A map of World Heritage Sites in Africa as of 2016, each designated by a dot

Covering an area estimated at 1.62 million km2, the forests of Central Africa are home to vital biodiversity for the planet and play a central role in climate regulation and carbon sequestration.

We thought it’d be a perfect time to share 10 of the most incredible World Heritage Sites that lay on the doorstep of our volunteer projects across the continent.

Proclaimed by the 38th session of the General Conference of UNESCO (November 2015), African World Heritage Day (5 May) is an opportunity for people around the world, and particularly Africans, to celebrate the Continent’s unique cultural and natural heritage.