U.S. Issues 3 'Do Not Travel' Warnings as Summer Begins

The U.S. State Department has issued three Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings as summer approaches this month.

Summer is officially set to begin on Sunday, June 21. However, summer travel has already begun in a big way. Airports are typically busiest in July and August, according to travel studies, though we've already seen some major travel congestion in June. And last year, TSA reported that its busiest travel day of the year came in June, when close to three million people passed through U.S. airports on June 22.

But as travel season is heating up, the U.S. Government is officially warning Americans, issuing three separate Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings as the sixth month of the year begins.

The U.S. State Department issued Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings for three different countries so far in June:

• Mali
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Uganda

Rwanda, meanwhile, was hit with a Level 3: Reconsider Travel warning as well.

"A Travel Advisory is a report from the U.S. Department of State that describes the risks and recommended precautions for U.S. citizens-not foreign nationals-in a foreign destination. The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad. Information contained in these advisories reflects an assessment of threats only insofar as they may impact U.S. citizens, nationals, and legal residents," the U.S. State Department warns.

What does a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning actually mean?

Level 4: Do Not Travel warnings are typically issued when there is considered to be extreme danger for Americans in certain countries abroad.

For example, the Level 4: Do Not Travel warning for Mali was issued "due to crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest and health."

In Uganda, the Level 4: Do Not Travel warning was issued "due to crime, health, terrorism, and unrest."

"The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Uganda due to the Ebola outbreak," the U.S. warned.

"Violent crime is a real danger in Uganda. This includes armed robbery, home invasion, and sexual assault. Crime can happen anytime. It is more common in larger cities, the Karamoja region, and along Uganda's western and northern borders. Both visitors and residents face these threats. Police struggle to respond to serious crime in most places due to limited resources."

Several countries, of course, remain safe to visit abroad. You can view the complete list of countries and their Travel Level Advisory ranking on the U.S. State Department page here.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 9, 2026 at 10:35 AM.