When it comes to enjoying your free time, there’s nothing like experiences that make you feel truly alive. Here is a list of eight adrenaline-pumping holiday destinations, as varied as they are exciting, guaranteed to inject a healthy dose of excitement, awe, and gratitude into your very existence. One thing’s for sure: these adventures will make you aware of your mortality!
Surf An Active Volcano
Bet you had never heard of this one! The quaint colonial town in León, Nicaragua, harbours a couple of volcanoes, among them the 500-metre, black-sand Cerro Negro. This fire mountain is the youngest in Central America at only 160 years old, and its last eruption was in 1999. The local sport of volcano-boarding attracts tourists who enjoy living on the edge. Glide down the slopes on a homemade board of plywood at 80 kilometres an hour, amidst volcanic ash while evading nearby poisonous gases. If you survive, hit the waves for some chill time, surfing on the Pacific.
Be A Jet Fighter For A Day
How often do you fantasize about flying your own jet? The MiGFlug company can make your dream come true. Be a license-free jet pilot (with a specialised instructor next to you, of course) in California, New York, Florida, and parts of Europe. Training and demonstrations are arranged in two-seater fighter jets, where you sit in the second cockpit and have your turn to perform spectacular, high-speed manoeuvers.
Run With The Bulls In Spain
For an exciting and perilous activity, try running down the city’s alleyways in Pamplona, Spain, with half-tonne bulls at your heels, pushing alongside foreigners and locals alike. Sharp-horned beasts at your back will pump you full of adrenaline as you desperately sprint your way through the crowds. Such are the breathtaking activities that take place during the festival of San Fermin, which takes place from 6 to 14 July every year. Don’t forget to wave at the sangria-infused bystanders as you run for your life.
Test Your Fear Of Heights On Trift Bridge
At 100 metres high and 170 metres long, the Trift Bridge, above a glacier by the same name, is a spectacular and uber-long pedestrian bridge—the longest in the Swiss Alps. During the two-hour crossing feat, enjoy the one-of-a-kind views and remember to breathe deeply to avoid a panic attack and to bring oxygen to your shaky limbs.
Conquering The Slippery Slopes Of Icy Powder
Enjoy skiing and paragliding? How about both simultaneously? At Bourg-Saint-Maurice in the heart of the French Alps, start out skiing in soft-powder slopes as you launch your sail high overhead. An instructor guides you by radio through your first curves and riding flights where you’ll eventually glide up and over the terrain at speeds between 32 to 140 kilometres per hour.
The Last Bachelor’s Kiss
Poised 700 metres over Lake Ringedalsvatnet on the Norwegian landscape stands a jutting slab of rock known as the Troll’s Tongue—the ideal spot from which to enjoy a picture-perfect view. It takes hours to make the hike up to this terrifying cliff, which is only recommended during the summer. Some say it’s the perfect spot to pop the question, which may also add spice to that particular terror.
Although, if the answer is “no,” you’ll both have to endure a long trek back, with wobbly knees and a gloomy awkward silence. An affirmative, however, may kick off a celebration to measure up to the cliff’s name and splendour. You can also set-up a honeymoon-esque tent near the tip of the rock, and carry the adrenaline rush into the night.
Bungee Jumping Into A Crocodiles Lair
This unusual bungee jumping experience begins at the Victoria Falls Bridge, which connects Zambia and Zimbabwe, and is for crocodile lovers alone, as the river below is overrun by these carnivorous beasts. The rope has actually snapped once before; luckily the jumper survived to tell the tale. After the jump, don’t forget to thank the spirits of these majestic falls, and if seasonally appropriate, drop by the Devil’s Pool, an infinity pool to the edge of the planet’s largest waterfall.
Rendezvous With A Great White
View great white sharks in their natural habitat in Port Lincoln, Australia—this may be the one time in your life you’ll be delighted to be locked in a steel cage. Attempting to caress some great white flesh may prove fatal to your extremities, so be careful to watch these beautiful creatures from behind bars.
Not for everyone, but certainly extra-challenging, these eight destinations are ideal for adrenaline junkies. So go freak and shriek your little heart out, just so you can breathe a big sigh of relief and feel ever so thankful that you made it out alive.
THE LIFESTYLE COLLECTIVE 