A churning tornado and the roar of a victorious lion

That's why National Geographic started their annual Traveler Photo Contest, calling on tourists to share their best vacation pictures with the magazine that has featured the work of the world's best photographers.

Below are a few of the photos submitted to this year's contest, which is ongoing. The contest ends June 30, so it's not too late to send a picture or two you're proud of from your latest getaway. 

The winner of the contest will receive an eight-day National Geographic Expedition to Costa Rica and the Panama Canal for two. Categories include travel portraits, outdoor scenes, sense of place and spontaneous moments.  

(dailymail.co.uk)