Lewa Conservancy now on the list of World Heritage Sites

What do Lewa, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and the Pyramids have in common? . . . They’re all UNESCO World Heritage Sites!

The Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Ngare Ndare Forest Trust were honoured to be added to the existing Mount Kenya World Heritage Site. This unique recognition is reserved for places of outstanding universal value to humanity that, as such, have been inscribed on the list to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

The World Heritage Committee considered Lewa and Ngare Ndare for their outstanding natural beauty, as well as their varied and impressive ecosystems and biodiversity.  The site will continue to be known as the Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest to allow for future nominations further north of Lewa to also be included.

Lewa, Ngare Ndare, and potentially the areas to Lewa’s north, are all connected to Mount Kenya through the elephant corridor. Lewa was instrumental in the creation of this crucial migration passage that serves as a route for landscape connectivity, stretching from the mountain through Lewa and onwards north into the wide expanse of the Samburu region.

Lewa is hopeful that the prestige from joining the World Heritage list will raise awareness and generate international recognition, promoting local and national pride and commitment to the perpetuation of conservation in these iconic areas. It is Lewa’s fervent belief that the World Heritage Site status will raise already high levels of national and overseas tourism, creating employment opportunities and income for local communities.

So book your next visit to Lewa now so that you can say you stayed on a World Heritage Site! 

For bookings to any Lewa Conservancy property, contact us.

Information lifted from The Lewa Conservancy Newsletter, released on 27^th June, 2013. 
Image courtesy of Cheli & Peacock Newsletter, released on 15th July, 2013