area Is Mtwara Near Mozambique

The strongest warning cluster is southern Tanzania near Mozambique. Canada lists an avoid-all-travel warning for within 10 km of the Mozambique border in Mtwara Region, citing armed groups, terrorism, and kidnapping. Canada also warns against non-essential travel between the A19 highway and the Mozambique border in Mtwara.

The UK warns against all but essential travel to any area within 20 km of Tanzania's border with Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, citing attacks by groups linked with Islamic extremism. New Zealand uses a similar 20 km Mozambique-border scope in Mtwara Region and also names the area south of Kisiju because of militant attacks, terrorism, and kidnapping.

France's security-zone advice names the Mozambique border strip and Mtwara Region. Its native labels include red zones formally advised against, orange zones advised against except for imperative reasons, and yellow zones requiring reinforced vigilance.

Other Advisory Areas

Broader Tanzania is under heightened caution in several advisories. Canada cites crime levels and the threat of terrorism across Tanzania. Ireland rates Tanzania at a high degree of caution. Australia lists Tanzania at exercise a high degree of caution, with its destination entry updated on 2026-01-19.

Italy's 2026-05-12 advice marks multiple specific areas above baseline: Zanzibar for demonstrations, Dar es Salaam for crime, Kigoma Region and Kagera Region for security risks, and the southern Mtwara border area for Mozambique-related risk. Italy also has a 2026-04-14 current update about fuel availability in Tanzania.

Japan's 2025-11-03 notice assigns separate levels to listed areas: Level 3 avoid travel, Level 2 avoid non-urgent travel, and Level 1 use sufficient caution. The summaries cite ongoing security risks and advise monitoring reliable information.

Before You Move

If your route touches Mtwara, the Mozambique border, Cabo Delgado-adjacent areas, or Kisiju, check the exact official map or text before you commit. The difference between 10 km, 20 km, the A19 highway, and named coastal/island areas is operationally important. The warning scopes vary across southern Tanzania.

For Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Kigoma, and Kagera, match the caution to the named risk: crime in Dar es Salaam, demonstrations in Zanzibar, and broader security risks in Kigoma and Kagera.

Build slack into transport plans if fuel availability or flight disruption would break your itinerary. Italy has a current fuel-availability update, and France has a current aviation-disruption note tied to the situation in the Middle East.

Source Notes

The official pages in this article were checked on 2026-05-14. Update dates vary: Italy's listed Tanzania notices include 2026-05-12 and 2026-04-14; Canada's Tanzania page was updated 2026-05-04; France's security-zone page was updated 2026-04-30; Ireland's page was updated 2026-04-21; New Zealand's page was updated 2026-02-13; Australia's destination index entry was updated 2026-01-19; the UK warning page in this packet was updated 2025-12-10; Japan's listed hazard notice was updated 2025-11-03.

Official source notes

Official source notes used for this article. Native government labels are preserved when available.

  • Global Affairs Canada (ca) (avoid all travel; native label: Avoid all travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: Portion of Mtwara Region south of the A19 highway - Avoid non-essential travel. Avoid non-essential travel to the area between the A19 highway and the border with Mozambique in the Mtwara Region, due to the presence of armed groups, the threat of terrorism and the risk of kidnapping.
  • Global Affairs Canada (ca) (avoid all travel; native label: Avoid all travel; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: Border with Mozambique in Mtwara Region - Avoid all travel. Avoid all travel to within 10 km of the border with Mozambique, in the Mtwara Region, due to the presence of armed groups, the threat of terrorism and the risk of kidnapping.
  • Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres (fr) (avoid all travel; native label: Zones formellement déconseillées (en rouge sur la carte); Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative (en orange sur la carte); Zones en vigilance renforcée (en jaune sur la carte); updated 2026-04-30; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzanie - Conseils aux voyageurs: security zones. France Diplomatie currently places parts of Tanzanie above ordinary baseline travel advice. Native severity labels are preserved as: Zones formellement déconseillées (en rouge sur la carte); Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative (en orange sur la carte); Zones en vigilance renforcée (en jaune sur la carte). Named areas/routes/borders include: Bande frontalière avec le Mozambique et région de Mtwara, Régions occidentales frontalières avec le Burundi, Région de Mtwara, Délinquance, Risque terroriste.
  • Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres (fr) (avoid all travel; native label: Dernières minutes; updated 2026-04-07; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzanie - Situation sécuritaire. France Diplomatie has an active 'Dernières minutes' update for Tanzanie, titled 'Situation sécuritaire'. The update concerns security or civil disruption; the original French excerpt is included for exact official wording.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (jp) (avoid all travel; native label: レベル3：渡航は止めてください。（渡航中止勧告）（継続）; updated 2025-11-03; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: レベル3：渡航は止めてください。（渡航中止勧告）（継続）. Japan MOFA keeps Tanzania in the listed area at レベル3：渡航は止めてください。（渡航中止勧告）（継続）; travelers should not travel. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (nz) (avoid non-essential travel; native label: Exercise increased caution; Avoid non-essential travel; updated 2026-02-13; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: Exercise increased caution. Exercise increased caution in Tanzania due to violent crime and the threat of terrorism (level 2 of 4). Avoid non-essential travel to within 20km of the border with Mozambique, in the Mtwara Region; and the area south of the Kisiju (islands or coastal area) due to the threat of militant attacks, terrorism and kidnapping.
  • Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (gb) (avoid non-essential travel; native label: FCDO advises against all but essential travel; updated 2025-12-10; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: FCDO advises against all but essential travel. FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Tanzania Tanzania FCDO advises against all but essential travel to any area within 20km of the Tanzanian border with the Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique, due to attacks by groups linked with Islamic extremism. Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (jp) (avoid non-essential travel; native label: レベル2：不要不急の渡航は止めてください。（継続）; updated 2025-11-03; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: レベル2：不要不急の渡航は止めてください。（継続）. Japan MOFA keeps Tanzania in the listed area at レベル2：不要不急の渡航は止めてください。（継続）; travelers should avoid non-essential travel. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Prudenza per i viaggi nelle aree di confine con il Mozambico; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Prudenza per i viaggi nelle aree di confine con il Mozambico. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Regione meridionale di Mtwara in Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to border risk. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Ordine pubblico e criminalità; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Ordine pubblico e criminalità. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to crime. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Zanzibar in Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to demonstrations. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Ordine pubblico e criminalità; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Ordine pubblico e criminalità. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to crime. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Ordine pubblico e criminalità; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Ordine pubblico e criminalità. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to crime. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Dar es Salaam in Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to crime. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Regione di Kigoma in Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: sicurezza - Area di particolare cautela; updated 2026-05-12; checked 2026-05-14): Area di particolare cautela. Official Viaggiare Sicuri marks Regione del Kagera in Tanzania for above-baseline travel caution due to security risks. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Global Affairs Canada (ca) (heightened caution; native label: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-05-04; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania - Exercise a high degree of caution. Exercise a high degree of caution in Tanzania due to the crime levels and the threat of terrorism.
  • Department of Foreign Affairs (ie) (heightened caution; native label: High Degree of Caution; updated 2026-04-21; checked 2026-05-14): Ireland DFA: High caution - Tanzania. Ireland DFA currently rates Tanzania as High Degree of Caution. Irish tourists should treat the destination as elevated risk and check the official page for local security and travel conditions.
  • Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale (it) (heightened caution; native label: ultimaora - TANZANIA: reperibilità del carburante.; updated 2026-04-14; checked 2026-05-14): TANZANIA: reperibilità del carburante.. Official Viaggiare Sicuri current update for Tanzania: transport or border disruption. It concerns a current operational or security development. Travelers are advised to use heightened caution and follow local authority instructions.
  • Ministere de l'Europe et des Affaires etrangeres (fr) (heightened caution; native label: Dernières minutes; updated 2026-04-07; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzanie - Perturbation des liaisons aériennes en raison de la situation au Moyen-Orient. France Diplomatie has an active 'Dernières minutes' update for Tanzanie, titled 'Perturbation des liaisons aériennes en raison de la situation au Moyen-Orient'. The update concerns a current travel-advice update; the original French excerpt is included for exact official wording.
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (au) (heightened caution; native label: Exercise a high degree of caution; updated 2026-01-19; checked 2026-05-14): Smartraveller advisory for Tanzania: Exercise a high degree of caution. Australia Smartraveller lists Tanzania at "Exercise a high degree of caution" on its current destinations index. The destination entry was updated on 2026-01-19.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (jp) (heightened caution; native label: レベル1：十分注意してください。（新規発出）; updated 2025-11-03; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: レベル1：十分注意してください。（新規発出）. Japan MOFA keeps Tanzania in the listed area at レベル1：十分注意してください。（新規発出）; travelers should exercise a high degree of caution. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.
  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs (jp) (heightened caution; native label: レベル1：十分注意してください。（継続）; updated 2025-11-03; checked 2026-05-14): Tanzania: レベル1：十分注意してください。（継続）. Japan MOFA keeps Tanzania in the listed area at レベル1：十分注意してください。（継続）; travelers should exercise a high degree of caution. The update notes cite ongoing security risks and advise travelers to monitor reliable information and take sufficient safety measures.