natgeotravel

Photo by @steven_gnam | A black bear cub emerges from the cottonwood cavity it was born in. It will spend the next few weeks exploring the heights of the cottonwood before following its mother and siblings down to the ground in western Montana. #Montana #cub #bear

Photo by @michaelclarkphoto | The towers of Torres del Paine National Park glow in the early morning sunlight above an alpine lake in Chilean Patagonia. To get to this viewpoint at sunrise, we left at 4 a.m. and hiked up to the peaks in the dark. You never know if you are going to see anything, as these formations are often enshrined in clouds, but we got lucky on this morning. #torresdelpaine #chile #torres

Photo by @amandamustard | Just over halfway through the Scottish Highlands NC500 loop, I left the quiet seaside town of Ullapool to head down the A835 as layers of land and water unfolded in front of me. This was the most incredible road trip I have had the privilege of taking. I chose to drive the route counter-clockwise, winding between varied landscapes that felt like other planets, and suspect that it'll feel like an entirely new adventure doing the opposite direction next time. #nc500 #scotland #highlands #roadtrip

Photo by @amivitale | Hot air balloons take off in the early morning light over the town of Göreme in Cappadocia, Turkey. The formations in the landscape are known as fairy chimneys and ancient pigeon houses are carved into the rock. Cappadocia contains several underground cities that were largely used by early Christians as hiding places before Christianity became an accepted religion. Follow @amivitale for more stories about the beauty and hope in the world. @natgeo @natgeocreative @thephotosociety #cappadocia #turkey #anatolia #hotairballoons #flight

Video by @renan_ozturk | Between storm and sun, a lucky moment of inexplicable joy happened on location in southern Utah. May these lands never be mined and recreation be managed carefully for the generations to come. Wishing everyone all the best in this wild moment in time. Here’s to getting outside and finding bits of light and calm within the chaos. Follow @renan_ozturk for more from this region.

Photo by @chrisburkard | It has been said that in order to create images that inspire action, you must be part of that action. After a week of rain and sitting in a van, we would have done just about anything to enjoy the sunshine and clear water of Moraine Lake in Canada's Banff National Park. This is one of my favorite moments from a road trip through the Rockies. The rain cleared, the sun was shining, and we couldn’t help ourselves from jumping into the ice-cold, glacier-fed lake. It still inspires me to take advantage of every day the sun is shining.

Photo by @PaulNicklen | There are not many places in the world where your flight may be delayed by penguins on the runway. I always chuckle when I see this photo, as it seems like the penguins are waiting to board. Over the last couple weeks, the coronavirus has dramatically transformed the way that humans travel and, while Cristina Mittermeier (@mitty) and I wait it out in voluntary self-isolation, I am even more grateful for the communities that we've built online where it is still possible to connect. Together we can share beautiful images with each other and transport ourselves into other worlds without breaking quarantine. Come on more virtual vacations with me @PaulNicklen. #coronavirus #Covid_19 #virtualvacations #Hope #Penguins

Photo by @bertiegregory | A large male polar bear shows his teeth on the west coast of the Hudson Bay in Manitoba, Canada. During a filming shoot here, we woke up one morning to find a polar bear resting outside our cabin. Photographing through the safety of a fence allowed me to take some close-up shots that would be far too dangerous (and irresponsible) to get in any other situation. Aside from a blueish purple tongue, his mouth contains another interesting feature: the position of his teeth. Behind a polar bear's huge canines, there’s a gap where the teeth don’t erupt out of the gum. This gap allows the canines to sink deeper into their seal prey, offering a greater grip to catch and pull seals out of the water. Follow @bertiegregory for more wildlife adventures. #wildlife #animals #ice #snow #polarbear

Photo by @emilypolar | A plane flies high above the valley and below the towering peaks of the Annapurna Himalaya. Wishes of high spirits in these fluctuating times. To see more of Nepal and beyond, follow me @emilypolar. #Nepal #Himalaya #Annapurna

Photo by Muhammed Muheisen @mmuheisen | The sturgeon moon of August 2018 rose next to the columns of the ancient temple of Poseidon. The temple in Cape Sounion, Greece, was built beginning in 444 B.C. For more photos and videos from different parts of the world, follow me @mmuheisen and @mmuheisenpublic. #muhammedmuheisen #Greece #Moon

Video by @steven_gnam | Water in the form of glaciers, snow, rain, and rivers shapes the Pacific Northwest. This time-lapse shows water, in its many forms, on the move in the Cascade Range. #cascades

Photo by @michaelclarkphoto | Natural bridges in the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor along the southern Oregon coast. This section of coastline is phenomenally beautiful and rugged. This vantage point is just off the road and is easily accessible, but one can also hike down to the arches for a closer look. #oregon #samuelhboardman #oregoncoast