10 jaw-dropping photos from National Geographic Traveler photo contest

It’s not an easy task to narrow down 17,000 images taken by intrepid world travellers -- but that’s what National Geographic has just finished doing for its 2015 Traveler Photo Contest.

Not an easy task, but they finally awarded first place to Anuar Patjane Floriuk of Tehuacán Puebla, Mexico, with his image showing divers swimming around a humpback whale.

So be prepared to have a serious case wanderlust when you’re scrolling through these awe-inspiring photographs of our Planet Earth.

Grand prize: Whale Whisperers

Diving with a humpback whale and her newborn calf while they cruise around Roca Partida… in the Revillagigedo [Islands], Mexico. This is an outstanding and unique place full of pelagic life, so we need to accelerate the incorporation of the islands into UNESCO as [a] natural heritage site in order to increase the protection of the islands against the prevailing illegal fishing corporations and big-game fishing.

Photograph: Anuar Patjane Floriuk/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Second place: Gravel Workmen

[This] gravel-crush working place remains full of dust and sand. Three gravel workmen are looking through the window glass at their working place. Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Photograph: Faisal Azim/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Third place: Camel Ardah

Camel Ardah, as it called in Oman, is one of the traditional styles of camel racing.. between two camels controlled by expert men. The faster camel is the loser… so they must be running [at] the same speed level in the same track. The main purpose of Ardah is to show the beauty and strength of the Arabian camels and the riders’ skills. Ardah is considered one of the most risky situations, since always the camels reactions are unpredictable and it may get wild and jump toward the audience.

Photograph: Ahmed Al Toqi/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Merit: A Night at Deadvlei

The night before returning to Windhoek, we spent several hours at Deadveli. The moon was bright enough to illuminate the sand dunes in the distance, but the skies were still dark enough to clearly see the Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds. Deadveli means “dead marsh”. The camelthorn trees are believed to be about 900 years old but have not decomposed because the environment is so dry.

Photograph: Beth McCarley/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Merit: Catching a duck

Two boys are trying to catch a duck at the stream of the waterfall in Nong Khai Province, Thailand.

Photograph: Sarah Wouters /National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Merit: Kushti, Indian Wrestling

Kushti is the traditional form of Indian wrestling. Wearing only a well-adjusted loincloth (langot), wrestlers (pelwhans) enter a pit made of clay, often mixed with salt, lemon, and ghee (clarified butter). At the end of a workout, wrestlers rest against the walls of the arena, covering their heads and bodies with earth to soak up any perspiration and avoid catching cold. This relaxation ceremony is completed with massages to soothe tired muscles and demonstrate mutual respect.

Photograph: Alain Schroeder/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Merit: White Rhinos

The night before this photo, we tried all day to get a good photo of the endangered white rhino. Skulking through the grass carefully, trying to stay 30 feet away to be safe, didn’t provide me the photo I was hoping for. In the morning, however, I woke up to all three rhinos grazing in front of me. Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Uganda.

Photograph: Stefane Berube /National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Merit: Sauna in the sky

A sauna at 2,800 metres high in the heart of Dolomites. Monte Lagazuoi, Cortina, eastern Italian Alps.

Photograph: Stefano Zardini/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Merit: Highlanders

Traditional haymaking in Poland. Many people continue to use the scythe and pitchfork to sort the hay.

Photograph: Bart?omiej Jurecki/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

Merit: Romania, Land of Fairy Tales

White frost over Pestera village

Photograph: Eduard Gutescu/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest

***NOTE: Merit winners are in no particular order***