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Kenya UNESCO world heritage sites

Coast region [capital = Mombasa]

Fort Jesus in Mombasa on Nkrumah Road
The Fort, built by the Portuguese in 1593-1596 to the designs of Giovanni Battista Cairati to protect the port of Mombasa, is one of the most outstanding and well preserved examples of 16th Portuguese military fortification and a landmark in the history of this type of construction.

Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests in Giriama + Kinondo + Jibana + Kambe + Ribe + Kauama + Rabai + Duruma
The Mijikenda Kaya Forests consist of 11 separate forest sites spread over some 200 km along the coast containing the remains of numerous fortified villages, known as kayas, of the Mijikenda people. The kayas, created as of the 16th century but abandoned by the 1940s, are now regarded as the abodes of ancestors and are revered as sacred sites and, as such, are maintained as by councils of elders. The site is inscribed as bearing unique testimony to a cultural tradition and for its direct link to a living tradition.

Historic Town of Gede on Watamu Road
The opulent settlement is clearly delineated by walls and features remains of domestic, religious, and civic architecture, and a sophisticated water management system. It strongly represents the characteristics of Swahili architecture and town planning, utilising materials such as coral rag, coral and earth mortar and wood.

Old Town of Lamu via Mokowe
Lamu Old Town is the oldest and best-preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, retaining its traditional functions. Built in coral stone and mangrove timber, the town is characterized by the simplicity of structural forms enriched by such features as inner courtyards, verandas, and elaborately carved wooden doors.

Eastern region [capital = Embu]

Lake Turkana South Island in Loiyangalani
Covered end to end in volcanic ash, the nightly glow of its South Island’s luminous vents has inspired numerous tales of ghosts and evil spirits. The island is home to a profusion of birdlife including 34 species of European migrants most spectacularly viewed as they return home between March and May. At least 23 species breed here, including Goliath heron, and African skimmer, while African open-billed stork, Duck and Gulls feed on the shores and the volcanic island lakes attract lesser flamingos. Birds of prey are also abundant, especially swallow-tailed kites. This park is ideal for game watching and has one of the world’s largest concentrations of crocodiles.

Sibiloi National Park in North Horr
The most famous remains from the park are the Australopithecus and early Homo fossils. These have been moved to Nairobi, but fossil non-humanoids are on display in the museum.

Nyanza region [capital = Kisumu]

Thimlich Ohinga Prehistoric site in Macalder Mines on C19
Thimlich Ohinga is the largest and best preserved of these traditional enclosures. It is an exceptional example of the tradition of massive dry-stone walled enclosures, typical of the first pastoral communities in the Lake Victoria Basin, which persisted from the 16th to the mid-20th century.

Rift Valley region [capital = Nakuru]

Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Isiolo @
Lewa serves as a safe refuge for the critically endangered black rhino and the endangered Grevy’s zebra, as well as the elephant, lion, giraffe, wild dog and other iconic wildlife species in Kenya. The Conservancy is also home to more than 400 species of birds.

Mount Kenya National Park in Naro Moru @
A small portion of this park's borders near heavy populations have electrified fences to keep the elephants out of the surrounding farmland. At lower altitudes, black-and-white colobus and other monkeys, and Cape buffaloes are prevalent.

Lake Elementaita in Gilgil @
Consisting of 48,000 acres of tderse ecological significance, Soysambu Conservancy is home to more than 450 bird species (28% of the world's population of Lesser Flamingo) and 10,000 mammals of over 50 species including 90+ Rothschild's Giraffe (10% of the world's population of this endangered species).

Lake Nakuru in Nakuru @
The lake's abundance of algae used to attract a vast quantity of flamingos that famously lined the shore. Other birds also flourish in the area, as do warthogs, baboons and other large mammals. Eastern black rhinos and southern white rhinos have also been introduced.

Lake Bogoria in Marigat @
Lake Bogoria in Kenya’s Rift Valley is famed for its geysers, and its huge population of flamingos, which come to feed on algae and drink fresh water from lakeside spouts. The lake itself is highly alkaline and twice as salty as seawater; it can’t support fish. But it has a secret wealth which is only now beginning to be tapped: The lake contains an unusual array of microbes and micro-organisms from which enzymes have been produced for use in antibiotics and cleaning products. Indeed, tiny organisms like those found in Bogoria are the basis of the multi-million dollar global biotech industry.

Lake Turkana Central Island in Kalokol @
It is composed of more than a dozen craters and cones, three of which are filled by small lakes. The two largest lakes partially fill craters up to a kilometre wide and about 80 m deep, the floors of which are near sea level. The highest point on the dominantly basaltic island reaches 550 m, about 190 m above the lake surface. An E-W-trending chain of small explosion craters cuts the eastern side of the 3-km-wide island. Several small islands to the SE represent partially submerged crater rims, and other cones and lava plugs lie beneath the lake surface near the island.