The best works from the Travel Photographer of the Year 2018 contest

The jury of the prestigious competition of travel photographers announced the winners on December 14. In 2018, photographers from 142 countries took part in the Travel Photographer of the Year competition. In total, they sent more than 20 thousand pictures. The jury selected 150 best works.

The title of "Best Travel Photographer of 2018" was awarded to a semi-professional photographer from Italy Stefano Pansotti. The jury noted his photographs, which he took in different countries of the world, including Myanmar, Hungary and Mali.

"The best young travel photographer of 2018" was 14-year-old American Isabella Smith for a series of pictures she took in Morocco.

Harar, Ethiopia: A walk through the fortified historical city of Harar Yugol, which is considered the fourth largest city in Islam. Photograph: Stefano Pensotti.

Touba, Senegal: A member of the Senegalese Muslims Bai Fall sect at the Grand Mosque of Touba. Photograph: Stefano Pensotti.

Badami, Bagalkot, Karnataka, India: a moment of rest at the entrance to the wrestling gym. Photograph: Stefano Pensotti.

Amritsar, India: A Sikh pilgrim takes a ritual bath in the sacred pool, known as Amrit Sarovar, in front of the Golden Temple. Photo: Matyaz Krivich.

Shugruf, Yemen: Morning fog mysteriously rises from the valley to the small village of Shugruf in the Haraz mountains. Photo: Matyaz Krivich.

Shugruf, Yemen: Morning fog mysteriously rises from the valley to the small village of Shugruf in the Haraz mountains. Photo: Matyaz Krivich.

Comanesti, Romania: Bear Dance, a Romanian ritual that participants perform using bells, sticks and drums to dispel evil spirits. Photo: Diana Buzoyanu.

Gannan, China: Local Tibetan Buddhists make a pilgrimage to the Labrang Monastery. Pilgrims make a procession along the road, taking three or five steps between each bow. Photograph: He Jian.

Niger River, Mali, West Africa: A diver who dives to the bottom of the Niger to collect sand for the construction industry. Photograph: Philip Lee Harvey.

Bemaraha National Park, Madagascar: Early in the morning, a climber measures the razor-sharp rocks of Grand Tsingis, the world's largest limestone needle forest. Photograph: Marcel van Osten.

Kibish, Ethiopia: A Suri boy living in the Ethiopian Omo Valley, with tribal women in long copper bracelets. Photograph: Danny Ye Sin Wong.

Havana, Cuba: I was drawn to the beautiful faded colors and atmosphere of this once majestic old room. Photograph: Simon Morris.

Port Louis, Mauritius: Our trip to Mauritius was accompanied by Cyclone Berguitt causing drama for everyone on the island. We escaped from the rough beaches to explore the markets of Port Louis, including the fish market. Photograph: Nicola Young.

The authors who won the competition will receive cash, cameras and lenses, as well as travel certificates and membership in the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain as a reward. In addition, the works of the winners in the spring of 2019 will be exhibited in the open air in front of the Tower of London and will appear at exhibitions around the world.