27 Amazing Adventures Around the World – That We’ve Done

In 2008 we left our jobs to travel the world and have never looked back. Since that time we’ve travelled to 120 countries all seven continents. We haven’t run around the globe checking off the bucket list, we have been immersed in adventures, taking our time to really get to know a destination. These are the best adventure activities in the world…that we’ve done1

Adventurous Things to Do Around the World

We used to always think adventures were for other people. We saw ourselves working at jobs we didn’t love, always scrambling to save money for a vacation or eventually settling on a life we truly didn’t want, but felt trapped in because of our station in life. And then we chose a life of adventure 16 years ago. Our 30 great adventures around the world are living proof that dreams can come true.

1. Fly a Stunt Plane

And we thought only fighter pilots could do loops and corkscrews in the air. But in New Zealand, a regular ordinary everyday person can pilot their own stunt plane. At U-fly Extreme you will take the controls of the plane as you fly upside down, dive in the sky and twist and turn until your stomach leaps into your throat. Don’t worry, you have a trained professional in the cockpit behind you to take over the controls in case anything should go astray.

2. Go Sky Diving

You can skydive anywhere on Earth, but why not do it at the adventure capital of the world? Abel Tasman offers better weather than Queenstown, so the chances of actually getting to jump are better here. You also get to jump from an altitude of 16,000 feet. That’s three thousand feet more than most commercial jumps giving you extra freefall time. It’s so high, you’ll need oxygen during your flight up! 45 Best Things to do in New Zealand

3. try White Water Kayaking

With all the amazing adventures we have on this list, you may be surprised that White Water Kayaking the Madawaska River in Ontario, Canada is so high. However, if you think about the fact that we had to learn how to roll, and become comfortable flipping upside down in whitewater while navigating our own vessel down class 2 and 3 rapids, you’ll understand why.

It is the most awesome feeling to run a set of rapids on your own. When you approach a set of rapids and you see the white water ahead, the adrenaline gets pumping and you feel a mixture of fear and excitement. There is nothing more rewarding than learning how to whitewater kayak. Read more: Whitewater Kayaking – the Ultimate Ontario Adventure

4. Take a Microlight Flight

Take a microlight flight and feel the wind whip through your hair as you fly high in the sky to take in the view. There are several places on earth to take a microlight flight. We did ours off the coast of Durban South Africa where we took in the extraordinary coast and witnessed sea lions playing. Some popular places are Victoria Falls in Zambia and over Wadi Rum in Jordan.

5. Go Bobsledding an Olympic Track

Want to know what it’s like to feel the force of 3 Gs? Visit the Olympic Bobsled run in Whistler and join a professional bobsledder in the cockpit where you’ll reach speeds of 145km per hour as you whiz down the frozen course. It’s one crazy adventure that you’ll never forget. Read more: 30 Awesome Things to Do in Whistler, BC

6. Take a High Mountain Trail Ride

We love riding horses, but taking a horseback ride high into the rocky mountains is an adventure we’ll always remember. As the owner of the Anchor D Ranch in Black Diamond Alberta said, “You have to have good horses out here or else you will get someone killed.” We felt confident and sure-footed on his horses as we hugged the edges of mountain cliffs and made our way up and down steep hills. It was one of our favourite adventures of all time.

7. Do the Polar Plunge or Polar Bear Plunge

If you want something to brag about, jumping into the icy waters of Antarctica or the Arctic Circle is something worth doing. If you travel with Quark Expeditions, you don’t do the Polar Plunge off the beach, nope, you jump right into the center of the ocean from the ship into sub-zero water. (salt water doesn’t freeze until -2) It’s cold alright, so cold that you have to be tethered to the boat in case something happens. Read more: 11 of the Best Things to do in Antarctica

8. Kayak with Crocodiles

This was probably the stupidest adventure we’ve ever done. While kayaking in the crocodile, shark, and hippo-infested waters of a tributary in South Africa, we couldn’t help but ask ourselves “Why are we doing this?” It’s definitely a hair-raising adventure. Best Things to do in South Africa

There’s nothing scarier than thinking that if you happen to fall in the water a croc will be out to get you. The most vulnerable part of our day was getting in and out of the boat. Crocodiles love to sit near shallow water and attack when a person is standing in as little as two or three inches. Needless to say, we were happy to make it through the day in one piece.

9. Go Paragliding

We have been paragliding in Peru, New Zealand, and Switzerland. Paragliding is a fantastic adventure activity for thrill-seekers who aren’t ready to jump off a bunjy platform or out of an airplane. This beautiful adventure is full of excitement though as your tandem guide will do tricks in the sky as you soar through the air. 13 Best Things to Do in Queenstown New Zealand and Where to Go Bungy Jumping in New Zealand

10. Cage Diving with Great White Sharks

Move over Shark Week and instead become a part of it. Think you can only see great white sharks on TV? No way, in South Africa and South Australia, you can hop into a cage and dive with Great White Sharks. We enjoyed South Africa more than South Oz, because it had a bit more of a Wild West feel. The cage was smaller, the sharks were friskier and the day was outstanding. You’ll gain a better understanding and appreciation of great white sharks and maybe one day, they won’t be vilified anymore.

11. Go Scuba Diving

If cage diving isn’t your thing, scuba diving is an amazing adventure activity that you can do around the world. We had took our courses right up to becoming rescue divers and loved going scuba diving around the world. From diving the Great Barrier Reef to the Palancar Reef of Central America and the beautiful waters of the Maldives, this is an adventure that anyone can do!

12. Ice Climbing a Frozen Waterfall

We always wanted to try this and finally got our chance last year in Canmore Alberta. Ice Climbing is a crazy adventure where you not only have to worry about being sure-footed, you also have to worry about ice breaking off and either falling on your partner or taking you down with it.

Luckily we had a guide with decades of ice climbing experience leading the way and making sure we were on the firm ice of a frozen waterfall. There is nothing more rewarding than getting to the top of the climb and taking in the magnificent view.

13. Race a Ferrari on a Professional Track

What guy hasn’t dreamed of driving a Ferrari on a real-life race track? In Emilia Romagna Italy, we had the chance to do a couple of laps at La Modena in a genuine racing Ferrari. With a skilled driver in the passenger seat ready to hit the brakes whenever needed, we put our pedal to the medal. Read more: 17 Reasons to Visit Emilia Romagna

14. Bungee Jump or Canyon Swing

It’s a right of passage if you are an adrenaline junkie. If you really truly want to say you’ve done it all, you have to jump off of something at some point in your life. A bunjy jump is the ultimate adrenaline rush and the best places to go bungy jumping is in New Zealand.

There are so many places around the world to do a bungee jump or canyon swing. New Zealand is where it all started, so it’s as good a place as any to soar through the air. Zambia in Africa was also a memorable place for us. Where’s your favorite bungee jump on earth?

15. Run with the Bulls

It was probably the wackiest thing we ever did. As we waited for the cannon to go off in Pamplona, Spain, we said, “What on earth are we doing here?” Ambulances line the route where 2 million people run each year with a stampede of bulls.

It’s not so much the bulls you have to worry about; though people are gored and trampled each and every day of the San Fermin Festival – it’s the people. You are crammed together like sardines and once you start running you are free game to have anyone knock you down and run you over.

16. Winter Trekking the Arctic Watershed

Winter trekking isn’t so bad, but when you are following a river system and trekking over running water beneath ice, that’s a bit more hair-raising. Being up in Northern Ontario in the dead of winter hiking the Missinaibi Headwaters was one of the most challenging adventures we’ve ever done.

It was difficult sure, but pulling sleds while walking over frozen lakes could be downright terrifying. It’s unsettling to be walking along and seeing open water in the distance. When the poles come out and we all have to follow in a single file, there’s no deviating from the path. One wrong move and you could break or punch through the ice. Try your own winter trek with Lure of the North.

17. Dog Sled Training for Yukon Quest

Dogsledding is one fun adventure. Having the chance to head out on an all-night training run with a Yukon Quest and Iditarod racer is just about the most exciting thing we’ve ever done.

It was minus 30 in the dead of the Polar Vortex. A moose had just attacked dog musher Hank DeBruin a few days earlier and he was still out there defending his territory. Hank was nervous about having us along. “Stay close,” he said. Moose don’t like dogs and they will attack. “Whatever you do, don’t let go.”

These dogs are finally tuned athletes and when they get out on the trail, they love to run. It took everything Dave and I could do to hang on. We’d crash into snowbanks and tip over on corners, but the dogs wouldn’t stop. We’d right the sled as quickly as possible and keep holding on so we wouldn’t be left behind. Lucky for us, we never let go. Follow Hank Debruin’s Dog Racing Website.

18. Snorkel in the Galapagos

The Galapagos is filled with wildlife and I think there is no better place in the world to break out the snorkels than right here off the coast of mainland Ecuador.

You can swim with dozens of Galapagos sharks, play with sea lions, and see the unique Galapagos Iguana feed underwater. Marine life is well-fed here, so you don’t have to worry about being eaten by sharks, but when you are out in the open water and you see them swimming around you with enthusiastic curiosity, you can’t help but feel the hair raise on your neck just a bit. Unique Galapagos Islands Animals in Photos

19. Swimming with Dolphins

One would think that swimming with dolphins wouldn’t be so hair-raising, but when you do it in a great white shark country in South Australia, you feel a bit of anxiety. Especially when your guide needs to wear an electronic pulse to keep sharks away. Our instructions before hopping in the water were to stay within 10 meters of our guide. Read more: Swim with Dolphins – South Australia

If we strayed too far, we could become food for sharks. Yikes! However, swimming with a pod of dolphins quickly made us forget the fear. These beauties stayed with us for so long. They wanted to play and dive with us. The good thing is when there are dolphins around, chances are sharks will stay away.

20. Dirt Biking and Trail Riding

We thought Dirt Biking was only for crazy 17-year-old boys, but if you ever get the chance to take a dirt biking course. Go for it. We had so much fun standing up on the full-suspension bikes, jumping logs, navigating obstacles, jumping moguls, and driving through single-track trails. It makes mountain biking look like a day in the park. However, with a dirt bike, you don’t have to work hard to climb hills. Weekend Warriors – 14 Awesome Hobbies to Turn You Into an Adventurer

21. Skijoring

It’s the zaniest, whackiest adventure out there. Strap on a pair of cross-country skis. Attach yourself to a pair of dogs that love to run and see how far you can get after they take off running. Skijorring is a fun take on dogsledding only you fall a lot more. The Best Things to do in Banff

22. Car Stunt Training in Bucharest

This was the zaniest adventure we’ve ever had behind the wheel. And we participated in the Mongol Rally! Our day was spent learning how escape when a car flips over, how to control a car that is skidding out of control and how to drive at top speed around a race track. Check out this exciting video adventure of our day at Stunt Driving School

23. Hollywood Stunt Training

Speaking of Stunts, who would have thought we’d have to fly all the way to Australia for Hollywood Stunt Training? This epic training course was taught by Chuck Norris’ stunt coordinator Colin Handley. We scaled walls, learned acrobats and wire training and reenacted sword fights. Enjoy our video! Hollywood Stunt Training in Queensland

24. Climb Mount Kilimanjaro

Nothing compares to climbing to the roof of Africa. Climbing Kilimanjaro was the adventure of a lifetime. What was even more special, was it was during our epic adventure of cycling the continent of Africa. We took the Macheme Rout to the summit of Kili and will never forget the seven days we spend on the mountain. Read: How Hard is it to Climb Mount Kilimanjaro

25. Trek to Everest Base Camp

To See Mount Everest with our own two eyes is an adventure we’ll never forget. But to walk in the footsteps of legends like Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmond Hillary was even more amazing. We never thought we’d lay eyes on Everest in our lifetime let alone spend time at Everest Base Camp and to see the power of The Khumbu Icefall up close and personal. Read: Tips for trekking to Everest Base Camp

26. Swimming with Whale Sharks

We’ve been in the water with sharks and dolphins, turtles and iguanas in many times in our lives. But nothing compares to swimming with whale sharks. These gentle giants are one of the largest fish in the sea and you won’t believe how massive they are until you are swimming alongside one. Read: Swimming with Whale Sharks in Mexico

27. Walking with Polar Bears

When we first heard that you could walk with Polar Bears we didn’t believe it. Aren’t they the most dangerous predator to man? The answer is yes, but when encountering Polar Bears with Churchill Wild’s Premier Polar Bear Tours – Face to Face with Arctic GiantsChurchill Wild, your guide reads the polar bear’s mood, you approach the polar bear slowly and if it is comfortable, it will let you stick around and watch for a while. Read: Walking with Polar Bears

28. Go on Safari in Africa

One of our favorite adventure activities we’ve ever done in the world is to go on a safari in Africa. From the Serengeti to the Masai Mara, Chobe National Park in Botswana, and safaris in South Africa, we’ve done at least a dozen African safaris. We never tire of seeing herds of elephants walking across the savanna or spying on a jaguar in a tree. Seeing lions and cheetahs, rhinos zebras, and giraffes are one of the most incredible experiences you’ll ever have.

Plus the African landscape is incredible. There is nowhere on earth quite like East and South Africa. Read more: Tips for Going on a Safari in Africa

29. Climb a Volcano

It was one of the first adventure activities we’ve ever done and it has always stuck with us. Climbing active volcanoes will get anyone’s heart pumping and when we climb to the top of Gunung Batu in Bali Indonesia, we could smell the sulfur and see the steam escaping this magnificent peak. We have climbed several active volcanoes since, but this is one that is special to our hearts.

30. Jet Boating Iguazu

We’ve taken the whirlpool jet boat tour in Niagara Falls and it is awesome. But going into the mouth of Iguazu Falls in Brazil and letting the powerful waters fall directly on our heads, was outrageous! I couldn’t believe that our boat driver drove right up and into the waterfall! Check out: Getting Soaked in Iguazu Falls

31. Hike to Machu Picchu

Sure, Machu Pichhu is becoming overrun with tourists but it is still no less awe-inspiring. There are lesser traveled routes now that will take you to Machu Picchu, so take a look for one of these trips to be able to say you’ve hiked the Inca Trail. Read more: Machu Picchu Hiking Tips – How To Hike the Inca Trail

32. Learn to Kite Surf

if I had taken it up earlier, I would have taken my kite surfing around the world from Bali to South America, but alas, we only tried it in Hawaii and remain amateurs. However, if you want to get your adrenaline pumping while trying something new, take a course kite surfing and find your next epic adventure. 22 Unique Adventures in Maui

33. Hike the Half Dome in Yosemite

Looking for the ultimate hike for your adventure around the world? Half Dome is one for your hiking bucket list and is easily one of the most famous in Yosemite National Park. It is not for beginners; you’ll need good fitness and technical ability. However, if you are an experienced hiker, setting your eyes on reaching the top of Half Dome is a worthy challenge.

Check out our guide from what to expect along the way to a breakdown of the best times for hiking Half Dome, we’ve got you covered. The Half Dome Hike in Yosemite: Your Complete Guide

34. White Water Rafting

From the Colorado River to New Zealand’s Ratanga River there are amazing places all around the world to whitewater raft. We always love getting into the water with big class five rapids to see what we are made of. We have gone whitewater rafting on five continents and it never gets old. Read more: Whitewater Rafting Class 5 Rapids in New Zealand

35. Go Caving

For someone who has a bit of claustrophobia, I am not sure why we have visited so many caves. However, whenever we do visit caves, I love them. From adventure caving through the Cango Caves in South Africa, to caves in Epirus and glowworm caves in New Zealand, we have paddled, hiked, crawled and climbed through caves around the world. If you really want to add something adventurous to your caving experiences, make sure to rappel into a cave. The best place to do that is in the cenotes in Mexico. 12 Best Cenotes In Mexico To Visit

Adventure Travel Defined

Adventure travel is a type of tourism where the traveler should expect the unexpected. It is more than a vacation, it is a mix of nature and culture, offering unique and immersive experiences. Adventure travel is different for everyone with different levels of adventure. People often ask us how to get into adventure traveling and we always say, take baby steps. Start small and work your way up to epic adventures.

From hiking, kayaking, or mountain climbing to encompassing educational and experiential journeys adventure travel is a type of travel where learning about new cultures or environmental conservation is key.

It’s a way to step outside one’s comfort zone, embrace the thrill of the unknown, and encounter the world in a more interactive and exhilarating way. From trekking in the Andes to wildlife safaris in Africa, or cultural immersion in ancient cities, adventure travel is about collecting experiences that inspire, challenge, and transform. Are you ready to go on amazing adventure activities around the world?

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