The warning is contained in an updated State Department travel advisory, which keeps Mozambique at Level 2, meaning Americans should “Exercise Increased Caution”, while placing several northern areas under the highest Level 4 “Do Not Travel” category.
The advisory covers Cabo Delgado Province, parts of Niassa and northern Nampula, where Islamist militants have operated for years.
Terrorism threat in the north
The State Department warns that terrorist groups remain active in northern Mozambique and may strike with little warning.
“Attackers may strike public areas and tourist destinations with little or no warning, sometimes taking hostages,” the advisory says.
According to the New York Post, some of the affected areas include remote safari and hunting destinations that traditionally attract wealthy foreign visitors.
Cabo Delgado, in particular, has long been associated with high-end hunting safaris and wildlife tourism, but the insurgency has badly damaged business in parts of the province.
Veteran foreign correspondent and author Alex Perry told Fox News Digital that the militant presence in northern Mozambique is relatively small but highly violent.
“Mozambique has one of the smaller ISIS groups in the world,” Perry said. “They are spectacularly nasty.”
He said militants have carried out mass beheadings and other attacks, making parts of northern Mozambique increasingly difficult for tourism operators.
“This is almost exclusively hunting safaris — people going to shoot animals,” Perry said. “That tends to be much smaller numbers of people paying a much higher price.”
Other countries issue similar warnings
The United States is not alone, with Britain also advising against travel to most of Cabo Delgado and parts of neighbouring provinces because of Islamist-linked attacks and risks to foreigners.
Canada similarly warns its citizens against travelling to Cabo Delgado and parts of Nampula, while Australia advises against travel to several northern districts because of terrorism, kidnapping and armed clashes.
In Asia, South Korea has also raised its warning for Cabo Delgado, placing the province under its Level 3 “Recommend Departure” category.
On August 24, 2026, Seoul also urged citizens planning to visit the province to cancel or postpone their trips as terrorist attacks continued.
Tourism continues outside conflict zones
Despite the violence in the north, large parts of Mozambique continue to receive international visitors drawn by its Indian Ocean beaches, marine tourism and wildlife reserves.
Mozambique welcomed more than 757,000 foreign visitors in 2024, according to government figures cited by the New York Post.
Perry said travellers should therefore distinguish between the conflict-hit north and the rest of the country.
“On the whole, it’s a pretty safe and secure and, as I say, beautiful and enjoyable place to visit,” Perry said. “The far north is a dramatic exception.”
Meanwhile, Americans who must travel to affected areas are advised to consider private security, avoid non-essential movement after dark and prepare evacuation plans that do not depend on US government assistance.
