Safety in Mozambique: what overland travellers should know

Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 25 February 2026.

Safety

Cabo Delgado insurgency — An armed islamist insurgency has been running in Cabo Delgado since October 2017 and the security forces have not brought it under control: villages and stretches of road, some close to Pemba, keep being attacked. The whole province is high risk, the districts of Mocimboa, Macomia, Muidumbe, Nangade, Mueda, Quissanga, Chiure and Palma above all, and attacks grew through 2024 and the first half of 2025, hitting civilians and tourist sites and spreading into neighbouring Niassa and Nampula along the provincial border. The ministry asks you to avoid all travel and any stay in Cabo Delgado, with Pemba the only exception for now, and only if you reach it by air.
Landmines in rural areas — The government says the thousands of mines laid during the war of independence have all been cleared, but in some rural areas you can still find signs marked with a skull indicating mined ground. Do not head into the bush without a reliable guide, and if you have no specific information about the route you intend to take, stick to the main roads and travel in daylight.
Unrest and roadblocks — Months of disorder, roadblocks and strikes have left the picture volatile, though it has been gradually improving; keep movement down, especially outside the city centres and after dark, and stay away from gatherings. Clashes with the security forces were particularly sharp across Maputo province, Nampula and Beira in 2024. The Ressano Garcia crossing into South Africa is not currently a flashpoint.
Crime — Maputo sees petty crime, mostly in the outer districts and the historic Baixa, and so do the other large cities and the main tourist areas — Vilankulo, Ilha de Moçambique, Tofo, Ponta do Ouro. Do not walk in peripheral districts in the evening or at night, keep valuables, phones and cameras out of sight, and be careful when withdrawing cash at ATMs. Kidnapping for extortion continues in Maputo but has so far targeted Mozambican traders of Asian origin rather than foreigners.
Cyclones and flooding — During the rainy season, roughly November to April, avoid the areas most exposed to flooding and cyclones and check the forecast before you set off.

Before you rely on this

This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 25 February 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 Mozambique 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 25 February 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.