While Telegraph Travel urges readers to follow the guidance of the FCDO, not everyone does. We’ve previously reported on the rise of the “danger tourist” – globetrotters who make a beeline for countries like Syria and Iraq, often motivated by social media likes – and a handful of established UK operators run group tours to places the FCDO would rather you didn’t visit. They include Wild Frontiers, founded by Jonny Bealby more than 25 years ago. He said: “While the world may seem like a more dangerous place, with 24/7 rolling news bringing us hourly updates from troubled regions – particularly from the Middle East – it’s worth remembering that statistically the chances of British travellers coming to harm virtually anywhere in the world is remarkably small.
“The Government’s advice is just that, advice, and while one should certainly take it seriously, and be aware that it might affect your travel insurance, the acceptable risk any traveller is prepared to take will vary. Iran is advised against, yet we ran two very successful group tours there in 2023 with no issues at all. It also advises against travel to the Kashmir region of India; I was there last year, as were many of our clients, and we all had fabulous trips.”
Bealby added: “We recognise the FCDO has a difficult job evaluating risk – sometimes we feel they get it spot on, sometimes we feel they are overcautious, and it’s always going to be impossible to please everyone. We also understand the issues of travelling against FDCO advice, and why people might want to avoid doing so. Besides, there are still countless fabulous destinations that are not advised against that will still offer an incredible adventure – Guatemala, Oman, Kyrgyzstan and Cambodia, to name a few.”
The 24 ‘black list’ destinations (six more than in 2019)
The Foreign Office advises against travel, or all but essential travel, to the whole of these territories:
- Afghanistan
- Belarus
- Burkina Faso
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Haiti
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Mali
- Niger
- North Korea
- The Palestinian territories
- Russia
- Somalia
- Somaliland
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Syria
- Ukraine
- Venezuela
- Yemen
In: Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Sudan, Israel, Iran, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories
Out: Mauritania (down to red), Burundi (down to red)
The 42 ‘red list’ destinations (equal to 2019)
The Foreign Office advises against travel, or all but essential travel, to parts of these territories:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bangladesh
- Benin
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Colombia
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Georgia
- India
- Indonesia
- Ivory Coast
- Jordan
- Kenya
- Kosovo
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Mauritania
- Mexico
- Moldova
- Mozambique
- Myanmar (Burma)
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Republic of Congo
- Saudi Arabia
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Uzbekistan
- Western Sahara
In: Burundi (down from black), Mauritania (down from black), Mexico, Moldova, Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Indonesia
Out: Iran (up to black), Russia (up to black), Ukraine (up to black), Sudan (up to black), Lebanon (up to black), Israel (up to black), Palestinian territories (up to black)
Other changes since 2019
More no-go zones:
- Ecuador
- Ethiopia
- Ivory Coast
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Tunisia
10 world wonders you cannot visit in 2024
1. Leptis Magna, Libya
What is it? A proper Roman city with a hippodrome, a theatre, baths and temples, a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean.
Why can’t I go? “Local security situations are fragile and can quickly deteriorate into intense fighting and clashes without warning,” says the FCDO.
