Active conflict or extreme danger; travel is strongly discouraged. Civil liberties are tightly restricted and political expression can carry risk.
Regional breakdown
The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces touches almost every part of the country. Khartoum, the capital, has seen heavy fighting, shelling and drone attacks. Large parts of the city are damaged. Basic services like water, power and hospitals are unreliable or gone in many districts. Darfur is the area flagged most often by both governments. El Fasher, Nyala and Geneina have all seen mass violence, siege conditions and attacks on civilians. Aid agencies report famine warnings across North Darfur. Kordofan and Blue Nile states also see regular clashes. In the east, Kassala, Gedaref and Red Sea state are quieter but not calm. Port Sudan, once used as a fallback hub, has itself been hit by drone attacks in recent months. The Hala'ib Triangle and Bir Tawil area on the Egyptian border sit under a separate UK warning for essential travel only. Land borders with Chad, South Sudan, Libya and the Central African Republic pass through conflict or lawless zones. Overland routes that looked workable a year ago now change week to week.
Recent advisory changes
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office last updated its Sudan guidance on 26 February 2026. It warns against all travel to the whole country because of the ongoing military conflict. The international Embassy in Khartoum stays closed. The UK government says it is no longer running evacuations, so anyone still in Sudan must plan and pay for their own way out. The official advisory guidance points travellers to a 24/7 helpline on +44 1908 516 666 for emergency help. The official advisory guidance reissued its Sudan advisory on 15 October 2025 at Level 4, Do Not Travel. It lists armed conflict, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, landmines and health risks as the main reasons. The US Embassy in Khartoum suspended operations in April 2023 and has not reopened. The department urges travellers to leave Sudan and directs consular questions to the US Embassy in Cairo. Both governments flag drone strikes on Khartoum and Port Sudan airports as a recent and growing risk.
What travellers should know
Travel insurance is the first thing to check. Most UK policies become void the moment a traveller enters a country official advisory guidance warns against. That means medical bills, evacuation costs and lost belongings all fall on the traveller. Health care inside Sudan is very limited right now, with many hospitals closed or short of supplies. Serious injury or illness often needs evacuation to Egypt, Kenya or the Gulf, and that can cost tens of thousands of pounds without cover. Anyone already in Sudan should keep travel documents, cash in small notes, water and a charged phone within reach. Mobile and internet networks drop often, so downloaded maps and written emergency numbers help. Watch out for checkpoints run by different armed groups, as rules change block by block. Avoid taking photos of soldiers, vehicles or government buildings. Register with the UK or US consular services in a neighbouring country before moving. Journalists. Aid workers and others with a work reason to be in Sudan should travel only with a trusted local fixer. A security plan and a clear exit route.