The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972.^[1] Kenya accepted the convention, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. As of 2018, there are seven World Heritage Sites in Kenya.^[2]

Fort Jesus

Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley

Lake Turkana National Parks

Lamu Old Town

Mount Kenya

Sacred Forests

Thimlich Ohinga

Location of World Heritage Sites in Kenya

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.^[3]

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World Heritage Sites

Site	Image	Location (county)	Year listed	UNESCO data	Description
Fort Jesus, Mombasa		Mombasa	2011	1295rev; ii, iv (cultural)	The late 16th century Portuguese fort was built to control the European trade routes in the Indian Ocean. It changed hands several times, coming under control of Arabs, Swahili people, and the British Empire. The fort with five bastions and extensive walls follows the Renaissance ideas of architectural proportions and geometric harmony. The layout has remained mostly unchanged to present day.[4]
Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley		KenRift Valley Province,  Kenya 0°26′33″N 36°14′24″E	Natural:KenLak (viii), (x)	2011	Located in the Great Rift Valley, Kenya, the site features three lakes: Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru and Lake Elementaita. A highly diverse population of birds, including thirteen threatened species, frequent the area.[5][6]
Lake Turkana National Parks†		KenLake Turkana,  Kenya 3°03′05″N 36°30′13″E	Natural:KenLak (viii), (x)	1997	Turkana, as Africa's largest saline lake, is an important area for the study of fauna and flora. It is a breeding ground for the Nile crocodile, hippopotamus and several venomous snakes.[7] The site was placed the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2018, primarily due to the potential impact of Ethiopia's Gilgel Gibe III Dam.[8]
Lamu Old Town		KenLamu,  Kenya 2°16′05″S 40°54′07″E	Cultural:KenLam (ii), (iv), (vi)	2001	The town is the oldest Swahili settlement, and is built in coral stone and mangrove timber. It features inner courtyards, verandas, and elaborate wooden doors.[9]
Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest		KenCentral Province and Eastern Province,  Kenya 0°09′18″N 37°18′56″E	Natural:KenMou (vii), (ix)	1997	The park surrounds the 5,199 m (17,057 ft) Mount Kenya and features twelve glaciers.[10]
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests		KenCoast Province,  Kenya 3°55′55″S 39°35′46″E	Cultural:KenSac (iii), (v), (vi)	2008	The site comprises eleven forests spread 200 km (120 mi) along the coast of Kenya. They hold the remains of villages built during the 16th century by the Mijikenda, and are now considered sacred sites.[11]
Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site		KenMigori County,  Kenya 0°58′23″S 34°15′30″E	Cultural:KenThi (iii), (iv), (v)	2018	Dating back to the 16th century CE, the dry-stone walled settlement is the largest and best preserved traditional enclosures of its kind.[12]

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• List of Intangible Cultural Heritage elements in Kenya
• List of World Heritage Sites in Africa