Go with a plan.
Eritrea's safety score rose to 55/100, but Canada still warns against all travel while the US and UK advise increased caution and a global measles outbreak persists.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Eritrea
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go with a plan.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Black market currency exchange
Locals offer better exchange rates for hard currency or other shady economic deals. Avoid these offers to prevent severe trouble with the zero-tolerance legal system.
Don't do this
Laws that jail tourists
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is illegal. Conviction carries a penalty of up to three years in prison or death.
Exit visa requirements
Dual nationals must apply for exit visas to leave the country. Those who have not completed mandatory military service or are government critics are often denied departure.
Dual national status
Possessing a foreign passport does not grant consular protection if you are considered Eritrean. The government does not recognize dual nationality for legal or consular purposes.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •Watch out for bicycle riders, vehicle drivers and pedestrians.
- •Travelling near the borders of any country surrounding Eritrea is extremely dangerous, and should be avoided.
- •Do not fall prey to those willing to offer you a better exchange rate for your hard currency or some other "shady economic deal".
- •Consular assistance: Consular support is severely limited in Eritrea, due in large part to the fact that the Eritrean government routinely restricts foreign diplomats from talking to foreign nationals in detention.
- •If you have been detained for whatever reason, know that your embassy will have little influence in assisting you. They may not even be notified that you have been detained.
- •Dual nationals: If you are thought to be Eritrean – such as having Eritrean identity documents (even those that are out of date) or being a dual national – possessing another passport will not grant you consular protection in the event you get arrested or detained.
Staying healthy
- •Do not drink the tap water and even check bottled water to make sure the cap is sealed.
- •Adult HIV/AIDS is more than 0.8%.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / L · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 113 / ambulance: 114 / fire: 116
Show the receipts (10 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12