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National Geographic: Best of July 2016

We’ve selected for you the best photos from the July 2016 National Geographic.

You may also be interested in such photo series:

National Geographic: Best of March 2016,

National Geographic: Best of April 2016,

Best Drone Photos of 2016.

Enjoy watching!

National Geographic’s website: photography.nationalgeographic.com

1 Social Climber. Photograph by Ami Vitale. Although giant pandas spend most of the day eating and sleeping, they love to climb and play. Here a year-old cub explores the treetops in an enclosure at the Wolong center of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, where captive-bred pandas are trained to live in the wild. If the animal passes tests to gauge its survival skills and instincts, it will be released into the mountains.
1 Social Climber. Photograph by Ami Vitale. Although giant pandas spend most of the day eating and sleeping, they love to climb and play. Here a year-old cub explores the treetops in an enclosure at the Wolong center of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, where captive-bred pandas are trained to live in the wild. If the animal passes tests to gauge its survival skills and instincts, it will be released into the mountains.
2 Hot Spot. Photograph by Brent Stirton. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Virunga National Park, a ranger surveys a new lava field created by Nyamulagira, the most active volcano in Africa. The 10,033-foot peak erupts roughly every two years. In the foreground is a sulfur deposit from a recent eruption.
2 Hot Spot. Photograph by Brent Stirton. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Virunga National Park, a ranger surveys a new lava field created by Nyamulagira, the most active volcano in Africa. The 10,033-foot peak erupts roughly every two years. In the foreground is a sulfur deposit from a recent eruption.
3 Weather the Storm. Photograph by RJ Hooper. Waiting for a storm to pass in Utah’s Zion National Park paid off for Your Shot member RJ Hooper, who submitted this image of a rainbow stretched across a golden, post-tempest sky. “A brutal autumn thunderstorm rocked the higher elevations of Zion,” he says. “I hunkered next to some bushes to wait out the storm, [and] it paid off!”
3 Weather the Storm. Photograph by RJ Hooper. Waiting for a storm to pass in Utah’s Zion National Park paid off for Your Shot member RJ Hooper, who submitted this image of a rainbow stretched across a golden, post-tempest sky. “A brutal autumn thunderstorm rocked the higher elevations of Zion,” he says. “I hunkered next to some bushes to wait out the storm, [and] it paid off!”
4 Exploring All Avenues. Photograph by Juan Osorio. In Huntington, New York, Your Shot member Juan Osorio’s daughter dreams of a trip that’s out of this world. “[She] wants to fly to the moon,” he writes. “[In this photo], I wanted to create a surreal world with the balloons in which you have several angles of view, like having several cameras showing the landscape and Sophia the astronaut.”
4 Exploring All Avenues. Photograph by Juan Osorio. In Huntington, New York, Your Shot member Juan Osorio’s daughter dreams of a trip that’s out of this world. “[She] wants to fly to the moon,” he writes. “[In this photo], I wanted to create a surreal world with the balloons in which you have several angles of view, like having several cameras showing the landscape and Sophia the astronaut.”
5 Box Seats. Photograph by Shah Zaman Baloch. In Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, something has caught the attention of these women resting against a brightly painted shrine.
5 Box Seats. Photograph by Shah Zaman Baloch. In Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, something has caught the attention of these women resting against a brightly painted shrine.
6 Soak in the Scenery. Photograph by Andrew Gemmell. The Li River in China offers a grand view of towering karst peaks—and a cool place to rest for a local farmer’s water buffalo. The animals' wide-splayed hooves prevent them from sinking too deeply in the riverbed.
6 Soak in the Scenery. Photograph by Andrew Gemmell. The Li River in China offers a grand view of towering karst peaks—and a cool place to rest for a local farmer’s water buffalo. The animals' wide-splayed hooves prevent them from sinking too deeply in the riverbed.
7 Sidelined. Photograph by Jassen T. Stored railroad cars lend pattern and color to a Houston, Texas, rail yard in this aerial image submitted by Your Shot member Jassen T. When the cars are needed, an engineer will use a switch engine to move them into place.
7 Sidelined. Photograph by Jassen T. Stored railroad cars lend pattern and color to a Houston, Texas, rail yard in this aerial image submitted by Your Shot member Jassen T. When the cars are needed, an engineer will use a switch engine to move them into place.
8 Valley of Shadow. Photograph by Emanuele Zallocco. In this photo submitted by Your Shot community member Emanuele Zallocco, a bale of hay casts a long shadow in Monti Sibillini National Park. Named for a legendary prophetess named Sibyl, this Italian park is a landscape of narrow valleys, rushing rivers, towering mountain slopes, and alpine pastures.
8 Valley of Shadow. Photograph by Emanuele Zallocco. In this photo submitted by Your Shot community member Emanuele Zallocco, a bale of hay casts a long shadow in Monti Sibillini National Park. Named for a legendary prophetess named Sibyl, this Italian park is a landscape of narrow valleys, rushing rivers, towering mountain slopes, and alpine pastures.
9 Swing Away. Photograph by Marius Cinteza. A child swings through the air on a fair ride in Horezu, Romania. Your Shot member Marius Cinteza, who made this image, writes that the attraction is at the popular pottery fair Cocoșul de Horezu (Cock of Horezu), so named because of the rooster motif commonly seen in the ceramics there.
9 Swing Away. Photograph by Marius Cinteza. A child swings through the air on a fair ride in Horezu, Romania. Your Shot member Marius Cinteza, who made this image, writes that the attraction is at the popular pottery fair Cocoșul de Horezu (Cock of Horezu), so named because of the rooster motif commonly seen in the ceramics there.
10 Gentle Giant. Photograph by Gaby Barathieu. A manta ray pokes a fin through the water’s surface off the French island of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean. The mantas’ size and fearsome-looking cephalic fins once earned the animals the name devilfish; however, we now know better: Scuba divers have found them to be gentle and accommodating.
10 Gentle Giant. Photograph by Gaby Barathieu. A manta ray pokes a fin through the water’s surface off the French island of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean. The mantas’ size and fearsome-looking cephalic fins once earned the animals the name devilfish; however, we now know better: Scuba divers have found them to be gentle and accommodating.
11 Old Guard. Photograph by Javier Eduardo Alvarez. “Hundreds of old cypresses guard the perimeter of Lake Camécuaro and its turquoise-colored, crystal clear water,” Javier Eduardo Alvarez writes of this photo he made of the small Mexican lake, popular for its picturesque beauty. “This place is magical.”
11 Old Guard. Photograph by Javier Eduardo Alvarez. “Hundreds of old cypresses guard the perimeter of Lake Camécuaro and its turquoise-colored, crystal clear water,” Javier Eduardo Alvarez writes of this photo he made of the small Mexican lake, popular for its picturesque beauty. “This place is magical.”
12 Rose-Tinted Spectacle. Photograph by Fabrizio Fortuna. Sunset splashes a rosy tint over the landscape in this image submitted by Fabrizio Fortuna. The mountain is the 1,500-foot (457-meter) Vestrahorn, a main landmark of southeastern Iceland.
12 Rose-Tinted Spectacle. Photograph by Fabrizio Fortuna. Sunset splashes a rosy tint over the landscape in this image submitted by Fabrizio Fortuna. The mountain is the 1,500-foot (457-meter) Vestrahorn, a main landmark of southeastern Iceland.
13 Pushed for Time. Photograph by Nader Saadallah. “One of the best places [to photograph] in Cairo, Egypt, is the camels market,” writes Your Shot member Nader Saadallah. “At this moment, the camels’ keepers and sellers [are] trying to push the camel into their vehicle to send it to the local market to be slaughtered to be ready for customers.”
13 Pushed for Time. Photograph by Nader Saadallah. “One of the best places [to photograph] in Cairo, Egypt, is the camels market,” writes Your Shot member Nader Saadallah. “At this moment, the camels’ keepers and sellers [are] trying to push the camel into their vehicle to send it to the local market to be slaughtered to be ready for customers.”
14 Larger Than Life. Photograph by Michael Monfore. A harvestman cuts an intimidating figure, here silhouetted against a sunlit leaf in the Hofma Preserve in Grand Haven, Michigan. Also known as daddy longlegs, these creatures are often mistakenly labeled as spiders. Though both spiders and harvestmen are arachnids, harvestmen are closely related to the scorpion.
14 Larger Than Life. Photograph by Michael Monfore. A harvestman cuts an intimidating figure, here silhouetted against a sunlit leaf in the Hofma Preserve in Grand Haven, Michigan. Also known as daddy longlegs, these creatures are often mistakenly labeled as spiders. Though both spiders and harvestmen are arachnids, harvestmen are closely related to the scorpion.
15 Timeless Temple. Photograph by Vincent J. Musi. People mill around the Erechtheion, a temple to Athena erected in 421–406 B.C., which occupies the most sacred ground on Athens’s Acropolis. Ancient Greeks held festivals, sacrifices, games, and religious processions at the site; today it’s a magnet for tourists.
15 Timeless Temple. Photograph by Vincent J. Musi. People mill around the Erechtheion, a temple to Athena erected in 421–406 B.C., which occupies the most sacred ground on Athens’s Acropolis. Ancient Greeks held festivals, sacrifices, games, and religious processions at the site; today it’s a magnet for tourists.
16 Fire and Ice. Photograph by Konrad Kulis. A dramatic sunset colors Iceland’s landscape and sky. Your Shot member Konrad Kulis captured this aerial shot while “en route to the volcano Holuhraun,” he writes. The volcano, which last erupted in 2014, is located just north of the expansive, 3,200-square-mile (8,400-square-kilometer) Vatnajӧkull, or Vatna Glacier.
16 Fire and Ice. Photograph by Konrad Kulis. A dramatic sunset colors Iceland’s landscape and sky. Your Shot member Konrad Kulis captured this aerial shot while “en route to the volcano Holuhraun,” he writes. The volcano, which last erupted in 2014, is located just north of the expansive, 3,200-square-mile (8,400-square-kilometer) Vatnajӧkull, or Vatna Glacier.
17 Flying Light. Photograph by Jeff McIntosh. Like giant lanterns, hot-air balloons glow by the light of their burners “during a [sunset] kickoff for the Canadian Hot Air Balloon Championships,” writes photographer Jeff McIntosh, who made this photo during the 2013 event. The first hot-air balloon to carry passengers lifted off over France in 1783—bearing a sheep, a chicken, and a duck.
17 Flying Light. Photograph by Jeff McIntosh. Like giant lanterns, hot-air balloons glow by the light of their burners “during a [sunset] kickoff for the Canadian Hot Air Balloon Championships,” writes photographer Jeff McIntosh, who made this photo during the 2013 event. The first hot-air balloon to carry passengers lifted off over France in 1783—bearing a sheep, a chicken, and a duck.
18 Crystal Cave. Photograph by Xiao Zhu. An ice cave beckons on Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest freshwater lake, located in Siberia. Photographers eager to capture an image like this one should be ready to brave the bone-chilling Siberian winter, which renders Lake Baikal sealed by a thick sheet of ice between November and March.
18 Crystal Cave. Photograph by Xiao Zhu. An ice cave beckons on Lake Baikal, the world’s oldest and deepest freshwater lake, located in Siberia. Photographers eager to capture an image like this one should be ready to brave the bone-chilling Siberian winter, which renders Lake Baikal sealed by a thick sheet of ice between November and March.
19 Once-in-a-Lifetime View. Photograph by Cory Mottice. A rainbow adds magic to an already paradisiacal scene captured by Your Shot member Cory Mottice at Havasu Falls, Arizona. “The clouds looked promising for a decent sunset, so I left my campsite and headed up to Havasu Falls,” he writes. “Instead, I was treated to a once-in-a-lifetime view.”
19 Once-in-a-Lifetime View. Photograph by Cory Mottice. A rainbow adds magic to an already paradisiacal scene captured by Your Shot member Cory Mottice at Havasu Falls, Arizona. “The clouds looked promising for a decent sunset, so I left my campsite and headed up to Havasu Falls,” he writes. “Instead, I was treated to a once-in-a-lifetime view.”
20 Man's Other Best Friend. Photograph by Shiva Krishna. The rising sun in Hyderabad, India, silhouettes a boy on his horse through an archway. While a horse won’t cuddle in bed with you, it can still be a companion, writes Your Shot photographer Shiva Krishna: “They're always there to nuzzle you and make your life a better place.”
20 Man's Other Best Friend. Photograph by Shiva Krishna. The rising sun in Hyderabad, India, silhouettes a boy on his horse through an archway. While a horse won’t cuddle in bed with you, it can still be a companion, writes Your Shot photographer Shiva Krishna: “They're always there to nuzzle you and make your life a better place.”
21 The Water's Fine. Photograph by Igor Mohoric Bonca. A seal readies itself to dive into the waters near Dunvegan Castle on Scotland’s Isle of Skye. The pinnipeds are abundant along Scotland’s coastline—and can be quite photogenic.
21 The Water's Fine. Photograph by Igor Mohoric Bonca. A seal readies itself to dive into the waters near Dunvegan Castle on Scotland’s Isle of Skye. The pinnipeds are abundant along Scotland’s coastline—and can be quite photogenic.
22 Sea Meets Sky. Photograph by Vincent J. Musi. Floodlights illuminate the temple of Poseidon, god of the sea, at Cape Sounion, Greece. The cults of ancient Greece helped define our ideas of the afterlife today.
22 Sea Meets Sky. Photograph by Vincent J. Musi. Floodlights illuminate the temple of Poseidon, god of the sea, at Cape Sounion, Greece. The cults of ancient Greece helped define our ideas of the afterlife today.
23 Plain View. Photograph by Martin Bisof. A lone red-colored tree stands amid a sea of lush greenery in Sri Lanka’s Horton Plains. Your Shot member Martin Bisof captured this image “from the train during our journey from Kandy to Haputale,” he writes. Horton Plains is located in Sri Lanka’s central highlands and was declared a national park in 1988. “[It] is a really amazing place for photography,” Bisof says. “I just stood … in the open train doorway and I couldn’t stop photographing.”
23 Plain View. Photograph by Martin Bisof. A lone red-colored tree stands amid a sea of lush greenery in Sri Lanka’s Horton Plains. Your Shot member Martin Bisof captured this image “from the train during our journey from Kandy to Haputale,” he writes. Horton Plains is located in Sri Lanka’s central highlands and was declared a national park in 1988. “[It] is a really amazing place for photography,” Bisof says. “I just stood … in the open train doorway and I couldn’t stop photographing.”
24 Different Light. Photograph by Bin Yu. Sunlight beams through a stained glass window in the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, spotlighting orbs of color onto an adjacent wall. This unique building in Spain is an important archaeological example of both Christian and Muslim influences: It was a mosque in the eighth century, during the period of Moorish conquest, but claimed as a Christian cathedral in the 13th century.
24 Different Light. Photograph by Bin Yu. Sunlight beams through a stained glass window in the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba, spotlighting orbs of color onto an adjacent wall. This unique building in Spain is an important archaeological example of both Christian and Muslim influences: It was a mosque in the eighth century, during the period of Moorish conquest, but claimed as a Christian cathedral in the 13th century.
25 By a Thread. Photograph by Kieron Nelson. In northern Pakistan’s Hunza region, travelers cross what’s often called the most dangerous bridge in the world: the Hussaini Hanging Bridge, which looks almost as unforgiving as the landscape around it. “[The bridge] is extremely old and very narrow,” photographer Kieron Nelson writes. “Situated high above [Borit Lake], it is missing many of the original wooden planks.”
25 By a Thread. Photograph by Kieron Nelson. In northern Pakistan’s Hunza region, travelers cross what’s often called the most dangerous bridge in the world: the Hussaini Hanging Bridge, which looks almost as unforgiving as the landscape around it. “[The bridge] is extremely old and very narrow,” photographer Kieron Nelson writes. “Situated high above [Borit Lake], it is missing many of the original wooden planks.”
26 Jewels of the Jungle. Photograph by Brent Stirton. A silverback from the 22-member Mapuwa family in Virunga National Park emerges from the jungle to keep an eye on a ranger patrol. The park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has largely succeeded in protecting mountain gorillas, its top tourist draw, from violence. Their population is now growing.
26 Jewels of the Jungle. Photograph by Brent Stirton. A silverback from the 22-member Mapuwa family in Virunga National Park emerges from the jungle to keep an eye on a ranger patrol. The park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has largely succeeded in protecting mountain gorillas, its top tourist draw, from violence. Their population is now growing.
27 Ruins of Worship. Photograph by Vincent J. Musi. In Greece, twilight bathes the ruins of the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia at Delphi and its tholos, a circular building. Pilgrims may have offered sacrifices here before consulting the oracle of Delphi at the nearby temple of Apollo.
27 Ruins of Worship. Photograph by Vincent J. Musi. In Greece, twilight bathes the ruins of the sanctuary of Athena Pronaia at Delphi and its tholos, a circular building. Pilgrims may have offered sacrifices here before consulting the oracle of Delphi at the nearby temple of Apollo.
28 Crossing the Lines. Photograph by José Hernán Cibils. Pedestrians make their way across an intersection in Tokyo. Given the crowded intersections the city is known for, this crossing looks like a breeze.
28 Crossing the Lines. Photograph by José Hernán Cibils. Pedestrians make their way across an intersection in Tokyo. Given the crowded intersections the city is known for, this crossing looks like a breeze.
29 A Salty Snack. Photograph by Charlie Hamilton James. Clay cliffs just outside Peru's Manú National Park form a natural salt lick that attracts various animals, including these red-and-green macaws. More than a thousand species of birds—10 percent of the world total—live in and around the park.
29 A Salty Snack. Photograph by Charlie Hamilton James. Clay cliffs just outside Peru's Manú National Park form a natural salt lick that attracts various animals, including these red-and-green macaws. More than a thousand species of birds—10 percent of the world total—live in and around the park.
30 Precious Mineral. Photograph by Jassen T. A harvesting machine gathers salt from a crystallizing pond near the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The briny lake is the largest lake west of the Mississippi River and is so salty that much of the aquatic life found in other lakes cannot live there.
30 Precious Mineral. Photograph by Jassen T. A harvesting machine gathers salt from a crystallizing pond near the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The briny lake is the largest lake west of the Mississippi River and is so salty that much of the aquatic life found in other lakes cannot live there.
31 Friends in High Places. Photograph by Abdullrahman Almalki. While men chat on a perch in the Sarawat Mountains, sun rays create a dramatic sky over the valley below. Your Shot photographer Abdullrahman Almalki says the view “[overlooks] the city of Mecca,” Islam’s holy city.
31 Friends in High Places. Photograph by Abdullrahman Almalki. While men chat on a perch in the Sarawat Mountains, sun rays create a dramatic sky over the valley below. Your Shot photographer Abdullrahman Almalki says the view “[overlooks] the city of Mecca,” Islam’s holy city.
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