Africa it is a wonderful continent if you like nature and wildlife. Here, one of the most touristic countries is Kenya so today we will talk about this beautiful country and its World Heritage.
Yes, Kenya has many sites that have been declared this way by UNESCO and today we are going to see them all: the Old City by Lamu, Strong jesus, Kenyan Lake System, he Lake Turkana National Park, Mount Kenya National Park and Mijikenda Kaya Forests.
Lake Turkana National Park
This Kenyan park features on the heritage list since 1997. It is in a remote area and is for adventurers only. It's actually a three park complex they are around Lake Turkana, also known by a more romantic name, "Sea of Jade." Obviously, it is due to the special color of its waters that navigate between blue and bright green.
Whatever they call it this huge lake is yes a kind of inland sea and has the particularity of being the largest desert lake in the world. Its body of water is 250 kilometers long, much longer than Kenya's own sea coast. And what is in these waters? Crocodiles! Many, many and for some time now the population has grown in quantity and size of the specimens.
So, we are basically talking about three parks in one. The first is the South Island National Park. The island is completely covered in volcanic ash, so at night it gives off a certain glow. It is home to many poisonous birds, ducks and seagulls and reptiles.
On the other hand is the Sibiloi National Park, for many the cradle of humanity since here is the archaeological site of Koobi Fora. It is a semi-desert area, surrounded by volcanic formations, including the Mount Sibiloi, and a birthplace for the hippopotamus and the Nile crocodile. Amen to gazelles, leopards, lions, zebras, hyenas, oryx and cheetahs.
And finally there is the Central Island, where cvolcanic onos and craters. The island has three active volcanoes with constant vapors and fumaroles and… a huge concentration of gigantic Nile crocodiles.
Mount Kenya National Park
It has also been on the UNESCO list since 1997. Mount Kenya is the second highest mountain in the country and its surroundings are beautiful. Have lagos of pristine waters, glaciers, mineral springs and dense forests. Here the mountain and alpine vegetation is unique and there is a lot of animal life: elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, antelopes and others.
Travelers can enjoy here climbing mountains, camping and exploring caves. At the top of the mountain there is a glacier with equatorial snow and although it is difficult to reach, at the lower peak, Point Lenana (4985 meters), it is easily accessible in three to five days.
Mijikenda Kaya Forests
On the UNESCO list since 1997, the name Mijikenda refers to a group of nine Bantu ethnic groups that inhabit the coast from Kenya: Chony, Duruma, Kaumá, Kambe, Ribe, Rabai, Jibana, Digo and Giriama.
With colonization the groups were dispersing but the kayaks,The primitive places where these people performed initiation ceremonies, shrines or burials they remained important and today they are sacred sites.
Then, The Kaya Forests consist of ten sites that are distributed along the coast where there are still remains of the villages that belonged to the Mijikenda people.. Today they are considered magical sites of the ancestors.
Lamu Old Town
This site appears on the prestigious list of the UNESCO in 2001. What distinguishes the city is its architecture dating back to the XNUMXth century when born as a Swhahili settlement. Then the influences of external visitors like the Portuguese explorers, the Turkish merchants or the Arabs. Each one left their mark but Lamu also developed his own culture and it is the one that persisted.
The site is charming, with narrow streets that seem suspended in time, its crowded squares, its markets and its fort, around which everything happens. A window to the past, that's. There are no cars on the island and they all move on donkeys. People are very respectful of traditions so it can be, in western eyes, a super exotic place.
Strong jesus
The fort was also included in the World Heritage List in 2001. Is in mombasa, on the Kenyan coast, and is a fort that was built by the Portuguese between 1593 and 1596. The purpose of the fort was to defend the port of Mombasa and protect the Portuguese who lived on the east coast.
At that time the area was very "in demand" and was not exempt from attacks in the late 1895th century, for example. Later, during the XNUMXth century, the fort also served as barracks for Portuguese soldiers. When Kenya fell to the British in XNUMX, it became a prison.
The truth is that this fortress is a fantastic place and very well preserved. If you like examples of military architecture this is an excellent site. Inside you will see a good display of objects from between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, and outside there is a display of cannons. And last but not least, three nights a week there is a light and sound show and visitors are greeted by guards with torches.
The strong comes back to life and in the end a candlelit dinner and under the stars. spectacular. For tourism it is also offered Combine dinner with a Mombasa Harbor Sunset Cruise. Better, impossible.
Kenyan Lake Systems
There are three lakes in total, the Lake bogoria, Lake nakuru and Elementaita Lake, in a valley. They are united and they are relatively shallow lakes that cover a total area of 32.034 hectares. They make a beautiful place to appreciate nature.
All three are alkaline lakes, each with its geological process, with geysers, hot springs, open water, swamps, forests and open grasslands. The three lakes contain Many birds that come and go in great numbers as part of a migratory process according to the change of the seasons.
There are Flemish on the shores of the lakes, leaving an unforgettable pink shade. The alkaline waters allow the life of algae and small crustaceans, precisely the food of the flamingos. At Lake Nakuru they sometimes appear white pelicans who come to eat fish and there are also rhinos, lions, leopard buffaloes ...
In Lake Bogoria there are geysers and hot springs with high content of carbon dioxide and explosive bubbles. Volcanic activity, as we see, is sometimes the best artist in the world. And finally, at Lake Elementaita you will see rarer species such as monkeys, hyenas, foxes, giraffes and eagles. A true paradise for those who love to watch birds.
Thus, anyone who comes to the lakes is going to enjoy, to live, an incredible experience… Well, as we can see, anyone who decides to go to Kenya is going to have a great time.