Holi Festival. Holi, India's festival of colors, is an ancient Hindu tradition that is celebrated around the world, with the biggest and most colorful gathering taking place in the twin cities of Mathura and Vrindavan in India. The unifying festival is a celebration of love and the arrival of spring and includes the singing of folk songs and traditional dances. (Photo by Claudio Ceriali/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Mystical Forest. Tracey Jennings photographed this seven-gill shark in a kelp forest just off the shore of Simon's Town near Cape Town, South Africa. You don't need to travel far from cities to visit Narnia. This 7 gill shark was photographed in a kelp forest just off the shore of Simonstown near Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Tracey Jennings/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Colorful Market. Colorful market in Bangkok City, Thailand. (Photo by Kajan Madrasmail/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Rain in the Desert. “Over the last seven years I had one aim: to photograph rain in the driest desert of Africa”, said photographer Stefan Forster. “In 2015 finally I found the rain. In the breathtaking scenery of the Namibrand-Park right at the border of the Namib Naukluft Nationalpark. An enormous thunderstorm came in and the setting sun created a wonderful rainbow. The challenge was, to not have my shadow in the picture”. (Photo by Stefan Forster/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





On the Top of the World. Photographer Boukhechina Malik describes his image: “The shot is the result of a magical, powerful instant seen from the top of Sonchaux, Switzerland, a day when the clouds were particularly low. I thought I was like emerged in a fairytale, out of every human scale”. (Photo by Boukhechina Malik/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





The Wall of Icons. Photographer Romaine W. said, “As I was walking through the streets of Havana I came across this house that looked more like a museum than a regular home. As Cubans are always welcoming to guests, I decided to take a peek inside only to find out that this was actually a home containing collectible items from vinyl records to a large scale American flag, then to this wall of icons; decorated with a Cuban flag, revolutionary fighters, and past and present Cuban leaders”. (Photo by Romaine W./National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Horse Foal with Rim Light. Photographer Ryan Bell said, “In the Pavlodar region of northeast Kazakhstan, horsemen drive their herd to a corral where they'll spend the night. Kazakhs must guard their animals at all times against horse thieves (a time-honored tradition in Kazakshtan) and predators like the steppe wolf. Pastoralists have lived in this region of Kazakhstan for at least 5,000 years. Archeologists have discovered the oldest-known remains of a domesticated horse at a sight located about 100 miles from where I took this picture”. (Photo by Ryan Bell/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Blue Lagoon. Blue Lagoon people enjoying their time in the legendary Blue Lagoon outside of Reykjavik in Iceland. (Photo by Slawek Kozdras/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Midnight Thirst. “In the still of a star lit night, buffalo cautiously approach to quench their thirst. A long exposure with light painting allows me to capture the moment forever”, photographer Alison Langevad said. (Photo by Alison Langevad/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Snowy Bride. Photographer Stephane Mangin describes the photo as a “brave bride getting wed in the only day of snow in Tokyo”. (Photo by Stephane Mangin/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Time To Go Home. David Nam Lip Lee describes his photo: “Youngsters having fun on the roof of the train. There are too many people who rushing home after the Bishwa Ijtema at Tongi train station of Bangladesh”. (Photo by David Nam Lip Lee/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





River Delta 6. One of a series of aerial shots taken from a helicopter over the fabulous river deltas in South Iceland. Photographer Stephen King states, “This one depicts the end of the journey for one river as it winds its way to the ocean. The brilliant colors are a result of mineral deposits picked up by the glacial waters. We were lucky to shoot on a gorgeously sunny day which really brought out the colors”. (Photo by Stephen King/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)





Toronto Love. Two lovers at sunset in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by David Florian/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)