Rules for overlanding in Djibouti
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 31 May 2026.
Which licence you need
- All vehicles — Non-residents holding an Italian licence may drive for three months from the date they enter the country. Check what applies to the licence you hold.
An International Driving Permit states the categories it covers: check yours covers what you will actually drive. A car licence does not cover a motorcycle, and a heavy camper or a truck can need a higher category.
At the wheel
- Insurance — Cover has to be taken out locally, and a policy covering every kind of claim is recommended.
- Roads and pistes — Outside the capital, and apart from the roads towards Dire Dawa in Ethiopia and towards Obock, the network is almost entirely dirt piste. Maintenance is poor.
- Use a 4x4 — The ministry recommends using four-wheel drive vehicles and advises against relying on public transport.
- Sea crossings — Piracy has declined but remains a real danger in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, and Somali piracy is now joined by Houthi attacks on western ships, often with autonomous drones. Avoid sea movements in the southern Red Sea up to the Bab el-Mandeb strait and in Indian Ocean waters, especially along the whole Somali coast.
- Travelling with pets — Travellers with dogs or cats need the vaccination and identification record required by the international rules.
What catches travellers out
- Photography and press visa — Do not photograph the airport, the port, government buildings, military installations or other sensitive infrastructure. Photographing people or things without asking first can be treated as a serious offence. Professional photographers and videomakers need a journalism visa, and using professional gear on a tourist visa is strongly discouraged.
- Visa before arrival — A visa is required and none is issued at the entry points. Apply well ahead at a Djiboutian consular office abroad or online through the official e-visa site.
- Crime and cash — Theft, pickpocketing and petty crime are increasing in the capital, particularly in the Gabode district, and you should not walk around alone at night there. Corruption is also widespread. Euros and US dollars convert easily, cards are only accepted in the main businesses and ATMs exist in the capital, so carry a decent amount of cash.
- Drugs and protected species — Drug offences carry extremely severe prison sentences. Exporting illegal or protected items such as ivory, turtles and leopard skins is prohibited.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 31 May 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Djibouti before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 31 May 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.