"Aladdin's Cave"

"Snow cave on the slopes of the volcano Mutnovsky. Due to of global warming, glaciers have begun to decline. As a result, the ceiling of the cave became thin and the sunlight creates a wonderful picture of the different colors." (Photo and Caption by Denis Budkov/2016 National Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year)

From a pair of bison squaring off in the middle of the herd to lightning striking Lower Manhattan during a storm, the submissions to the contest capture spectacular nature scenes from all over the world.

The contest, which kicked off August 15, 2016, aims to celebrate photos that showcase the awe-inspiring and diverse natural world around us. The Grand Prize winner wins a 10-day trip for two to the Galápagos with National Geographic Expeditions and two 15-minute image portfolio reviews with National Geographic photo editors.

The contest ends November 4.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: 2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Grand Prize: "Winter Horseman"

"The winter in Inner Mongolia is very unforgiving. At a freezing temperature of minus 20 and lower with constant breeze of snow from all direction, it was pretty hard to convince myself to get out of the car and take photos. Not until I saw Inner Mongolia horsemen showing off their skills in commanding the steed from a distance, I quickly grabbed my telephoto lens and captured the moment when one of the horseman charged out from morning mist." (Photo and caption by Anthony Lau / National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)