UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa

Africa

The _____region covers the 47 States Parties of the World Heritage Convention in the Sub-Saharan ____ . In line with the Global Priority Africa of UNESCO, the _____ unit of the World Heritage Centre strives to enhance the capacity of the ____region in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.​

___ is one of UNESCO’s Global Priorities. The African Renaissance is underway, with the adoption of the African Union Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development paving the ground for the African development.​ - UNESCO

Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE)

is the world’s greatest sheet of falling water and significant worldwide for its exceptional geological and geomorphological features and active land formation processes with outstanding beauty attributed to the falls i.e. the spray, mist and rainbows. (UNESCO)​

It was described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800s as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ – ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. ​

Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls (ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE)

Facing the Falls is another sheer wall of basalt, rising to the same height, and capped by mist-soaked rain forest. A path along the edge of the forest provides the visitor prepared to brave the tremendous spray, with an unparalleled series of views of the Falls (Zambia Tourism).​

Knife-edge Bridge

One special vantage point is across the _____, where visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls as well as the Boiling Pot, where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge

Meknes

Founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, ______ became a capital under Sultan Moulay Ismaïl (1672–1727), the founder of the Alawite dynasty. The sultan turned it into a impressive city in Spanish-Moorish style, surrounded by high walls with great doors, where the harmonious blending of the Islamic and European styles of the 17th century Maghreb are still evident today. ​

In addition to its architectural interest of being built in the Hispano-Moorish style, ____is of particular interest as it represents the first great work of the Alaouite dynasty, reflecting the grandeur of its creator.  It also provides a remarkable approach of urban design, integrating elements of both Islamic and European architecture and town planning (UNESCO)

Meknes

founded in the 11th century by the Almoravids as a military settlement, is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco (alongside Rabat, Marrakesh, and Fez).​

Medina of Fez (Morocco)

Founded in the 9th century, ____ reached its height in the 13th–14th centuries under the Marinids, when it replaced Marrakesh as the capital of the kingdom.​

Medina of Fez (Morocco)

The _____ is considered as one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world. The unpaved urban space conserves the majority of its original functions and attribute. It not only represents an outstanding architectural, archaeological and urban heritage, but also transmits a life style, skills and a culture that persist and are renewed despite the diverse effects of the evolving modern societies. (UNESCO)​

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Venturing through its main horseshoe gateways is an immersive and almost bewildering foray into a labyrinthine knot of narrow streets, lanes, and alleys lined with blank-walled houses and punctuated with dead-end squares. (National Geographic)

Fes el-Bali (Morocco)

The district of _____ possesses a maze of 9,400 winding alleyways. They are far too narrow for cars, and too crowded for just about anything but foot traffic. This labyrinthine landscape has earned _____ the distinction of being what’s believed to be the world’s largest car-free urban zone. ​

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_____ also happens to be the world’s largest surviving medieval city. Its streets are crowded with shops and stalls, mosques and madrasas (Islamic schools), and merchants selling dates, spices and fresh cuts of meat.​

Bou Inania Madrasa (Morocco)

​The _______ in Fez is one of the two Koranic schools to be seen in Fez, the religious capital of Morocco (the other is the Medersa Attarine which we have already mentioned). Along with the Ben Yousef medersa in Marrakech are the three most beautiful in Morocco.​

Amara: A Modernist African City

_____, a Modernist city of Africa is the capital of the country and is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a colonial planned city, which resulted from the subsequent phases of planning between 1893 and 1941, under the Italian colonial occupation. Its urban layout is based mainly on an orthogonal grid which later integrated elements of a radial system. (UNESCO)​

The buildings in the historic core of _____ have remained relatively untouched since the 1940s. Intermittent unrest between Mussolini’s defeat in Africa and independence in 1991 prevented large-scale construction in the capital. Following independence in 1991, the government of Eritrea established a program to preserve this unique architectural heritage amongst pressures to resume development.​   (World Monuments Fund)​

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara

________ , also known as the Catholic cathedral of Asmara, is an impressive large Revival First Romanesque style cathedral that is located in the capital city of the State of Eritrea, Asmara. Built in 1922 by the colonial authorities of Italian Eritrea, since 2015 is part of the Eritrean Catholic Church, and is the seat of the Eritrean Catholic Archeparchy of Asmara.

Asmara Theater

It was constructed in 1918 following a design by the Italian engineer Odoardo Cavagnari, with later renovations in 1936. The building combines elements of Romanesque Revival and neoclassicism. The painting of the ceiling of the auditorium shows the tendencies of the Art Nouveau. Indeed, the roof has paintings by Saverio Fresa with dance images. It was one of the most famous buildings in Italian Asmara.​

Kilimanjaro National Park (Tanzania)

_______ covering an area of some 75,575 ha protects the largest free standing volcanic mass in the world and the highest mountain in Africa, rising 4877m above surrounding plains to 5895m at its peak. With its snow-capped peak, the ______ is a superlative natural phenomenon, standing in isolation above the surrounding plains overlooking the savannah.​

Kilimanjaro National Park (Tanzania)

The whole mountain including the montane forest belt is very rich in species, in particular mammals, many of them endangered species.  For this combination of features but mostly its height, its physical form and snow cap and its isolation above the surrounding plains, _____ is considered an outstanding example of a superlative natural phenomenon. (UNESCO)​

Mount Kilimanjaro

_______ is a dormant volcano, and it has three cones!​

Not everyone is aware that _______ is a volcano. A dormant one, to be precise. And even more folks are unaware that it has three volcanic cones. This means it has vented through three different openings during its history. The cones of Kilimanjaro are:​ The tallest of _______ cones is Kibo 5,895 m (19,341 ft), because this is the cone that last vented. But nobody knows when that was exactly, as it was so long ago.​

Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

In the vast plains of _________, comprising 1.5 million hectares of savannah, the annual migration of two million wildebeests plus hundreds of thousands of gazelles and zebras - followed by their predators in their annual migration in search of pasture and water – is one of the most impressive nature spectacles in the world. The biological diversity of the park is very high with at least four globally threatened or endangered animal species: black rhinoceros, elephant, wild dog, and cheetah. (UNESCO)​

Serengeti National Park (Tanzania)

​The ____ ecosystem is one of the oldest on earth. The essential features of climate, vegetation and fauna have barely changed in the past million years. Early man himself made an appearance in Olduvai Gorge about two million years ago. Some patterns of life, death, adaptation and migration are as old as the hills themselves. (Tanzania Tourism)​

Stone Town of Zanzibar (Tanzania)

Located on a promontory jutting out from the western side of Unguja island into the Indian Ocean, the ________ is an outstanding example of a Swahili trading town. This type of town developed on the coast of East Africa, further expanded   under Arab, Indian, and European influences, but retained its indigenous elements, to form an urban cultural unit unique to this region.​

The ______ retains its urban fabric and townscape virtually intact and contains many fine buildings that reflect its particular culture, which has brought together and homogenized disparate elements of the cultures of Africa, the Arab region, India, and Europe over more than a millennium. (UNESCO)​

Stone Town of Zanzibar (Tanzania)

It has a number of small but fascinating museums with exhibitions ranging from dhow construction to the evils of the slave trade. Seek out in particular the Palace Museum, Livingstone House Museum, Princess Salme Museum and the House of Wonders. (Discover Africa)

Robben Island (South Africa)

_____ was used at various times between the 17th century and the 20th century as a prison, a hospital for socially unacceptable groups, and a military base. Its buildings, and in particular those of the late 20th century maximum security prison for political prisoners, testify to the way in which democracy and freedom triumphed over oppression and racism. (UNESCO)​

Robben Island (South Africa)

Now, _____ is a World Heritage Site and museum, offering daily tours. The tour begins at the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront with a multimedia exhibition, museum shop and restaurant, after which, guests hop onto the ferry for a scenic trip to the island. Once on Robben Island itself, the tour is guided by a former political prisoner of the island, for unique and incomparable insights into the island’s history. (Cape Town Travel)​

Robben Island (South Africa)

Former prisoners from ______ prison have emerged as presidents in South Africa.​ Some of the prisoners who served behind bars on the island have come back to rule as presidents of the country. Apart from the popular former President Nelson Mandela who spent eighteen years there, former Presidents Jacob Zuma and Kgalema Motlanthe were prisoners who lived there as well. ​

Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (Egypt)

______ the city of the god Armon, was the capital of Egypt during the period of the Middle and New Kingdoms. With the temples and palaces at Karnak and Luxor, and the necropolises of the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, Thebes is a striking testimony to Egyptian civilization at its height. (UNESCO)​

_______ was home to some of the greatest monuments of the ancient world—built to honor the living, the dead, and the divine. The city, known as Waset to ancient Egyptians and as Luxor today, was the capital of Egypt during parts of the Middle Kingdom (2040 to 1750 B.C.) and the New Kingdom (circa 1550 to 1070 B.C.).​

Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (Egypt)

____ was the city of Amun, whose devotees elevated him among the ranks of ancient deities. Once a relatively local Theban god, he was merged with the god Re and perched atop the entire Egyptian pantheon. (Nat. Geographic)​

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Egypt)

Built during the reign of Pharaoh Hatshepsut of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Located opposite the city of Luxor, it is considered to be a masterpiece of ancient architecture. Its three massive terraces rise above the desert floor and into the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari. ​

Luxor Temple (Egypt)

______ is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually (as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at _____ but may never have traveled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo).

Memphis and its Necropolis (Egypt)

______ is located in the center of the floodplain of the western side of the Nile. Its fame comes from its being the first Capital of Ancient Egypt. The unrivaled geographic location of _____, both commanding the entrance to the Delta while being at the confluence of important trade routes, means that there was no possible alternative capital for any ruler with serious ambition to govern both Upper and Lower Egypt. ​

Memphis and its Necropolis (Egypt)

The site contains many archaeological remains, reflecting what life was like in the ancient Egyptian city, which include temples, of which the most important is the Temple of Ptah in Mit Rahina. Ptah was the local god of Memphis, the god of creation and the patron of craftsmanship. Other major religious buildings included the sun temples in Abu Ghurab and Abusir, the temple of the god Apis in Memphis, the Serapeum and the Heb-Sed temple in Saqqara. (UNESCO)​

The three main pyramids at Giza (Egypt)

(the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Great Pyramid of Khufu), together with subsidiary pyramids and the remains of other structures.​

Pyramid of Djoser (Egypt)

It was built in the 27th century BC during the Third Dynasty for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser. The pyramid is the central feature of a vast mortuary complex in an enormous courtyard surrounded by ceremonial structures and decoration. Its architect was Imhotep, chancellor of the pharaoh and high priest of the god Ra.​

Tai National Park (Ivory Coast)

This park is one of the last major remnants of the primary tropical forest of West Africa. Its rich natural flora, and threatened mammal species such as the pygmy hippopotamus and 11 species of monkeys, are of great scientific interest. (UNESCO)​

There have been more than 250 bird species recognized here, as it lies within one of the world’s Endemic Bird Areas, at least 28 are recognized to be endemic to the Guinean zone. All in all, the ______ takes part in plenty of scientific projects which are brought to Côte d’Ivoire in order to try and keep it safe, in order to make it safer for the future generations to be able to marvel one of the last standing tropical forests of West Africa. (Alluring World)

Le Morne Cultural Landscape (Mauritius)

______ a rugged mountain that juts into the Indian Ocean in the southwest of Mauritius was used as a shelter by runaway slaves, maroons, through the 18th and early years of the 19th centuries. Protected by the mountain’s isolated, wooded and almost inaccessible cliffs, the escaped slaves formed small settlements in the caves and on the summit of ______. ​

​The oral traditions associated with the maroons, have made _____ a symbol of the slaves’ fight for freedom, their suffering, and their sacrifice, all of which have relevance to the countries from which the slaves came - the African mainland, Madagascar, India, and South-east Asia. (UNESCO) ​

Le Morne Beach (Mauritius)

The ______ is a breathtaking world in itself. The sea water is absolutely divine, the sand is fine and unrivalled in whiteness.  During winter (April to October) _____ is the kite-surfing spot of excellence, dressed in points of all possible colors from the people flying their kites in the lagoon. The ambiance is lively and familiar, with possibilities to grab a lesson on the spot or just chill on the beach. During summer (November to March) when the winds are not present, the lagoon remains steady as a lake, with a backdrop of mountains and blue skies.

Archaelogical Sites of the Island of Meroe (Sudan)

The ________ , a semi-desert landscape between the Nile and Atbara rivers, was the heartland of the Kingdom of Kush, a major power from the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. The property consists of the royal city of the Kushite kings at Meroe, near the River Nile, the nearby religious site of Naqa and Musawwarat es Sufra. ​

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It was the seat of the rulers who occupied Egypt for close to a century and features, among other vestiges, pyramids, temples and domestic buildings as well as major installations connected to water management. (UNESCO)​

Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe​ (Sudan)

These three sites comprise the best preserved relics of the Kingdom of Kush, encompassing a wide range of architectural forms and occupying a range of environments. They testify to the wealth and power of the Kushite state and to its wide-ranging contacts with the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern worlds: this is the meeting place of the Pharaonic and Classical worlds and Sahelian Africa. (InforMEA)​

Timbuktu (Mali)

Home of the prestigious Koranic Sankore University and other madrasas, _____ was an intellectual and spiritual capital and a centre for the propagation of Islam throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its three great mosques, Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, recall Timbuktu's golden age. Although continuously restored, these monuments are today under threat from desertification. ​

Timbuktu (Mali)

The three big Mosques of Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, sixteen mausoleums and holy public places, still bear witness to this prestigious past. The mosques are exceptional examples of earthen architecture and of traditional maintenance techniques, which continue to the present time. (UNESCO)​

Timbuktu (Mali)

New construction near the mosques has prompted the World Heritage Committee to keep the site under close surveillance. In 2012, ____ was once again placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger because of threats related to armed conflict. (National Geographic)​

Sankore Mosque and University

______ is the oldest continuously-operating institution of higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa. ​

_____ was capable of housing 25,000 students and had one of the largest libraries in the world with roughly one million manuscripts. The University of Sankoré is still functioning, but with very limited resources on its ancient site. ​

Old Towns of Djenne (Mali)

Inhabited since 250 B.C., _____ became a market centre and an important link in the trans-Saharan gold trade. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it was one of the centres for the propagation of Islam. Its traditional houses, of which nearly 2,000 have survived, are built on hillocks (toguere) as protection from the seasonal floods.​

The property is characterised by the intensive and remarkable use of earth specifically in its architecture. The outstanding mosque of great monumental and religious value is an outstanding example of this. The town is renowned for its civic constructions, with the distinctive style of verticality and buttresses as well as the elegant monumental houses with intricate facades. (UNESCO)​

Mosque of Djenne (Mali)

_______ is a beguiling structure that instantly captures the imagination. Nearly 20m high and built on a 91m-long platform, it's the world's largest mud-brick building and the finest example of Sudano-Sahelian architecture, a regional style characterised by its adobe plastering and wooden scaffolding. The gargantuan mosque is without doubt the centrepiece of life in the [Unesco-protected town of Djenné.']

Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve​ (Seychelles)

Located on the granitic island of Praslin, the ______ is a 19.5 ha area of palm forest which remains largely unchanged since prehistoric times. Dominating the landscape is the world's largest population of endemic coco-de-mer, a flagship species of global significance as the bearer of the largest seed in the plant kingdom. ​

The forest is also home to five other endemic palms and many endemic fauna species. The property is a scenically attractive area with a distinctive natural beauty. (UNESCO)​​

Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve​ (Seychelles)

It has been described as a ‘living museum’ because it supports a community of plants that existed before the evolution of more advanced plant families. It is the only place where all six of the Seychelles endemic palm species occur together, and there are many other endemic and threatened species of flora and fauna. These include 14 species of reptiles (caecilians, geckos, skinks and snakes) that are endemic to the Seychelles, and a unique tree frog. (Nat. World Heritage Sites)

Tassili n’Ajjer (Algeria)

_____ is a vast plateau in south-east Algeria at the borders of Libya, Niger and Mali, covering an area of 72,000 sq. km.  The exceptional density of paintings and engravings, and the presence of many prehistoric vestiges, are remarkable testimonies to Prehistory. 

From 10,000 BC to the first centuries of our era, successive peoples left many archaeological remains, habitations, burial mounds and enclosures which have yielded abundant lithic and ceramic material. However, it is the rock art (engravings and paintings) that have made Tassili world famous as from 1933, the date of its discovery.  15,000 engravings have been identified to date.​​

Tassili n’Ajjer (Algeria)

The property is also of great geological and aesthetic interest:  the panorama of geological formations with "rock forests" of eroded sandstone resembles a strange lunar landscape. ​ (UNESCO)​

Painting of herdsmen and cattle, Cattle period​

Rock painting of a dance performance, ________, attributed to the Saharan period of Neolithic hunters (c. 6000–4000 BCE).

Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve​ (Madagascar)

The Reserve offers a wide variety of geomorphological structures. It is a veritable cathedral of limestone and offers one of the most spectacular natural landscapes of the Grand Island and even of the world. The western part of the plateau presents a very dissected or ‘lapiezée’ relief, most of which is covered by a dense, dry and deciduous forest. In its eastern part, the forest is interspersed by savannas.

Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve​ (Madagascar)

The ________ is considered a centre for endemism by its wealth in faunal and floral species. (UNESCO)​ ​Past visitors said ______ is a "must-see adventure" that's "definitely worth the drive." Although the locale can be a bit challenging to traverse – some former travelers reported crawling through tight gaps and lots of climbing – many described the views from the top of the pinnacles as "spectacular.“ (US News Travel)​

Island of Saint-Louis (Senegal)

Founded as a French colonial settlement in the 17th century, ______ was urbanised in the mid-19th century. It was the capital of Senegal from 1872 to 1957 and played an important cultural and economic role in the whole of West Africa. The location of the town on an island at the mouth of the Senegal River, its regular town plan, the system of quays, and the characteristic colonial architecture give _____ its distinctive appearance and identity. (UNESCO)​

Island of Saint-Louis (Senegal)

It played an important cultural and economic role in French West Africa during that period. Only 300 meters wide from east to west and 2.5 kilometers long from north to south, this island at the mouth of the Senegal River is characterized by its system of quays, its urban plan, and its colonial architecture, which chronicle the history of the island's occupation. ​

(World Monuments Fund)​

Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (Ethiopia)

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the fortress-city of ______ was the residence of the Ethiopian emperor Fasilides and his successors. ​

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Surrounded by a 900-m-long wall, the city contains palaces, churches, monasteries and unique public and private buildings marked by Hindu and Arab influences, subsequently transformed by the Baroque style brought to Gondar by the Jesuit missionaries.​

Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (Ethiopia)

_______ and the other remains in Gondar city demonstrate a remarkable interface between internal and external cultures, with cultural elements related to Ethiopian Orthodox Church,Ethiopian Jews and Muslims. This relationship is expressed not only through the architecture of the sites but also through the handicrafts, painting, literature and music that flourished in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. (UNESCO)​

Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region (Ethiopia)

______ and the other remains in Gondar city demonstrate a remarkable interface between internal and external cultures, with cultural elements related to Ethiopian Orthodox Church,Ethiopian Jews and Muslims. This relationship is expressed not only through the architecture of the sites but also through the handicrafts, painting, literature and music that flourished in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. (UNESCO)​

Enqualal Gemb (Egg Castle)​

Perhaps the oldest building on site, _______ - also known as the Egg Castle on account of its egg-shaped dome roof - was built by Emperor Fasilidas and is one of the most famous structures in the compound. Towering above ______ lies the Fasiladas prayer room, which has 360 degree views around Gondar.

The castle said to be the work of an Indian architect. In addition to the Indian elements in the architecture, Portuguese, Moorish, and Aksumite influences have also been detected, making the ______ an eclectic piece of work. ​

Matobo Hills (Zimbabwe)

The area exhibits a profusion of distinctive rock landforms rising above the granite shield that covers much of Zimbabwe. The large boulders provide abundant natural shelters and have been associated with human occupation from the early Stone Age right through to early historical times, and intermittently since. They also feature an outstanding collection of rock paintings.​

The _______ have one of the highest concentrations of rock art in Southern Africa dating back at least 13,000 years. The paintings illustrate evolving artistic styles and also socio-religious beliefs. The whole bears testimony to a rich cultural tradition that has now disappeared. The rich evidence from archaeology and from the rock paintings at Matobo provides evidence that the _______ have been occupied over a period of at least 500,000 years. (UNESCO)​

Nswatugi Cave Rock Paintings (Zimbabwe)

The name ______ means “the place of jumping” as it is believed that Mwari / Mwali (God) jumped from his home at Njelele Mountain over the top of _____Hill and landing on Khalanyoni Hill. _____ opens at the end of a steep gully, the entrance is only six metres across, but the cave extends fourteen metres into the hill and contains beautiful friezes of giraffes, elephants and kudu in a wide range of colours. ​

Cecil Rhodes’ Grave (Zimbabwe)

​_______ was an imperialist, businessman and politician who played a dominant role in southern Africa in the late 19th Century, driving the annexation of vast swathes of land. His grave lies in Matobo National Park, a United Nations heritage site, and where indigenous spirits are said to dwell. About 15,000 people visit the grave annually, some ascending to watch the sunset or sunrise. ​

Dougga/ Thugga (Tunisia)

​Before the Roman annexation of Numidia, the town of _____, built on an elevated site overlooking a fertile plain, was the capital of an important Libyco-Punic state. It flourished under Roman and Byzantine rule, but declined in the Islamic period. The impressive ruins that are visible today give some idea of the resources of a small Roman town on the fringes of the empire. (UNESCO)​

Arguably the most magnificent Roman site in Africa, _____ ancient remains – a Unesco World Heritage site since 1997 – are startlingly complete, giving a beguiling glimpse of how well-heeled Romans lived, flitting between bathhouses, the imposing Capitole, a 3500-seat theatre and various temples. The city was built on the site of an ancient Numidian settlement called _____, which explains why the streets are so uncharacteristically tangled. (Lonely Planet)​

Dougga/ Thugga (Tunisia)

The walled and tangled streets of an ancient Numidian settlement known as Thugga existed prior to the Roman presence in Dougga. The city was a thriving Numidian capital first established in the 5th century BC, later incorporated into the Roman Empire in 46 BC as part of Julius Caesar’s annexation of eastern Numidia.​

Mount Kenya National Park/ Natural Forest​ (Kenya)

At 5,199 m, _______ is the second highest peak in Africa. It is an ancient extinct volcano, which during its period of activity (3.1-2.6 million years ago) is thought to have risen to 6,500 m. There are 12 remnant glaciers on the mountain, all receding rapidly, and four secondary peaks that sit at the head of the U-shaped glacial valleys. With its rugged glacier-clad summits and forested middle slopes, Mount Kenya is one of the most impressive landscapes in East Africa. (UNESCO)​

The Forest Reserve and National Park have a great diversity of habitats which harbour over 1000 plant species as well as several endemic plants, mammals, reptiles and chameleons. The status of a World Heritage Site confers certain obligations, one of which is to protect endangered or rare species from becoming locally extinct. (Mt. Kenya Trust)​

Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions, (Ghanna)

The remains of fortified trading-posts, erected between 1482 and 1786, can still be seen along the coast of Ghana between Keta and Beyin. They were links in the trade routes established by the Portuguese in many areas of the world during their era of great maritime exploration.​

The castles and forts were built and occupied at different times by traders from Portugal, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Germany and Britain. They served the gold trade of European chartered companies. Latterly they played a significant part in the developing slave trade, and therefore in the history of the Americas, and, subsequently, in the 19th century, in the suppression of that trade. ​​

Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions, (Ghanna)

They can be seen as a unique “collective historical monument”: a monument not only to the evils of the slave trade, but also to nearly four centuries of pre-colonial Afro-European commerce. (UNESCO)​

St. George’s d’Elmina Castle

_______, built in 1482, is one of the oldest European buildings outside Europe, and the historic town of Elmina is believed to be the location of the first point of contact between Europeans and sub-Saharan Africans. ​

Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape​ (Chad)

In the northeast of the country, the sandstone ______has been sculpted over time by water and wind erosion into a plateau featuring canyons and valleys that present a spectacular landscape marked by cliffs, natural arches and pitons. 

In the largest canyons, the permanent presence of water plays an essential role in the Massif’s ecosystem, sustaining flora and fauna as well as human life. Thousands of images have been painted and carved into the rock surface of caves, canyons and shelters, presenting one of the largest ensembles of rock art in the Sahara. (UNESCO)​​

Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape​ (Chad)

Dating back 7,000 years, this rock art is a testament to the historic role people have played in this landscape. Today, despite the harsh climate and environment, as many as 30,000 community members move through Ennedi every year and whose survival depends on the resources the reserve provides. (africanparks.org)​

Guelta d'Archei​ (Chad)

Near Chad's Lakes of Ounianga, a little-seen UNESCO World Heritage Site (and real-life mirage) is Guelta Archei, an ancient watering hole that draws tribes who stop here to water their camels. Although the trek to Chad, one of the world's least-visited countries, is a challenge, getting there means witnessing this one-of-a-kind place. ​

Rock Art at Niola Doa​ (Chad)

The Ennedi Massif area is a site that is rich in petroglyphs, a form of rock paintings. Those that have been found in the area date to being anywhere between 7,000 to 2,000 years old. The most notable rock art is at the Niola Doa site that is made up of mostly engraved signs that makeup nearly life sized female figures that were discovered in fragments around half of a century ago. The art at the Niola Doa site dates to be around 7,000 years old​