Volcanic landscapes, intriguing history, wildlife and the archipelagos are the beautiful sights that Galapagos envisages. It truly is nature in its untamed form, an enlightening adventure for those looking out for an experience in an unexplored world. Snorkeling, hiking, swimming and the opportunity to click awesome pictures everywhere, are the highlights of this monumental experience.

Keep reading to catch a glimpse of what awaits you at the Galapagos.

1) Living through the Wildlife

There are a wide variety of flora and fauna that grace the Galapagos, so much so that the same animals have different species inhabiting every island in this region. It is the host of the land and marine iguanas, giant tortoise, Darwin’s finches, frigate birds, blue-footed boobies, flightless cormorants, sally light foot crabs and waved albatross, all of which are species that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Looking for these animals in and around the calm blue waters covered by the blue sky, you’ll be able to understand why this place is a popular stop for most of the visitors. There are a bunch of things that you could do, right from hanging out with a seventy year old tortoise for a day to going for scuba diving to get a closer view of these sea creatures.

2) Life in its purest at the Islands in the Galapagos

The 13 major islands and 7 smaller ones give you a rare sight of the juxtaposition of dark volcanic eruptions and the extensive white sandy beaches. All the islands in the region have been formed because of several volcanic eruptions, the most famous being The Baltra and The Isabella Islands. The Baltra Island is known for the population of Iguanas that it supports while the Isabella Island (formed by six volcanoes, five of which are still active) which boasts of a population of tortoises greater than all the other islands combined supporting a separate species of those on every volcano. Not just that the latter is also special because it is a feeding ground for fish, whales, dolphins and birds. Woot woot, thinking of not keeping your camera away at all, am I right or am I right?

3) Exotic beaches

Out of all the beaches that the Galapagos has, three clearly steal the show – The Bahia Gardener, Tortuga Bay, Santa Cruz and Puerto Villamil, Isabella Islands. These islands are now known for sunbathing or surfing, but they have their fair share of hidden spots. The Bahia is a span of white sand shrouded by the huge palm trees, where you can see the red lava lizards, crabs scamp and the sea lions rest. The Tortuga Bay, which is famous for snorkeling and kayaking. The Puerto Villamil, which has a breeding center for tortoises and is one of the most peaceful beaches you can find all around the world.

4) Bike and Hike

This is your way to explore coastlines and catch up on seeing all those animals that you have missed off on so far. You can also hike to Volcano Sierra Negra in the Isabella Island, the world’s second largest volcano crater, in search of the Galapagos Penguins (yes they are believed to reside there). Biking and Hiking is one of the best ways to explore this living lab of evolution without straining your feet incessantly.

5) Cliff-Jumping at Santa Cruz

Other than kayaking, snorkeling, scuba-diving, hiking and biking, you can also cliff-jump at Santa Cruz. This is the chance to not just get a bird’s eye view of the Las Grietas, the most beautiful part of Santa Cruz but also to cliff jump and snorkel. The Las Grietas stretch is several kilometers deep and is a body of mix rain and sea water, thereby being a unique ecosystem. This adventure isn’t something you should miss out on.

Well, now that you have your to-do list for the most biodiverse locations of the world, it’s time to decide the most important thing, your travel partner. To get the best experience at the Galapagos with all the luxuries of a cruise ship, you could choose either a 100 passenger Celebrity Xpedition or a more personalized 48-passenger Celebrity Xperience or have an incredible, intimate trip on the 16-passenger Celebrity Xploration, from the award-winning Celebrity Cruise fleet. Experience cruising and Galapagos like never before with the luxurious staterooms, complementary snorkeling, wetsuit and diving experience, Indian meals, lectures by Galapagos National Park Certified Naturalists and amazing shore excursions. Celebrity Cruises offers six unique cruise itineraries, 15 islands, more than 30 ports of call, and multiple packages to choose from