For some travellers, taking a break is more about white-knuckle thrills and adrenaline-pumping activities than lounging on a beach. Recent years have seen a surge in the popularity of Adventure Tourism and increasing numbers of tour operators and travel agents are cottoning on to the growing trend for thrill-seeking breaks. From abseiling, mountaineering, trekking, base-jumping and other high altitude pursuits through to white-water rafting, deep-sea diving, river-surfing and canoing, there are countless holiday options out there for those who like their vacations to come with a large dose of adrenaline.
So what are the top spots for thrill-seeking travellers? It all depends on how much the adventure traveller can afford to spend in terms of both time and money. Happily for British adventure tourists who have neither the budget nor the time to travel to far flung corners of the world, there are plenty of heart-poundingly good options to be found in the UK. Scotland in particular has been establishing a reputation as a top destination for adventurous outdoor types and its rugged mountains are excellent terrain for scaling sheer rock faces and traversing long, narrow ridges. Rock-climbing, mountain-biking, mountain-boarding and abseiling are all popular land-based activities in Scotland, while Aviemore in the Cairngorms in the north of the country is carving itself a reputation for ski-ing and snowboarding during the winter months.
Glen Coe is a legendary climbing destination, with experienced mountaineers finding challenging routes on Bidean nam Bian and Buachaille Etive Mor, while there are further exciting climbing opportunities to be found in the Northwest Highlands, the Isle of Arran and the Isle of Skye.
For cash-strapped adventure tourists who have plenty to spare by way of time but little by way of a travel budget, one of the best destinations to head for is Bolivia in South America. The Bolivian Andes offer high-altitude thrills and spills in a stunning backdrop, while the low cost of living means that it`s possible to find food and accommodation without blowing the travel budget.
Nevado Sajama in the Andes of Bolivia |
For the ultimate in brownie points, travellers should be sure to take the heart-stoppingly perilous mountain-bike descent along the "World's Most Dangerous Road". This dubious honour belongs to the Camino de las Yungas, a 61 kilometre road leading from La Paz to Coroico. The descent is both terrifiying and breathtakingly beautiful but the gravity-assisted mountain bikes assure that riders come to no real harm.
"World's Most Dangerous Road" - Camino de las Yungas of Bolivia |
Thrill seekers with both time and money to spare should make a beeline for Zimbabwe, where the magnificent Victoria Falls offer the opportunity to try the wildest, white-water rafting in the world. Gorge swings, zip wires and bungee jumping are further fast-paced pursuits to be enjoyed in this stunningly beautiful part of the world, while elephant rides, river cruises and big game fishing are memorable ways to unwind after a day of heart-pounding activity.
Victoria Falls and Zambezi Bridge |
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The Victoria Falls bungee jump is legendary among extreme sports enthusiasts and it`s certainly not for the faint of heart. From a platform that stands more than 111 metres above the raging white waters of the gorge, those with a head for heights and a taste for adventure take the great leap that will provide memories to last a lifetime. If all this talk of climbing, jumping and hair raising adventure has whetted your appetite, it might be time to start planning an adventure sports trip, with last minute holidays often representing great deals on adventure sports packages, you might be able to head off sooner than you could imagine.
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