A World Heritage Site is any place listed by the UNESCO as a location of special cultural or physical significance. Currently in Africa there are 135 designated world heritage sites in Africa and these are my top 10.
In no particular order of appearance, here are top 10 most beautiful world heritage sites in Africa.
1. Victoria falls, Zambia
Victoria Falls is a waterfall in southern Africa on the Zambezi River at the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The fall is 1 708 meters wide, making it the largest curtain of water in the world. It drops between 90m and 107m into the Zambezi Gorge and an average of 550,000 cubic metres of water plummet over the edge every minute.
It has been described by CNN as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world.
2. Kilimanjaro national park, Tanzania
The park is located near the city of Moshi, Tanzania.
The park includes the whole of Mount Kilimanjaro above the tree line and the surrounding montane forest belt above 1,820 metres (5,970 ft).
The park was declared a
World Heritage Site UNESCO in 1987.
3. Dougga, Tunisia
UNESCO qualified Dougga as a World Heritage Site in 1997, believing that it represents “the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa”.
4. Archaelogical site of volubilis, Morocco
Although in ruins, Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed for being “an exceptionally well preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Empire”.
5. Amphitheatre of el jem, Tunisia
Amphitheatre of El Jem is an archeological site in the city of El Djem, Tunisia. It was built for spectator events, and it is one of the biggest amphitheatres in the world
It was listed in 1979 as a World Heritage Site.
6. Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius
Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme southwestern tip of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius on the windward side of the island. The peninsula was notorious in the early 19th century as a refuge for runaway slaves.
In 2008, the nomination process concluded when UNESCO inscribed the site on the World Heritage List.
7. Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve, Seychelles
Vallée de Mai Nature Reserve is a nature park and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the island of Praslin, Seychelles.
This small reserve is home to the spectacular Coco De Mer tree which harbours the world’s largest nut as well as the world’s largest leaves.
8. Sukur Cultural Landscape, Nigeria
Sukur or Sukur Cultural Landscape is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site is located on a hill above the village of Sukur, Adamawa State, Nigeria.
Sukur Cultural Landscape is Africa’s first cultural landscape to receive World Heritage List inscription.
9. Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, Madagascar
The word “Tsingy” is derived from a local word meaning “the place where one cannot walk barefoot”.
The area is characterised by needle-shaped limestone formations, above cliffs over the Manambolo river.
The incredibly sharp limestone formations can cut through equipment and flesh easily, which makes navigating them extremely difficult.
10. Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
Although Egypt is home to 138 pyramids, the ones at Giza are the most well known. They are also counted as some of the largest structures ever built by man.
