23 of the worlds best adventures for thrill-seekers

They have some of the clearest water and most prolific dive sites (with the most sea life) on the planet. There’s a LOT of jungle to hike and explore, many successful fishing trips, and some different water sports around, too. Rotorua is home to the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world, mountain biking in the Redwoods and kayaking with glowworms. Also try local produce catering Hampshire hiking the Tongariro Crossing in volcano country, diving in New Zealand’s best dive site, Poor Knights Marine Reserve, or a canoe adventure down the Whanganui River.

There are numerous coastal paths which take you to some breathtaking cliffs. If the weather is good you can cycle across sweeping hills, go for a swim or go scuba diving. If hiking is more your thing, head to the top of Haleakala and hike around the volcano crater at the Haleakala National Park before or after taking in the sunrise or sunset. Or cruise the Road to Hana for a day and go hiking through the bamboo forest on the other side of Haleakala National Park all the way up to Waimoku Falls. To be honest, there aren’t many adventure sports you CAN’T do in California! It’s one of the only places that you can go surfing and snowboarding on the same day, and there are dozens of National Parks, mountains, coastlines, and more.

Island Hopping Adventure in the Maldives

Cross crevasses and snow bridges en route to the top of Ecuador’s most famous peak at a towering 5897m. You’ll trek through rainforests and past snowcapped peaks, sleep in traditional haciendas set on ecological reserves and in remote mountain refuges, spotting condors soaring high above along the way. Climb one of the few non-technical peaks in Nepal and explore the mighty Himalayas away from the crowds. Trek through the Langtang Valley, close to the Tibetan border, dodging yaks and bedding down in remote teahouses along the way. You’ll get up close to towering peaks and tumbling glaciers with panoramic views of Mt Shishapangma (8,027m) and Mt Gangchempo (6,387m) before setting off by torchlight as you navigate the tight ridge to the top.

• If the thought of Alpine adventures gets your pulse racing, you’ll want Switzerland on your list of destinations.
• Naturally, most Solomon Islands adventures have a LOT to do with the ocean!
• The information in this article is inspired by the The Rough Guides guidebooks — your essential guides for visiting the world.
• Winter sports including snowboarding are on offer in Gudauri and Bakuriani as well as tandem paragliding.

Places to Travel for Adventure in AFRICA

The beautiful South Asian country is filled with a seemingly endless amount of mountain opportunities. Everything from day-hikes to alpine lakes to multi-day expeditions to the base camp of K2 can be done in Pakistan. The Philippines is generally known for its beautiful beaches and incredible blue water. But our two month trip exploring many of the different islands showed us how many awesome, adventurous things there are to do here. Here is our list On the website of places that offer unforgettable opportunities to enjoy pulse-quickening experiences of a lifetime. Take your pick from ice-caving glacial lagoons, ziplining tropical rainforests, trekking sweeping desert landscapes, and soaring over cliffs and canyons in a copter.

Experienced hikers might want to tackle a 20km trek through Parque Nacional Corcovado. Alive with toucans, sloths, howler monkeys, and the thrum and shimmer of hummingbirds, you might get lucky and glimpse an ocelot or jaguar. This emerald wilderness of mighty mountains, lakes and waterfalls offers twelve hiking trails through pristine landscapes that’ll take your breath away. From skydiving and bungee jumping to caving, skiing, parachuting, ziplining, glacier hiking and river rafting, there’s something for every visitor.

You’ll hike the lunar landscape of Maiella National Park, looking out for the endangered Marsican bear, wolves and golden eagles. Scramble to the teetering summit of Corno Grande (2912m), the highest mountain in the Apennines. Canoe the crystalline Tirino River, and pedal across the remote Campo Imperatore plateau, known as ‘Little Tibet’ after the karst mountains surrounding it. Accommodation is in remote ecolodges and agriturismos; the food is as delicious as you expect it to be. Hike through the snowcapped Andes to the top of the world’s highest active volcano.

Get to the heart of Sri Lanka via jungle trails and wildlife reserves, hiking to spectacular viewpoints, rural villages and tropical beaches. Clamber up the iconic Lion Rock of Sigiriya, tackle part of the long-distance Pekoe Trail, and hike to waterfalls near Kandy. Trek through remote, pristine forest in Gal Oya with the Vedda people – Sri Lanka’s last indigenous community. Spot wild elephants bathing, practice yoga serenaded by exotic birds and ride the train to the tea hills of Nuwara Eliya. Only a trickle of visitors make their way to Gabon, a little country on Africa’s west coast squished between Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo. Those who do, however, can quickly find themselves in remote wilderness — it may be small, but Gabon lays claim to 13 national parks.

Unleash the adrenaline as you go canyoning in the heart of Madeira’s Laurisilva forest and abseil down a 25m waterfall. Hike among volcanic peaks and lush levadas to wild swim spots, dazzling ocean views and an unforgettable sunrise at the island’s highest point – Pico Ruivo (1862m). A 350-kilometre canoe expedition through the unspoilt Yukon wilderness, paddling down the Teslin and Yukon Rivers.

You’ll trek into the Argentinian wilderness, through deep valleys, remote gorges and ancient glaciers, while condors wheel overhead. Then it’s up and over the Andes on the Portillo Argentino high pass (4,380m) wild camping under the stars. You’ll descend down the historic Piuquenes Pass – marking the border between two countries – into Chile. End your trip with a well-deserved soak in Termas del Plomo, a natural hot spring. You’ll explore the energetic city of Rio and hike the jungled mountains of Paraty. Kayak through the mangroves and swim in the idyllic beaches of Ilha Grande.

Trek through the wilderness and across the hiker’s paradise of the Kazbegi National Park and follow a less-travelled route, including steep ascents, glacier crossings and an epic final climb to the summit. Hike from highlands to coast in volcanic Gran Canaria, a tropical mountainous gem in the Canary Islands archipelago. You’ll trek to the summit of Pico de las Nieves, the highest point on the island at a hefty 1949m. Cross the craggy sun-baked mountain ranges through pine forests, sunken calderas and sky-skimming ocean views, and bask in a subtropical climate, traversing one of the sunniest islands in the world.

Finding these depends on YOUR lever of adventure (and, well, if you have a boat you can live on too I suppose). If I had to pick the best one, it would be the night I spent on a floating pontoon on my trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Spending a night in the middle of the ocean, seeing the magnificent reef on a scenic helicopter flight and then snorkeling in the beautiful underwater world was truly amazing. But of course, a trip to Kyrgyzstan wouldn’t be complete without experiencing some of the local nomadic culture. You can stay in yurts, watch eagle hunting displays or if you’re lucky, catch a game of Kok Boru – the local sport played on horseback with a goat carcass! You can also visit Kyrgyzstan in winter, which is a huge adventure too.

Patagonia surrounds the Andes mountain range from the bottom tip of South America (Ushuaia, Argentina) up until about halfway up both Argentina and Chile. It encompasses over 1 million km sq from the bottom to the top, and has DOZENS of amazing places to adventure and explore. As part of a week-long odyssey with five days of cycling, participants tackle calf-achingly steep gradients — traversing Goliath passes such as the 2,360m-high (7,743ft) Col D’Izoard in the French Alps. Unfortunately, there’s no victorious finishing line on the Champs Elysees — you get to tackle the 21-hairpin bends of the Alpe D’Huez instead.