Our top Instagram posts of 2017

These are the shots that caught your eye (and made you double tap) on our Instagram feed in 2017

 

Photo by @ChrisBurkard // The town of Vik is the southernmost tip of Iceland which is met by black sand and the rolling waves of the Atlantic. At the right time of the year you can get amazing surf and even northern lights when the weather co-operates. After many trips I’ve found that the early autumn is the one time of the year that can be warm after all the snow melts. Right next to Vik is Dyrholaey. You will find a very high headland extending into the sea forming an impressive natural arch. In the summer, the peninsula is home to a plethora of puffins, an amazing place to watch this peculiar bird feed. It’s a small town but it has a lot to showcase // #Repost @natgeotravel

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Nov 14, 2017 at 1:57am PST

 

It’s time to enter our Photography Competition! It’s free and you can find the details on our website, in our bio. Head over there now like Robert Haworth has done and you could be in with a chance of winning some fantastic prizes!

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Oct 20, 2017 at 1:15am PDT

 

Photo @ChrisBurkard The Sermilik fjord is one of the deepest on Greenland’s East coast. Lined with steep peaks and an irregular coastline, it has been a challenging place for settlements to endure. During calving season icebergs of all shapes and sizes make their way to sea. At times the shapes can be almost otherworldly // #Repost @natgeotravel

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Dec 6, 2017 at 6:43am PST

 

Locals get caught in a rain shower in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. Photographer @alicelukerphoto documented the hill country region, immersing herself in a scene of quaint bungalows, manicured gardens and a British influence. See the full story in the December 2017 issue, in shops now!

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Nov 12, 2017 at 11:22pm PST

 

Photo by @ciriljazbec // Northern Lights over ‘Big Island’ mountain in Uummannaq, Greenland. They are steeped in legend and mythology. Greenlanders believe that when the Northern Lights dance around the sky, it means that the spirits are playing ball with the skull of a walrus. Follow more from my Arctic journey @ciriljazbec // #Repost @natgeotravel

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Nov 10, 2017 at 4:20am PST

 

A Buddhist monk enters the formidable doors of Trongsa Dzong, the ancestral home of Bhutan’s monarchy. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has sat in isolation for thousands of years and only recently been thrust into the glare of modern times after centuries of solitude. This Buddhist kingdom, high in the Himalayas, had no paved roads until the 1960s, was off-limits to foreigners until 1974, and launched television only in 1999.  In 1972, the country stop relying on Gross Domestic Product as the best indicator of Bhutan’s progress in favour of “Gross National Happiness.” So if you want to visit the happiest place on earth, put Bhutan on your travel bucket list. Bhutan has put environmental conservation at the heart of its political agenda. It’s pledged to remain carbon neutral, made it law that 60% of the country must remain forested for future generations, banned plastic bags, instituted a monthly pedestrian day that bans all private vehicles from its roads, and announced its intention to become the world’s first 100-percent organic-farming nation. It goes without saying that the countryside is breathtakingly beautiful and pristine. Follow @amivitale for more stories from around the world. // #Repost @natgeotravel

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Aug 25, 2017 at 10:26pm PDT

 

Share your experiences of the Silk Road with us on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #NGSilkRoad. If you’ve travelled between China and Turkey, chances are you’ve crossed the route as our Digital Nomad @emmathomsontravels did on her 47-day journey // Old man waits to enter one of the majolica-covered mausoleums at Shah-I-Zinda. #NGSilkRoad #NGTSilkRoad #WildFrontiers #SilkRoad#NGTUK #NGTUKnomad

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Feb 16, 2017 at 1:41pm PST

 

Photo by @FransLanting // Wildebeest living on the vast plains of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem never stop moving. Their lives are governed by rain and grass; wherever that is available they go. Follow me @FransLanting for more images from wild Africa // #Repost @natgeotravel

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Nov 20, 2017 at 9:29am PST

 

Not long left to enter our Photography Competition! Your shot could be a winner, just like Mathew Browne might be… Head over to our website (link in bio) to enter for FREE today!

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Dec 4, 2017 at 11:45pm PST

ns-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;” datetime=”2017-08-24T08:58:25+00:00″>Aug 24, 2017 at 1:58am PDT

 

Photo by @richardjamestaylor // The stunning view across the River Danube in Budapest, Hungary. Richard shot for our March 2016 issue, exploring both sides of the river, from the famous fisherman’s bastion, across the Chain bridge and on to the Hungarian Parliament building

A post shared by National Geographic Traveller (@natgeotraveluk) on Aug 24, 2017 at 1:58am PDT

 
Continue sharing your travel shots with us on Instagram using #PhotooftheWeek.