Explore Travel Photography Competition 2025: The Winners

Congratulations to Kevin Button, the overall winner in our travel photography competition! Among all of the entries, this photograph was our winning shot, taken while on our Highlights of Morocco tour. Kevin receives £500 to spend on another unforgettable Explore tour.

In this captivating image, we're transported to a narrow alleyway in a Marrakesh medina, bathed in dramatic shifts of sunlight filtering through above. It's this light that creates a striking contrast between bright, misty beams and deep shadows – giving it an almost cinematic feel.

Then, there's the attention to detail: wrought-iron chairs and small tables on cobblestones, while crates of fresh produce add vibrant pops of red and orange against the muted tones of the alley. The overall setting feels lively yet intimate; an experience that truly defines the spirit of this tour.

Kevin said: "Whilst wandering through the souk in Marrakesh, we passed a stall where the charcoal brazier had just been lit, so was still a bit smokey. Quickly took the photo and turned back around to see the rest of the group turning into another alleyway so rushed to catch up, and not be the one who they lost in the labyrinth of passageways in Marrakesh."

Image credit: Kevin Button

Alan Bowes was our first runner-up in our travel photography competition and received £250 to spend on another Explore tour. This charming photograph, taken during our Costa Rica Wildlife tour, shows a turtle looking up at a yellow butterfly.

Fascinatingly, butterflies sometimes drink the tears of turtles. This (completely harmless) behavior is called lachryphagy, which literally means “feeding on tears.” The tears provide essential minerals that butterflies need to survive. That’s exactly what this photograph captures, or is just about to: a moment of nature’s quiet ingenuity.

It’s a rare and remarkable phenomenon, as unique and captivating as this image itself.


Image credit: Alan Bowes

John Bishop was the second runner-up in our travel photography competition and received £100 to spend on another Explore tour. This imaginative photograph was snapped during on one of our epic expeditions to Antarctica.

Our eyes poured over the layers of this photograph. It depicts a rugged Antarctic landscape dominated by rocky terrain in the foreground and towering ice formations in the background, with the scene brought to life with penguins standing, resting, waddling... while one lone penguin stands tall and mighty, punctuating the scene.

A layer of clouds hovers low adding a sense of depth and drama to the composition. The lighting is soft and diffused, which enhances the icy blues and muted grays of the environment.

Overall, the image captures the stark beauty and raw wilderness of Antarctica: a remote, frozen world where wildlife thrives amid monumental ice and stone.

John said: "The Falklands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. This landscape shot as taken on the Petermann Islands - part of the Antarctic Peninsula. As I was observing the gentoo penguin rookery an adult appeared high on the right as if acting as guardian. The striking blue of the iceberg behind lent an unworldly character to this fantastic scene. I never thought that I would see something so striking and memorable in my lifetime." 

Image credit: John Bishop