Back to news
10 Jun 2016 | KSL

Mapping Kailash Kora for Conservation and Promotion of Responsible Heritage Tourism

1 min Read

70% Complete
3D view of Mount Kailash and sites along Kailash Kora

Researchers from Sichuan University, China visited the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Nepal 18-22 April 2016 to discuss updates on mapping of significant sites along ‘Kailash Kora’, the outer walking route around sacred Kailash Mountain.

The objectives of the visit were: to locate important sites around Kailash Kora using geospatial tools & techniques; and to create a geo-database with names (Tibetan, Chinese, and English) locations, altitude, descriptions, importance, and threats with geo-tagged photographs of each site.

Mr Renzen and Dr Ying from Sichuan University, Mr Abhimanyu Pandey, Mr Marcello Notarianni, and Dr Vishwas Chitale from ICIMOD lead in the mapping exercise. Two-hundred eight significant sites along outer Kailash Kora were located using high resolution satellite images from Google Earth. All relevant information including the photographs were tagged to these sites to compile a geo-database of significant sites.

Significance of mapping cultural sites for conservation and promotion of tourism:

The mapping geo-database is the first of its kind in the region and will be crucial in the prioritisation of conservation of cultural sites. In addition, mapping will help establish conservation activities based on threats to the sites, which will be easily understandable through the documentation process.

Similar mapping in both Nepal and India has already been done. Information will be available to the public and decision makers on Kailash Sacred Landscape Information System http://geoapps.icimod.org/kailash/. These efforts will promote the nomination of KSL as a UNESCO world heritage site.

For more information please contact: 

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related content

Continue exploring this topic

A New Way Forward for Brick Kilns in Nepal

  The destruction of brick kilns caused by the massive earthquake earlier this April damaged approximately 110 chimneys in the valley. ...

25 Feb 2015 News
Pilot project launched in Bangladesh

The pilot will be implemented in Bandarban District by the Bandarban ...

17 Mar 2017 Himalica
Brand HIMALICA – Green Products from the Mountains soft-launched at the Sixth Nepal International Trade Fair

Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the Sixth Nepal International Trade Fair in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, Nepal, on 16 March ...

18 Dec 2015 HKPL
Regional consultation on Karakoram-Pamir-Wakhan Landscape Initiative

A regional consultation workshop on programme development for Karakoram-Pamir-Wakhan Landscape Initiative jointly organised by the Wakhan Corridor Initiative and the ...

29 Aug 2017 Himalica
Community Enterprise for Collective Vegetable Production and Marketing in Udayapur

ICIMOD and CEAPRED are helping three local farmers’ groups launch a common collection center and retail outlet under the Himalica ...

30 May 2017 News
Soil Erosion a Serious Concern in the Koshi Basin

Published in 2016, the study showed that the soil loss rate estimated was 22 million tonnes per hectare of barren ...

15 Jun 2016 News
HKH Partnership to Foster Regional Solidarity

The Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) Partnership for Sustainable Mountain Development was launched during a ministerial-level panel discussion organized on 24 ...

26 Feb 2015 News
Collaborative research needed to enhance policy on freshwater ecosystem

About 40 senior professors, researchers and policy makers stressed the importance of the Koshi ...