Is Gao safe? Mali travel risk
Is Gao safe right now? Checked 21 October 2026
Gao scores 75/100 on our travel risk index (Extreme). The US State Department rates Mali Level 4 (Do Not Travel, updated 8 Jun 2026); the UK FCDO advises against all travel to the whole country (updated 10 Jul 2026); Canada says: avoid all travel. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Gao scores 75/100 (Extreme). The score combines security, crime and scams, health and medical access, natural hazards and current alerts measured for this location and Mali (how it is calculated). The sections below are specific to Gao: nearest emergency and transport facilities, 5-year natural hazard history within 100 km.
Driven by: The US State Department and Government of Canada and UK FCDO advise against all travel here, so the score is held at 75 or higher.
A score of 75 is higher than 92% of the cities we score.
Consult the Mali travel risk page for nationwide security advisories, entry protocols, and consular warnings.
Local Geographic Profile
Charted at coordinates 16.2667° N, 0.0500° W in Gao, Gao maintains a regional distance of 945.0 km WSW to Bamako.
Gao
16.2667° N, 0.0500° W
257 m
Africa/Bamako
49,483
Emergency & Transport Infrastructure
Surrounding Localities in Mali
Natural Hazard Calendar & History
No GDACS or USGS events recorded within 100 km in the past five years.
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Mali travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Mali entry requirements.
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