Koleksi Wallpaper 202607

Some landscapes are famous. Monument Valley is legendary. Straddling the Arizona–Utah border within the Navajo Nation, this desert wonder is shaped by towering sandstone buttes that rise as much as 305 metres above the valley floor. Known in Navajo as Tsé Bii' Ndzisgaii—'valley of the rocks'—the region blends dramatic geology with living culture.

Follow this tiger family through Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, India, where every step seems effortless and every shadow could hide a striped giant. These are Bengal tigers, built for both stealth and power: an adult can stretch over 3 metres from nose to tail and weigh up to 230 kilograms, yet walk without making a sound. Their distinctive stripes also play a part in a landscape where visibility is a double-edged sword, helping them blend into tall grasses and dappled forests so prey struggle to spot them.

Off Anacapa Island, California, USA, the ocean grows its own forests. Within Channel Islands National Park—also known as the 'Galápagos of North America'—giant kelp can stretch beyond 30 metres in length, forming buoyant ribbons lifted by air-filled bladders and anchored below by rootlike holdfasts.

Some places are best introduced with one word: Yoho. It is a Cree expression of wonder, which is exactly the reaction most people have. Established in 1886, Yoho National Park protects part of the Canadian Rockies in British Columbia. Visitors can stop at Takakkaw Falls, where water plunges more than 370 metres, or explore the world-famous Burgess Shale fossil sites. These rocks preserve the remains of marine animals that lived more than 500 million years ago.

At sunrise in Honduras' Pig Keys—small, low-lying coastal islets tucked within mangrove-rich wetlands—a red mangrove lifts its tangled roots above glassy water. Red mangroves are often the first trees to colonise tropical coastlines, using their distinctive arching roots to anchor in soft, oxygen-poor mud where saltwater and land collide. These roots help trap sediment, stabilise shorelines and create calm waters where other coastal plants can take hold. Their dense networks also reduce erosion, soften the impact of waves and help shield nearby communities from storms. Beneath the surface, the submerged roots provide shelter for young fish, crabs and shrimp, making these wetlands one of the ocean's most productive nurseries.

In Isla Cristina, Huelva, Spain, the Atlantic shapes a sunlit coastline where salt marshes, beaches and a rich seafaring tradition set the rhythm of daily life. From above, its wide stretches of fine sandy beach and the channels winding through the saltworks reflect the close connection between the landscape and the fishing industry, which has long defined the town's identity.

The first thing you notice is the colour. A flock of American flamingos stands in the shallow water on Isabela Island, Galápagos Islands, and the water seems to borrow a hint of pink from their feathers. Those feathers were not always that colour. Flamingos hatch grey and gradually turn pink as pigments from algae and small crustaceans accumulate in their bodies.

Some flowers quietly fill a garden. Dahlias arrive as if they have been cast in the lead role. Native to Mexico, these members of the daisy family come in more than 57,000 cultivated varieties, thanks in part to their unusual genetics. Dahlias are octoploids, meaning they have eight sets of chromosomes, which helps create blooms that range from tiny buttons to 36 centimetres across.

In France, Port de Saint-Goustan sits just below Auray's upper town, where a small inlet meets the Gulf of Morbihan estuary. The harbour lies at the confluence of the Auray and Loc'h rivers, creating its sheltered, storybook setting. In the 13th century, the Dukes of Brittany built a bridge, a port and a castle here; the fortress has vanished, but cobbled quays, narrow lanes and timber-framed houses still line the water. From Place de la République, Rue du Château passes art studios and galleries down to the waterfront; ramps along the Loc'h, built on old fortifications, open views across the port. Cross the four-arched stone bridge to Place Saint-Sauveur, then climb toward Saint-Gildas Church, where the town rises above the harbour. The quay also marks a transatlantic moment: Benjamin Franklin arrived here in 1776, and a dock now bears his name. Today, cafés and small boats fill the scene, while nearby Auray hosts a well-known weekly market and lively summer events.

Some structures weren't meant to stand out—but time had other ideas. At sunrise, the Santa Catalina Arch glows over the streets of Antigua, Guatemala, its yellow façade catching the light just right as cobblestones stretch ahead and Agua Volcano rises in the distance. The arch was built in the 17th century to solve a practical problem: cloistered nuns needed to cross between convent buildings without being seen from the street. Privacy, not postcards, created one of Central America's most photographed landmarks. Irony holds up well over time.

From the moon's cratered surface, Earth can appear as a thin, glowing crescent against the darkness—a rare view that reverses our usual perspective. This stark landscape, shaped by billions of years of impacts, preserves a record of the early solar system. Earlier this year, Artemis II became the first crewed mission to fly around the moon since 1972. Its successful 10-day journey tested the Orion spacecraft and other systems that will support future lunar missions.

Perched on slender reeds, a group of barn swallows gathers in a moment of stillness that contrasts with their usual speed. Known for swift, acrobatic flight and deeply forked tails, these birds are built for life on the wing. They catch insects midair and travel vast distances between continents. Subtle variations in colour and markings suggest that more than one subspecies may be present, reflecting the barn swallow's extensive global range.

Reflected in still water, the Rakotzbrücke—commonly known as the Devil's Bridge—forms a near-perfect stone circle in Saxony, Germany. Commissioned in 1860, the narrow basalt structure was carefully engineered so that its arch and reflection align to form a seamless ring when the lake is still. Made from basalt, a volcanic rock, it reflects precise design rather than practical function, its striking geometry intended purely for visual effect. A popular photo subject, it has also appeared in films, including 'The Matrix Resurrections' (2021). Today, the fragile bridge can only be admired from the shore, as crossing is prohibited to preserve it.

On the remote northeastern tip of Crete, Greece, lies a quiet corner far from typical tourist routes. Today's image shows Vai Beach, a broad curve of golden sand bordered by calm, shallow waters of the Aegean Sea. With sunbeds, umbrellas and showers, it's ideal for swimming, relaxing or enjoying the peaceful atmosphere. But what truly sets Vai apart is just beyond the sand: Europe's largest natural palm grove. It consists of more than 5,000 Cretan date palm trees, a species native to Crete and parts of Turkey.

Some places are built for a single purpose; others keep reinventing themselves. Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois, United States, falls into the second category. The structure stretches more than 915 metres into the lake and was designed as part of Edward H. Bennett's and Daniel Burnham's 1909 Plan of Chicago. Opened in 1916, the pier was built for shipping, recreation and passenger travel on Lake Michigan. It was renamed Navy Pier in honour of World War I naval veterans.

If mountains could keep a record of the past, the John Muir Wilderness near Bishop, California, would have plenty to share. Its valleys, lakes and granite formations reveal a history shaped over millions of years. Established in 1964, this vast protected area spans more than 2,630 square kilometres of the Sierra Nevada and is named after naturalist John Muir. Today, parts of the Pacific Crest Trail and John Muir Trail pass through the area, drawing hikers into one of the largest high-elevation wilderness regions in the contiguous United States.

Victoria, a southeastern state of Australia, extends along more than 1,800 kilometres of coastline shaped by the Southern Ocean. From above, its beaches appear as sweeping bands of pale sand edged by turquoise waters and rugged cliffs. This dynamic interaction of land and sea defines much of the region's appeal. The famous Great Ocean Road traces roughly 240 kilometres of this shoreline, winding past popular surf spots, forested headlands and seaside towns.

The geological building blocks beneath our feet encourage curiosity about how rocks shape the Earth's landscapes and history. Few places display that story as vividly as Antelope Canyon, a narrow slot canyon on Navajo Nation land, east of Page, Arizona. Carved from Navajo Sandstone by flash floods and erosion, its walls reveal how water and sediment sculpt rock over time.

If you're looking for Maine at its most untamed, this is it. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument spans more than 350 square kilometres of the rugged North Woods, where quiet ponds mirror the sky and dense forests seem to swallow sound. Here, the East Branch of the Penobscot River threads through forests and wetlands, adding to the sense of space and solitude that defines the North Woods.

Imagine a city built by animals, glowing in the sunlight and bustling with life beneath the waves. That is a coral reef. Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet they support roughly 25% of all marine life. What looks like colourful rocks are actually colonies of tiny animals called coral polyps. Together, they build vast limestone structures that can last for thousands of years. Stretching about 2,300 kilometres along Australia's coast, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth.

Sharks have patrolled the seas for more than 420 million years, and as apex predators, they help keep marine ecosystems in balance. The tiny explorer in today's image—a lemon shark pup weaving through a mangrove forest in Eleuthera, the Bahamas—offers a perfect reminder that their stories don't begin with drama but with nurseries and survival. Lemon sharks give birth to live young, and their pups spend years in shallow mangroves, where calm, sheltered waters provide a safe place to grow. As adults, they can reach about 3.4 metres in length and females often return to the same nursery sites to breed. Hunting mainly at night, they use specialised electroreceptors to detect prey hidden beneath sand or in murky water. They also benefit from living in groups, which can improve communication, courtship, hunting success and protection. Yet lemon sharks are considered near threatened, and sharks worldwide face growing pressure from overfishing, fear-driven killing and habitat loss.

Long before these terraces became famous, they were built for a simple purpose: growing rice. In Vietnam, generations of farmers gradually shaped Sapa's mountain slopes into productive fields. In Lào Cai province, these stepped terraces have supported local communities for centuries. Built and maintained by ethnic groups such as the Hmong, Dao, Giáy and Tày, the terraces are designed to hold rainwater as it flows downhill. This makes rice farming possible where flat land is scarce. The design also helps to reduce soil erosion and conserve water.

Set in Guatemala's western highlands, Lake Atitlán fills a vast volcanic caldera. Its deep blue waters are framed by steep crater walls and the cone-shaped volcanoes Atitlán, Tolimán and San Pedro. Wooden piers stretch into the still lake, emphasising the contrast between its calm surface and the rugged terrain shaped by volcanic activity.

A bill like a multitool and plumage full of colour—the plate-billed mountain toucan is one of the Andes' most distinctive birds. It lives in the humid mountain forests of Ecuador and southwestern Colombia, perfectly adapted to life high in the canopy.

Founded by Greek settlers from Corinth around 734 BCE, the Italian city of Syracuse, on the island of Sicily, grew into one of the ancient Mediterranean's great powers and is now part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 'Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica.' It is forever linked to Archimedes, whose genius still shapes its identity, and to Plato, who came to Syracuse hoping philosophy might shape political life. That layered past still feels tangible at Castello Maniace, a seafront fortress built for Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in the 13th century, which can still be admired today.

In southeastern France, on the Valensole Plateau, summer arrives in waves of purple and blue. Valensole—one of the largest plateaus in the region—lies in the Verdon Regional Natural Park between the Durance and Asse valleys, near the Gorges du Verdon and its lakes. From mid-June to early July, depending on altitude and weather, lavender and lavandin bloom and transform the landscape into one of Provence's most recognisable sights. The air carries a sharp, dry and unmistakably Mediterranean scent.

Tucked between vineyards and mountains, Kaysersberg is one of Alsace's most enchanting villages. Set along the Weiss River in northeastern France, it lies about 12 kilometres northwest of Colmar on the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains.

In Okayama Prefecture, when humid air settles over a stream, hotaru—Japan's fireflies—begin signalling. On warm, windless evenings, they often start glowing about two hours after sunset under favourable conditions, inviting silence beside water.

At the Temple of Esna, south of Luxor, Egypt, visitors enter a vivid world devoted to Khnum, the ram-headed god believed to have moulded humanity from Nile clay. Built mainly during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, the temple's surviving hall is supported by 24 towering columns, each carved with intricate reliefs and ritual texts honouring various deities.

Today's image takes us to Dungeon Provincial Park on the rugged coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, where nature tells a much older story. Atlantic waves carved a sea cave with two openings, gradually widening it until the roof gave way. What remains is a striking collapsed formation known as a 'gloup,' surrounded by steep cliffs and crashing surf.

As the sun sinks low in the Masai Mara National Reserve, the silhouettes of Masai giraffes rise against a blazing sky and open plains. Another day comes to an end in the reserve, which stretches across about 1,500 square kilometres in southwestern Kenya, bordering Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. It is a vast expanse, one of the world's greatest wildlife arenas. Rolling grasslands, scattered acacia trees and the life-giving Mara River set the stage for unforgettable encounters.