Updated : The UNESCO Heritage Site list has more across the globe

Four days of discussion in Istanbul and the World Heritage Committee has come up with a list that promises to an interesting mix of culture from around the world. Revealed to you below are 12 of the most stunning UNESCO World Heritage Sites for the year 2016. At PickYourTrail we are ready to take you here! Send us a note and you’ll be ready to go.

1. Hubei Shennongjia, China

Listed as a natural site in the World Heritage list, it is located in the northwestern mountains of the Hubei Province. Situated in the mid-latitudes, it is the only well-preserved sub-tropical forest ecosystem in the world. Boasting of a reserve of more than 5,000 species of plants and animals, it is also home to rare animal species like Chinese Giant Salamander, Golden or Snub-nosed monkey, Clouded Leopard and Asian Black Bear. We have a great China plan, want to see it?

2. Mistaken Point, Canada

A wilderness area located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland, the Mistaken Point is home to big spurt of evolution. The site houses fossils belonging to the Ediacaran era – it is, literally, proof to the evolution of multicellular life forms from the ancestral micro-organisms that inhabited Earth. The interesting name is another story. Said to have mislead many-a-sailor to their deaths, this place was often mistaken to be the harbour of Cape Race. Thus the resultant deaths or shipwrecks. And, thus, the quirky name.

3. Archipiélago de Revillagigedo, México

Located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, this is an archipelago of four volcanic islands – Clarión, San Benedicto, Socorro and Roca Partida. These islands are a part of the Mexican state of Colima and are a recognized “terrestrial ecoregion”. They house and are breeding grounds for thousands of seabirds like Socorro mockingbird, Socorro dove, Townsend’s shearwater – all of whom are endangered.

4. Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay, Sudan

Sanganeb National Park and Dungonab are home to a diverse marine ecosystem. Located in the central Red Sea, Sanganeb houses an isolated coral reef structure. Dungonab Bay includes another highly diverse coral reef system alongwith mangroves, seagrass beds, mantal rays, dungogs, turtles and sharks. Apart from forming two pristine marine ecosystems, both are excellent diving sites.

5. Lut Desert, Iran

Recorded as one of the most hottest and driest places on Earth, the Lut Desert in Iran the world’s 25th largest desert. Thanks to strong winds, this salt desert is often spectacle what with otherworldly rock formations up for display – that is – if you make it through the intense heat, of course.

6. Western Tien-Shan mountains, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & Uzbekistan

Straddling the borders of Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & Uzbekistan, the Western Tien-Shan mountains are one of the largest ranges in the world. Renowned for their rich biodiversity, they are known to house  some endangered species of flora and fauna including Menzbier’s marmot, the snow leopard, the Karatau mountain wild sheep.

7. Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape, Chad

In northeastern Chad, the sandstone canyons and cliffs of Ennedi Massif form a spectacular sight of natural rock towers and arches. They sustain not only flora, fauna and human life but also present the largest collections of ancient cave paintings in Africa.

8. The Ahwar of Southern Iraq

Also known as Iraqi Marshlands, The Ahwar consist of archarological sites of Uruk, Ur and Tell Eridu and the wetland marshes of southern Iraq. The archaeological sites are said to form a part of the remains of Sumerian cities that developed in the ancient Mesopotamian settlement. This region also forms the world’s largest inland delta system!

9. The architecture of Le Corbusier, worldwide

The works of this Swiss-French architect, urban planner, designer and painter have made it to this list for a very good reason. Known to be the pioneer of modern architecture, Le Corbusier dedicated most of his five-decade career to  providing better living conditions for the residents of crowded cities. He’s attributed to have developed the master plan for the city of Chandigarh, India.

10. Antigua Naval Dockyard, Antigua and Barbuda

A former naval dockyard for the British Navy, the Antigua Naval Dockyard is located in the Leeward Islands of the Eastern Caribbean. Surrounded by highlands, and consisting of Georgian styled naval buildings and structures, the harbour has long been the refuge for seafarers.

11. Pampulha Modern Ensemble, Brazil

Designed around the artificial lake of Pampulha in 1940, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble was designed by landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx and Oscar Niemeyer. The structure consisted of a casino, ballroom, Golf Yacht Club and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi. casino, ballroom, yacht club and church.

12. Gorham’s Cave Complex, Gibraltar, UK

The last known site of Neanderthal survival, the Gorham Cave Complex is made up of four sea caves – all treasure troves archaeology and paleontology.  Located only a few metres from the Mediterranean sea, the site is said to provide clearer evidence for climate, sea-level and ecological change.