Travel safety comparison · Africa

Mali vs Senegal: safety comparison

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Mali vs Senegal: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.

· How Warnely scores risk →
Senegal carries a materially lower safety risk than Mali on the composite Warnely score: 26/100 against 81/100, a gap of 55 points. The biggest single category gap is in terrorism, where Senegal scores 1/5 against Mali's 4/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 4 advisory on Mali and a Level 1 on Senegal. Women's-safety rating differs: Mali is Do Not Travel and Senegal is Exercise Caution.
🇲🇱Mali 🇸🇳Senegal
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 81 / 100 26 / 100
Risk tier Do Not Travel Exercise Normal Caution
UK FCDO advisory avoid all travel to whole country No active advisory
US State Department advisory Level 4 (Do Not Travel) Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions)
Global Peace Index rank #154 #69
Drug law Severe (long sentences) Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Do Not Travel Exercise Caution
LGBTQ+ legal status illegal illegal
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency XOF XOF
Full guide

Is Mali safe to visit in 2026?
Full guide

Is Senegal safe to visit in 2026?

Mali vs Senegal: common questions

Is Mali or Senegal safer to visit?

Senegal has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 26/100 vs 81/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Mali or Senegal safer for solo female travellers?

Mali is rated Do Not Travel for women's safety; Senegal is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Mali and Senegal?

Mali: avoid all travel to whole country (FCDO), Level 4 (Do Not Travel) (US State). Senegal: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).

More comparisons

Morocco vs Mali · Gambia vs Senegal · Sierra Leone vs Senegal · Guinea vs Senegal · Morocco (Western Sahara) vs Mali · Morocco (Western Sahara) vs Senegal · Algeria vs Mali · Guinea vs Mali

Planning the trip? Check Mali visa requirements and Senegal visa requirements.

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