National Geographic ] Source : http : / / travel . nationalgeographic . com / travel / daily - travel - photo - best - of - 2015 / Daily Travel Photo : Best of 2015 Torres del Paine National Park , ChilePhotograph by Gleb Tarro , National Geographic Your ShotThe Cuernos ( Horns ) del Paine grab the early morning light in Chile ' s wild Torres del Paine National Park . Once the haunt of a few stalwart climbers , the park now draws more than 100 , 000 visitors a year . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Running of the Bulls in Pamplona , SpainPhotograph by David Ramos , Getty ImagesSpace is tight for onlookers during opening day of the San Fermin Festival ' s Running of the Bulls in Pamplona , Spain . Held since 1591 , the event attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year for nine days of revelry , morning bull runs , and afternoon bullfights . The festival gained worldwide fame after appearing in Ernest Hemingway ' s 1926 novel The Sun Also Rises . Night Fishermen , JapanPhotograph by The Asahi Shimbun / Getty ImagesFishermen wait for glass eels to be drawn to the bright lights they ' re shining on Japan ' s Yoshino River . When the eels are close , the fishermen scoop them up . This type of traditional fishing is best done on the darkest nights . Yellowstone National ParkPhotograph by Jeff Vanuga , CorbisFrost paints Yellowstone ' s Lower Geyser Basin white early one January morning . The world ' s first national park doesn ' t shut down during the long winter — cross - country skiing and snowmobiling are popular snowy activities . Lantern Festival , China Photograph by Yang Shiyao , Xinhua / eyevine / ReduxAn artist spins molten iron at a brick wall in the practice of Da Shuhua , or " tree flower . " The local tradition takes place during the Lantern Festival in China ' s Hebei Province . Carnival of Binche , Belgium Photograph by Sergi Reboredo , VWPics / ReduxThe town of Binche , Belgium , takes its Mardi Gras silliness seriously , with street performances , costumed revelers , music , and dancing . The centuries - old event has been named by UNESCO a " masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity . " Trollstigen , NorwayPhotograph and caption by Sean EnschPhotographer Sean Ensch captured this shot of western Norway ' s famously serpentine Trollstigen road . " I was lucky enough to live here for two months during summer , and one evening I saw the valley filling with fog , " he says in his 2015 Traveler Photo Contest submission . " So I drove up the road to watch the late summer midnight sun set as the fog swayed through the valley below . " Havana , CubaPhotograph by The New York Times / ReduxMáquinas —" machines , " what Cubans call the old cars that are ubiquitous in Havana — brighten the street in front of a once grand building , now declining charmingly in the tropical air . Hampered by the U . S . embargo and the collapse of the U . S . S . R . in 1991 , Cuba ' s economy has floundered . Skaters on Lake Baikal , RussiaPhotograph by Evgeny DubinchukThis photo was taken while ice - skating on Lake Baikal in Russia , says Evgeny Dubinchuk , who submitted it to the 2015 Traveler Photo Contest . " Baikal in winter becomes the biggest ice rink in the world , fully covered with small and huge cracks , resembling a spider ' s web , " he says . on the photo you can see small figures of skaters dragging loaded sledges behind . " Mount Rainier National Park , WashingtonPhotograph by Tianjia ZhangThe huge columnar lava structure known as the Devil ' s Pipe Organ dwarfs a hiker in Mount Rainier National Park . An active volcano , Mount Rainier has erupted thousands of times during its relatively young life of 500 , 000 to one million years . This photo was submitted to the 2015 Traveler Photo Contest . Hung Yen , VietnamPhotograph by Huynh Jet , National Geographic Your ShotA fisherman heads off on his bicycle loaded up with fish baskets . The woven traps are baited and then set out to collect fish , eels , and crabs . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Bern , SwitzerlandPhotograph by Peter Klaunzer , EPA " This is the most beautiful place we have ever seen , " wrote German playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in a letter during a stay in Bern . Encircled by the Aare River and surrounded by wooded hills , Bern feels more like a village than a capital — though it has been the Swiss seat of government since 1848 . Southern Alps , New ZealandPhotograph by Michael Melford , National GeographicSnowcapped and shrouded in clouds , the Southern Alps create a stunning vista in New Zealand . A tumult of peaks that run like a jagged spine through the South Island , the Southern Alps got their name from Capt . James Cook , who first spied the chain in 1770 . La Réunion National ParkPhotograph by Spani Arnaud , Hemis / CorbisUnder a stormy sky , hikers round a small lake in La Réunion National Park , located on the French island of Réunion in the southwest Indian Ocean . Added to UNESCO ' s World Heritage List in 2010 , the 247 , 000 - acre park features dramatic , rugged landscapes and valuable ecosystems — including cloud forests , subtropical rain forests , and heaths — that are home to many threatened and endangered species . Canyon de Chelly National Monument , ArizonaPhotograph by Kevin Moloney , New York Times / ReduxSpectacular walls of red sandstone rise hundreds of feet above valley floors in Canyon de Chelly National Monument , creating scenes of stunning beauty . The park ' s most famous spot is Spider Rock , an eroded pinnacle that climbs 800 feet above the canyon . Harbin Ice and Snow Festival , ChinaPhotograph by Kim Kyung - Hoon , ReutersHardy local artisans in Harbin , China — where brisk Siberian winds keep the average temperatures barely above zero degrees Fahrenheit — celebrate the season by sculpting ice blocks chopped from the Songhua River into pyramids and palaces . After dark , the illuminated displays dazzle neon bright . Peak Tram , Hong KongPhotograph by Naki Kouyioumtzis , Axiom / AuroraHong Kong ' s Peak Tram carries sightseers up to Victoria Peak , as it has since 1888 . The tramway carries passengers about 1 , 300 feet above sea level — at an angle that approaches 27 degrees . Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood , St . PetersburgPhotograph by Sasse , laif / ReduxAn elaborate mosaic under the central dome in the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood in St . Petersburg , Russia , draws the eye up . The church contains nearly 1 . 9 acres of mosaics . Lake Bogoria National Park , KenyaPhotograph by Martin Harvey , CorbisLesser flamingos take flight over Lake Bogoria in Kenya . The alkaline waters of Bogoria and other Rift Valley lakes support the cyanobacteria that the birds feed on . Underside of an Antarctica IcebergPhotograph by Alex CornellA passenger on a recent National Geographic Expedition to Antarctica took this rare photo of the vast underside of an iceberg . Alex Cornell , traveling in December with his family , was in a Zodiac boat when they neared the iceberg . " We saw thousands of icebergs , of course , but only one revealed its gorgeous underside — the 90 percent below the surface you hear so much about , " he says . " Icebergs are typically white , like you see in pictures . This one had recently flipped over and had this arresting alien green color to it . It looked a lot more like a parked spacecraft than a floating iceberg . " Cornell took this photo with a 16 - 35 mm lens on a Canon 5 D Mark II , but says anyone could have gotten the shot . " I was just lucky to be there to snap it , " he says . " It ' s exciting to me that we can still be captivated by a picture of ice sitting in water — no exploding rainbows , grumpy cats , or backflips necessary . " Coyote Buttes , ArizonaPhotograph by Stephen MateraA hiker makes his way through the Wave , a swirl of striped , fossilized dunes in the Coyote Buttes of Arizona ' s far north . The Bureau of Land Management admits only 20 people a day to the Wave , so visitors are left nearly alone in the geological wilderness . Luzon , PhilippinesPhotograph by Per - Andre Hoffmann , AuroraWaterfalls cascade into a picture - perfect pool in Laguna , a province on Luzon Island in the Philippines . Luzon is the country ’ s largest island — and the fourth most populous island in the world . Matterhorn , SwitzerlandPhotograph by Susan Seubert , National GeographicSwitzerland ' s most iconic landmark rises to a distinctive pyramidal peak above the town of Zermatt . First ascended in 1865 , the Matterhorn is a popular destination for climbers , winter sport enthusiasts , and photographers . Utrera , SpainPhotograph by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez , Getty ImagesBell ringers get in the swing of things on Palm Sunday at Santa Marta de la Mesa church in Utrera , Spain . Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week , traditionally celebrated with processions in most Spanish towns . São Paulo , BrazilPhotograph by Nacho Doce , ReutersA man takes a picture of an art piece by French artist Daniel Buren during the SP - Arte fair in São Paulo , Brazil . The annual event showcases contemporary artists from around the world . The City of LovePhotograph by Brian Hammonds , National Geographic Your ShotThe City of Love spreads around the Eiffel Tower , seen here from the Montparnasse Tower . For many , Paris is synonymous with love itself . The city has been home to such timeless pairs as sculptors Auguste Rodin and Camille Claudel and writers Anaïs Nin and Henry Miller . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Table Mountain , South AfricaPhotograph by Bettina Schwarz , National Geographic Your ShotBlue - green waves sweep out to cloud - shrouded Table Mountain , the monolith that overlooks Cape Town at the southernmost tip of Africa . With rapid changes in the weather , the mountaintop is often covered by clouds — creating an effect known as the " tablecloth . " This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Holi Festival , BangladeshPhotograph by Anik Rahman , National Geographic Your ShotAn explosion of sight and sound , the Holi Festival marks the arrival of spring and the triumph of good over evil for Hindus in Dhaka , Bangladesh . On the day of Holi , men and women caper in the streets , squirting pink water at one another and throwing handfuls of pink , red , and mauve powder . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Reindeer Herder , MongoliaPhotograph by Pascal Mannaerts , National Geographic Your ShotYour Shot photo community member Pascal Mannaerts took this picture of a reindeer herder near Lake Khovsgol in northern Mongolia . " Meeting them after several days of horse riding through the taiga and snow at times was unforgettable , " Mannaerts writes . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Floreana Island , EcuadorPhotograph by Joel Sartore , National GeographicA snorkeler snaps a photo of colorful fish near Floreana Island in the Galápagos . In spectacular seclusion some 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador , the Galápagos are home to more than 5 , 000 different species . Hindu Bride , IndiaPhotograph by Zheng Huansong Xinhua , eyevineZ / ReduxTraditional henna decorations adorn a Hindu bride ' s hands in New Delhi , India . Brides wear red , considered the most significant color . It ' s worn for all important events , such as marriage , births , and big festivals . Villandry , FrancePhotograph by Emilie Chaix , Getty ImagesA gardener prunes hedges in the ornamental garden of Château de Villandry in Villandry , France . The castle , completed in 1536 , is known for the six remarkable gardens that surround it . River Delta , IcelandPhotograph by Aya O . " Volcanic silt creates amazing patterns as glacial waters merge in this river delta in Iceland ' s south , " writes 2015 Traveler Photo Contest entrant Aya O . Chhau Dancers , IndiaPhotograph by Rupak De Chowdhuri , ReutersUnmasked , dancers take a break after performing a traditional dance called Chhau in a Purulia village . The elaborate dance is performed at religious festivals . Humpback Whale , TongaPhotograph by Craig ParryA humpback whale breaches in the waters around Tonga , a nation of 170 tiny islands in Polynesia . Humpback whales migrate north each year from cold Antarctic waters and spend five months among the islands here . This photo was submitted to the 2015 Traveler Photo Contest . Cape Town , South AfricaPhotograph by Philip Grube " I took this picture at an amusement park down by the [ Victoria and Alfred ] Waterfront in Cape Town , " says Philip Grube , who entered the 2015 Traveler Photo Contest . " It was a clear blue sky when I saw these kids crawling , running , and trying to balance themselves in these shiny plastic bubbles in a pool of water . The reflection of the water in combination with the effect of the bubbles under the blue sky looked somehow surreal . " Nanjing , ChinaPhotograph by China Daily / ReutersA water park is a popular place to be as temperatures soar above 90 º F in Nanjing , China . Nanjing , about 190 miles west of Shanghai , is the capital of Jiangsu Province . Hamar Woman , EthiopiaPhotograph by Yu HaoliangIn southern Ethiopia ' s Omo River Valley , the pastoralist Hamar people have thrived , becoming one of the region ' s largest tribes . ( Here , a Hamar woman wears her hair in traditional red - dyed braids . ) For their success , the Hamar thank the rain , which feeds their cattle and crops . This photo was submitted to the 2015 Traveler Photo Contest . Paris Café Photograph by Yann Layma , Getty ImagesOrnate architecture mixes with the bustle of an everyday café in Paris , thanks to a reflection in the coffee shop ' s window . Sitting and sipping is a time - honored pastime in the City of Light , where cafés crowd every neighborhood . Northern Lights Over IcelandPhotograph by Daniele BoffelliThe aurora borealis sets the Iceland sky alight with an otherworldly glow . This phenomenon is triggered when the sun sends charged particles coursing to Earth . The best time to see the light show in Iceland is on a clear night in winter — visibility improves the colder it gets . This photo was submitted to the 2015 Traveler Photo Contest Grand Canyon CloudsPhotograph by Harun Mehmedinovic , National Geographic Your ShotNational Geographic photographer John Burcham shoots an unusual cloud cover at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona . Nearly five million people travel here each year . So many feet have stepped cautiously to the edge of major overlooks that in places the rock has been polished smooth . But most of the park ' s 1 , 904 square miles are maintained as wilderness . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Allahabad , IndiaPhotograph by Anol Bhattacharya , National Geographic Your Shot Women walk behind a sari during the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad , India . Known as the largest religious gathering in the world , the festival draws millions of Hindu pilgrims . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Quintana Roo , MexicoPhotograph by Christian Vizl , TandemIn Quintana Roo , Mexico , sun rays stream through the crystalline waters of Cenote Cristalino as a swimmer makes her way to the surface . These mystical swimming holes are actually sinkholes filled with freshwater . Ancient Maya believed them to be sacred passageways to the land of the dead . Gällivare , SwedenPhotograph by Kris DavidsonReindeer in Gällivare , Sweden , migrate to the mountainous area along the Norwegian border " for the spring calving season , " writes photographer Kris Davidson . The reindeer are an integral part of the life of the Sami people , who follow the reindeer ' s migration routes and have been herding them for centuries . Sokhumi Beach , GeorgiaPhotograph by Petrut Calinescu , Panos PicturesOn Georgia ' s Sokhumi Beach , bathers use ruined piers for jumping or swinging into the Black Sea . During Soviet times , the beach was part of the so - called Red Riviera , a stretch of Black Sea coastline that extended from Bulgaria through Romania and the former Soviet Union ( now Ukraine , Russia , and Georgia ) and catered to wealthy Eastern - bloc vacationers . Kamchatka , RussiaPhotograph by Denis BudkovFlashlights and headlamps cut through the darkness on the active volcano crater Tolbachik in Kamchatka , Russia . Low clouds and lava combine to create the red atmosphere . This photo was submitted to the 2015 Traveler Photo Contest . Kota Bharu , MalaysiaPhotograph by Duratul Ain D . , National Geographic Your ShotFresh produce and baskets of fish surround a woman at the Siti Khadijah market in Kota Bharu , Malaysia . The city is close to the Thai border . This photo was submitted to Your Shot , our storytelling community where members can take part in photo assignments , get expert feedback , be published , and more . Death Valley , CaliforniaPhotograph by Marc Adamus , Aurora PhotosThe Milky Way glitters over a stand of Joshua trees in Death Valley , California . The enchanting scene belies the harsh conditions here — the park got its name from a group of pioneers who became lost in the area and were sure they ' d never survive the ordeal . Tianmen Mountain , ChinaPhotograph by ReutersFrost rimes a walkway — and the greenery surrounding it — on Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie , Hunan Province , China . The bridge connects with an all - glass walkway that hugs the mountain some 4 , 700 feet above sea level . San Rafael Falls , EcuadorPhotograph by Ivan Kashinsky , The New York Times / ReduxThe Coca River roars over the San Rafael Falls , the largest waterfall in Ecuador . Tucked into a cloud forest , San Rafael is near Baeza in the country ' s northeast .