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A volcanic eruption, a powerful tornado and a traditional camel race through the desert are some of the incredible images caught on camera by travellers.
The pictures have been entered into the 2015 National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest from around the world.
They provide a snapshot of human life and nature in countries spreading from the US to Pacific Islands, South America, the Middle East and Africa.
National Geographic Traveler Photo ContestShow all 12 1 /12National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Great migration in Masai Mara National Reserve. Location: Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Photo and caption by Chenggang Zhou / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Sunset in longji: Taken end of afternoon in the wonderful place call Longji rice field terrace in Guangxi Province. Location: Longji , Guangxi china
Photo and caption by Thierry Bornieror / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Kilauea Rules: The most extreme place we put ours kayakers to paddle till now. Location: Big Island – HI
Photo and caption by Alexandre Socci / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Don't Leave Any Food On Your Plate: The giraffes at Nairobi's Giraffe Manor are totally at home with humans. They will eat out of your hand, or even off your plate. Location: Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
Photo and caption by Gavin Werbeloff / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Small squale: Nikon D3100 Obj : tokina 10-17 fish eye Housing : liquid eye + Big dome Location: French polynesia, Moorea, Tiahura
Photo and caption by bru gregory / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Happy Camping: Camping beneath the beauty of the Aurora Borealis in Southern Iceland in the Fall of 2013. An odd sort of reflection with the tent and the sky happening. Location: Southern Iceland
Photo and caption by David Whyte / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest A Love for Nature: On my trip up north to Washington, we discovered a very unique location in the Olympic National Park. I couldn't believe my eyes when we first arrived. This was something so out of this world, and nothing I'd expect to find in the USA. We only had an hour to explore before sundown. We immediatly fell in love with this Rain Forest and the feeling we got being inside. Shot using a Canon 5Dmk3 with a Canon 24-70 2.8 Location: Hoh Rainforest
Photo and caption by Justin Jung / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest A Love Mysterious: The sun sets as the majestic fog of the Pacific coast glides under the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The long exposure of the fog reveals a silky texture as the low clouds rise and fall over San Francisco's trademark hills. All the while, tourists and locals alike make their drive along the mountainside, to try and capture the moment for themselves. Location: San Francisco, CA
Photo and caption by Michael Perry / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Sunrise at Seoraksan, South Korea: After hiking for twelve hours out of a nineteen hour trek, it was time to watch the sunrise at Dinosaur Ridge. When we first looked out, the mountains were completely covered by clouds, but within an hour the clouds dropped and this was what we saw. It felt like heaven, and you could hear everyone present for this moment screaming and shouting for joy! I'd never seen something so incredible, I had to meditate and have gratitude to have experienced this. Some locals said that they'd never seen the mountains like this, even in their 40+ years of hiking there. Location: Seoraksan National Park, South
Photo and caption by Ka Shim / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest An Alien World: Hang Son Doong is located in central Vietnam and is the world's largest cave. It was only explored for the first time in 2009 and is just now opening up to very limited tourism. This photo shows some members of our party beginning the climb up one of the two collapsed roof sections or dolines that are prominent features in the cave. The vegetation that can be seen is entirely inside the cave, with the real jungle floor some 150m further above. Two-way radios and a laser pointer were used to get people in position and to ensure their headlamps provided just the right amount of illumination. Location: Hang Son Doong, Quang Binh, Vietnam
Photo and caption by Chris Miller / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest Are you here for the Winery Tour?: This is a Western Grey Kangaroo caught lounging in the wineries of the Adelaide Hills in South Australia. This past Autumn has been a spectacular time for wildlife viewing and I got lucky to spot this guy while mountain biking in the hills. Such a funny stance it just begs the question... Have you been drinking? ...and or... Are you here for the Winery Tour? Such a spontaneous moment I figured it would be perfect for an entry. I hope you like it! Cheers. Location: Adelaide Hills, South Australia, Australia
Photo and caption by Greg Snell / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest The Flying Ball: Children of the streets Location: Barakoa, Cuba
Photo and caption by Dana Caspi / National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest
Photographers captured sights including the icy "Halle der Circe" cave in Austria, Yellowstone's huge Grand Prismatic Spring and the night sky from the Namibian desert.
A spokesperson for National Geographic said the top prize is an eight-day expedition to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal, and entries will be judged on "creativity and photographic quality".
The competition is open for entries until 30 June and the winner will be announced in August.
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