sunrise over a valley in Switzerland
a hiker near Vestrahorn, Iceland
the Matterhorn reflected in a Stellisee Lake, Switzerland
a hiker near the Bromo Caldera, Java, Indonesia
an aurora near Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway
Mt. Fuji in the distance, Japan
snowy trees on Mt. Yamagata, Japan
a hiker resting near Tre Cime di Lavaredo, Italy
Henningsvær fishing village seen from above, Norway
a hiker looking at sunrise over Torres del Paine, Chile
St. John's Peak at dawn, Gua Paka, Sabah, Malaysia
Sunwapta Falls in Jasper National Park, Canadian Rockies, Canada
a tent near Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy
a lake reflection near Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
a hiker standing in fog, South Tyrol, Italy
Picture at Moraine Lake, Banff, Canada
sunrise over Reine, Lofoten, Norway
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"A breathtaking mountain view of Switzerland's Alpine range."
Photograph and caption by Alessandra Meniconzi, 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Majestic Mountain Views From Around the World

Put on your hiking boots and enjoy these gorgeous alpine views that were submitted to our photo contest.

BySarah Polger
May 23, 2018
2 min read
Captions were written and submitted by the photographers.

Travelers and photographers often rise early—before the sun itself begins to think about waking up—to hike, climb, and position themselves for the perfect view of sunrise striking towering mountain ranges. Why bother getting out of bed before the crack of dawn? Because mountains offer monumental views you can't find anywhere else. Whether seen in the early morning or late evening, these natural giants very quickly show us the scale of our natural world and the unending wonders available to experience ourselves.

Ready to be inspired? Explore these majestic mountain scenes captured by photographers from the 2018 National Geographic Travel Photographer of Year and start planning what peak, piques your interest.

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