From a ‘accidental encounter’ between an eagle and a fox to an ‘untouched’ glaciers, these incredible images show the best of the global travel photo photo in 2025.
National Geographic Traveler announced the winners of this year’s photography competition, in which both amateur and professional photographers submit incredible travel photos.
Pat Riddell, editor of National Geographic Traveler (UK)said: ‘Our competition goes from strength to strength, with this year easily one of the strongest yet. World-class photography remains at the heart of the National Geographic brand, and the winners are happily in that category.
‘Everything from the dramatic landscapes of Iceland and Italy to incredible wildlife photos in Spain and Canadathe 18 finalists – who made the cuts out of thousands of entries – increased the level of travel photography with their ingenuity and skill. ‘
The winner of this year is Justin Cliffe for his incredible portrait of a woman and her great -granddaughter who does embroidery together in Vietnam.
The judging panel says: ‘It is such an intimate moment between generations that capture so much beauty and humanity.
“The colors, light and textures work very well.”
Read on to see a variety of breathtaking entries of this year and browse to the bottom to see Justin’s incredible winning shot …
In this striking photo taken by Hari Kumar Prasannakumar in Spain, an endangered female Lynx is cut as he drank from a dam. The photographer says: ‘A curious honey bee buzzes near her ear and adds a playful turn to the tranquil moment’
Solomon Islanders are photographed while selling their ‘fresh fruits and vegetables’ of dugout canoes in this enchanting image taken by Mark Carwardine
Photographer Jo Kearney took this cheerful photo on Chilam Joshi Spring Festival in Pakistan. She explains that the festival is ‘spiritual’ and ‘social’ where ‘people pray for crops and animals’ but also ‘search for potential spouses’
Jordan Banks took this colorful photo on a rainy day in Nantes, France. The photographer cut the shot under an umbrella but says it’s definitely worth getting a little wet for ‘
LEFT: Photographer Bianca Goldman took this powerful image of a member of the Suli Muli tribe in Papua -Nieu -Guinea. She says she is driven to take the photo as “part of a personal journey to capture the textures, expressions and the silence of time in this community”. RIGHT: Joshua Mallett took this striking photo on a journey that took him from Nepal to France and wins the portfolio category. He says his photography is designed to “capture” moments where it seems to be time
Pawel Zygmunt, the winner of the ‘Landscape’ category, took this impressive aerial photo in the geothermal area of Hveravellir in Iceland. The photographer explains: ‘The camera hangs over a geothermal pool that mimics the shape of a dragon’s eye
This incredible photo, taken in Italy, is from Ra Gusela, one of the photographer Christopher West’s ‘favorite peaks’ in the Dolomites. To take the shot, Christopher had to walk to the position on a winter night of -14 degrees
This enchanting shot was taken by Dylan McBurney in China as part of a ten image portfolio depicting the photographer’s experience of traveling in Changsha and Zhangjiajiejiejiejie
Winner of the City Life category, Scott Antcliffe, took this fascinating photo in Singapore. He explains: ‘I want to demonstrate the composition of old and new (in Singapore). I was eager to capture his more modest areas of natural beauty ‘
This cute image was taken in Alberta, Canada, and snow -turned birds on the flight. Photographer Jo Noon reveals that ‘upward from three hundred bunting on this piece of snow hill’
Victoria Andrews, the winner of the wildlife category, cut this incredible photo ‘during one of the hottest summers in Toledo, Spain’. She looked at the Bonelli’s Eagle and Fox when the two animals ‘almost nose to nose’ come into a ‘chance -to -meet’
Dylan McBurney captured this ghostly image as he traveled in China. The entire portfolio of 10 images is designed to ‘encompass everything China can offer for travelers’
LEFT: Andrew Nelson took this photo in the Shinjuku district in Tokyo. He explains: ‘The abstraction is meant, and there are many topics on the scene, depicting the chaos, beauty and complexity of the city life of Tokyo’. RIGHT: Joshua Mallett, winner of the portfolio category, cut this photo as part of his mission to form a visual narrative of places formed by nature and history, where the past and present meet in a striking harmony “
This incredible photo taken by Prabir Kumar Mitra in Lhasa is the winner of the ‘Food’ category. It was taken in a ‘Family Run restaurant’ who served ‘authentic Tibetan food’, including locally produced ‘yak meat, noodles and cheese’
This image is taken in Kyrgyzs by Lauren Winslow Llewellyn, entitled ‘Feeling Small’ and depicts a more lined lake. Lauren reveals: ‘It was a wild place, untouched by tourism, with only us and our manager admiring the view’
James Maloney took this incredible photo in Tokyo Shimbashi district. He says: ‘The busy streets are alive with the fresh ingredients, the inviting aromas blowing through the sky, and the live colors of beautifully plated dishes’
Justin Cliffe, the winner of the National Geographic Traveler Photography Competition, took this powerful photo in the Lao Cai Province in Vietnam. He says: “A woman from the Red Dao minority does embroidery at the door of her property, with her great-granddaughter next to her”
