Glacial fjords, desert dunes and storm-lit peaks sit alongside savannas where the wildlife steals the frame. Some spots are tripod-line famous, others reward the photographers willing to go far.
1Torres del PainePatagonian national park of granite spires, turquoise lakes and fierce light at dawn.1000pts
2Lofoten IslandsNorwegian Arctic archipelago of jagged peaks, red fishing huts and white beaches under midnight sun or aurora.882pts
3Antarctic PeninsulaIcy fjords, glaciers, penguins and whales at the bottom of the world.882pts
4SossusvleiNamibian desert pan ringed by towering red dunes and ghostly dead camelthorn trees.741pts
5Salar de UyuniBolivia's vast salt flat that turns into a perfect mirror in the wet season.680pts
6JökulsárlónIceland's glacial lagoon where icebergs drift out to the Diamond Beach.680pts
7Monument ValleyNavajo Tribal Park buttes rising from red desert, the classic American Western vista.529pts
8Milford SoundNew Zealand fjord under the pinnacle of Mitre Peak, with waterfalls and mist.529pts
9Banff National ParkCanadian Rockies park known for turquoise glacial lakes and snowy peaks.529pts
10Galápagos IslandsEcuadorian archipelago where fearless wildlife like sea lions and tortoises meets volcanic scenery.529pts
11Denali National ParkAlaskan wilderness under North America's tallest peak, with grizzlies and caribou.433pts
12SvalbardHigh Arctic archipelago of glaciers, polar bears and walrus under endless summer or polar night light.433pts
13DolomitesItalian Alpine range of pale limestone towers that glow pink at sunrise.433pts
14SenjaNorway's second-largest island, compressing fjords, peaks and beaches into a dramatic Arctic coast.433pts
15Yosemite National ParkCalifornia valley of granite monoliths and waterfalls, shaped by generations of landscape masters.433pts
16Faroe IslandsRemote North Atlantic islands of emerald cliffs, waterfalls and turf-roofed villages.433pts
17SerengetiTanzania's endless plains, home to the Great Migration and big cats.433pts
18Vestrahorn, StokksnesIceland's black sand beach backed by the serrated Vestrahorn mountain, famed for dune and reflection shots.317pts
19ZhangjiajieChina's forest of sandstone pillars shrouded in cloud, the inspiration for Avatar's floating mountains.317pts
20Antelope CanyonArizona slot canyon where sunbeams slice through sculpted sandstone walls.317pts
21Ilulissat IcefjordA UNESCO-listed West Greenland fjord choked with massive icebergs calved by the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier.317pts
22Scottish HighlandsMoody glens, lochs and mountains such as Glencoe and Rannoch Moor.317pts
23Okavango DeltaBotswana inland delta of channels and islands drawing elephants, hippos and lions.317pts
24Isle of SkyeScottish island of the Old Man of Storr, Quiraing and the Fairy Pools.0pts
25Scoresby SundThe world's largest fjord system in East Greenland, packed with towering icebergs and wild Arctic light.0pts
Photo credits
- Torres del Paine — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lofoten Islands — Svein-Magne Tunli - tunliweb.no, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Antarctic Peninsula — W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sossusvlei — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Salar de Uyuni — PsamatheM, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jökulsárlón — Jakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0
- Monument Valley — W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Banff National Park — Terry Ott, CC BY 2.0
- Galápagos Islands — Bhasker Thodla, CC BY 3.0
- Denali National Park — David Dugan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Svalbard — Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dolomites — Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Senja — Ximonic (Simo Räsänen), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Yosemite National Park — Diliff, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Faroe Islands — Rokaso, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Serengeti — Giles Laurent, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vestrahorn, Stokksnes — Hansueli Krapf, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zhangjiajie — chensiyuan, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Antelope Canyon — Gzzz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ilulissat Icefjord — Christoph Strässler from Oberdorf BL, Schweiz, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Scottish Highlands — Superbass, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Okavango Delta — Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Isle of Skye — Balon Greyjoy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Scoresby Sund — Hannes Grobe 20:10, 16 December 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 2.5
