As we sail to the Antarctica, we thought it would be nice to take a trip down memory lane and revisit this time last year. I can’t believe it’s only been a year. New Zealand feels like a lifetime ago, but we will never forget all the adventures that we did and wanted to share with you our favourite moments from the land way down under. If you are planning your trip to New Zealand, make sure to add these activities into your budget. You won’t regret it!

1. Fly a Stunt Plane

This is probably the most unique thing I will ever do in my life! I actually took control of the joystick of a stunt plane and flew upside down and all around. With U-Fly Extreme you will have the most magnificent thrill of a lifetime as you climb high in the sky, dive through the air and make a roller coaster ride hide its head in shame for being so lame. To read more about our Stunt Plane experience, check it out here.

2. Sky Dive Lake Taupo

Dave actually did his jump in Abel Tasman but the people at Sky Dive able Tasman weren’t overly friendly and even though our skydive in Taupo was cancelled due to high winds, we wanted to give Sky Dive Taupo a shout out. They picked us up in a limo and were so friendly and professional that we really regret not being able to jump. What we love about them is that you can pick your own soundtrack to your video for your jump. The Taupo people just seemed to really care about their customers and make your skydiving experience a special one. They were as bummed as we were that the weather didn’t co-operate. Normally people can spend another day and do their jump the next morning, but we were on the tight schedule with The Flying Kiwi and had to move on. But at least Dave had a good jump with Abel Tasman. He didn’t dislike jumping with them, it’s just that they didn’t have the warm and friendly feeling of Taupo. Abel Tasman felt more like an assembly line where Taupo felt like good friends. See Dave’s jump here! 

3. Whitewater Raft Class 5 Rapids

If you want the ultimate white water rafting experience, get on this tour with Rangitata White Water Rafting. Facing freezing glacial waters and the ultimate class 5 rapids, you’ll have bragging rights for years to come. You’ll gear up in your dry suits and woolies to keep the chill of the cold air and water away from your fragile skin, but nothing can protect you. You’re going to get wet and a quick splash of the face before heading into the rapids doesn’t exactly do the trick to preparing you for the breath taking waves you are about to face. Don’t worry though, you’ll be swimming in the water soon and floating down your own smaller rapids while floating on your back as you take in the outstanding scenery. For more White Water Rafting check out original post. 

4. Swim With Dolphins

It is a truly magical experience to have a dolphin come up to you by its own free will to swim through your legs and circle around you. They see through you and seem to understand everything about you. Most people swim with the dolphins in Kaikoura, but to do it in the Bay of Islands is special. There aren’t as many dolphins in these bottle nose pods, but there aren’t as many people as well. Also, you don’t have to wear a wet suit which allows you to be more approachable by the dolphins. They can feel your connection more without the barrier of neoprean. This is also a very eco-friendly tour. It doesn’t intrude on the dolphins way of life, they aren’t chased and if they have a baby in the pod, you are not allowed in the water. But when you are allowed, you get in and let nature do its work. If the dolphins feel like it, they’ll come to you. See our full post at our dolphin encounter

5. Paraglide Queenstown

If Bungy Jumping and skydiving are too much for you, there is an amazing activity that happens at the top of the Gondola in Queenstown. You can jump tandem with G-Force Paragliding and fly high in the sky overlooking the city, lake and mountains. The flight takes about 15 minutes as you take in the most awe inspiring views of a mountain range so remarkable, that it is called the remarkables. Make sure to let your guide know that you’d be into doing some maneuvers. You’ll be swinging nearly upside down and side to side feeling the g-force do its work. See our full experience here. 

6. Bungy Jump

If you are up for it though, you have to try a bungy jump in New Zealand. It is where it was invented after all. AJ Hackett is the grandfather of bungy (and yes, it’s spelled bungy, not bungee – he patented the name!) and his jumps can be found everywhere. The most famous is the Nevis Bungy jump, the third highest in the world and you will be shaking when you jump off of this one. You have to take a little trolley out to a hanging platform in the middle of a gorge at 134 meters (400 feet) where they strap you in while pounding music plays to pump you up to take the dive. Not for the faint of heart. Check out more on the jump experience here.

There are so many things to do in New Zealand that it is nearly impossible to get them all in during one trip, but we did our best. From hiking the Tongariro Crossing to witness Glowworm Caves, to  trekking on the Fox Glacier to Cruising to Milford Sound, New Zealand is the ultimate travel destination especially for the adventurous at heart!

For more information visit the Flying Kiwi for overland tours.

Are you thinking of booking a holiday to Egypt? You may know a little about the Ancient Egyptians and be keen to see the pyramids, but there is so much more to making it a perfect Egypt holiday. Of course the majesty of the pyramids is unrivalled, but why don’t you combine this with some intriguing day trips to get the cultural juices flowing?

Egypt is a magical land full of wonder and intrigue; here are five excursions you just simply cannot miss!

Giza Plateau

What better place to start than the most famous of Egyptian landmarks? The Giza Plateau is home to four stunning pyramids, the Great Sphinx and many smaller pyramids, tombs and causeways. Arguably the most famous of the Pyramids is the Great Pyramid of Khufu, which was built in 2550 BC. It was named as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; being the only one still standing.

The Great Sphinx is carved from limestone, stands 66 feet high and is 240 feet in length. It has the body of a lion and bears the face of the pharaoh whose honour it was built in. Representing a guardian figure, warding off evil spirits to protect the pharaoh’s tomb, it truly is a stunning site.

St. Catherine’s Monastery

For those with an interest in religious history and religiously significant buildings, a trip to St. Catherine’s Monastery truly is one of the most exciting excursions in Egypt. The monastery is an Orthodox Monastery located at the foot of Mount Sinai and is below the point where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Incorporated into the monastery is a direct descendant of the burning bush seen by Moses and many other valuable icons.

The site is a sacred for Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but all visitors are welcome. A trip here may well prove a truly unique and spiritual experience.

Photo courtesy of famouswonders.com

The Valley of the Kings

On any trip to Egypt it’s impossible to not become enamoured with the history of the Ancient Egyptian’s, with one of the best ways to evoke your interest being a visit to the Valley of the Kings. Here you’ll find the tomb of the most well-known Pharaoh of all; Tutankhamen. The late discovery of the tomb has made this place world renowned and it’s definitely somewhere where those with an inquisitive taste for the ancient world are drawn.

However, to say that the Valley of the Kings is just about Tutankhamen would be doing it a disservice, as it’s home to the tombs of nine other Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs. Don’t worry; you don’t have to be Lara Croft to get yourself there, as daily tours ensure it’s accessible for everyone!

Bedouin Tour

Are you drawn to the desert by its wonder and inhospitable nature? Is that one of the reasons you decided on an Egyptian holiday? If so, there are plenty of ways to explore this intriguing of lands with none better than a traditional Bedouin tour.

Bedouin tribes have wandered the desert for thousands of years and are the best people to really provide an understanding of how people survive there on a daily basis. You’ll be taken out to the desert to meet with your guides before you hop on the back of a camel to see the best spots in the desert. The tour will then finish with a feast under the stars at a traditional Bedouin camp.

Luxor Temple

The Luxor Temple remains one of the most popular sites for tourists to visit while in Egypt. The temple itself in modern Luxor is dedicated to Amun – a creator god fused with the sun god Ra into Amun Ra.

It’s also unique amongst Egyptian temples as it contains the marks on its structure of two different Pharaohs. It is certainly a huge structure with a vast amount to see meaning any trip here will be memorable. Highlights are the avenue of the Sphinxes, the monumental statues of Ramesses and a 25 metre obelisk.

So, what are you waiting for? With all these fantastic excursions awaiting you, a holiday to Egypt may well be a life changing experience.

We are so excited to be leaving for Fiji on November 11th and are honoured to be a part of the Fijime tour with some fantastic online personalities. It will be an excellent chance for us to meet new travel blogging friends.  Tourism Fiji is hosting 6 different blogs that focus on Adventure, Eco and Romance Travel.

I bet you would never guess what wer are taking part in?

Adventure!

We have dreamt of going to Fiji since watching the eco-challenge in 2002.  After that event, we decided that we wanted to take part in adventure races and spent the next summer honing our climbing skills while learning to river kayak, orienteer, ( navigate with a map and compass) and go on many camping and mountain biking trips.

While our eco-challenge never happened, our adventure never ended and we are so excited to be going to the destination that in a sense, sparked our interest in adventure travel.

Tourism Fiji hasn’t informed us of what activities we will be doing, but in honour of our Twitterview later today, we thought that we would share our hopes for what we will be doing in Fiji.

1.Climbing Fixed Ropes up Waterfalls

We saw this during the 2002 eco-challenge and when I read that you can do this in Fiji, I became so excited. That would be an absolute blast to climb up a cliff while water rages down upon our head.  We love to climb and try to do it every where that we go. To have bragging rights that we climbed in Fiji would be the coolest thing ever.

2. Jet Boating

There is nothing more fun that jet boating down a wild river. We have taken a jet boat on the Niagara River on class 5 rapids into the Devils Pool and can’t wait to do it again one day.  We loved zipping around in Zodiacs in Alaska and we think it would be amazing to take an adrenaline rush jet boat ride through the waters of Fiji.

3. White Water Rafting

We have white water rafted the Ottawa River in Canada and it was a rush if not a little cold. Wouldn’t it be grand to white water raft in the tropics? We could fall into warm water and ride the river without fear of freezing. I don’t know why we have never rafted in our travels. It never seems to be the right season when we are there. Either it is too dry or as the case was in Zambia, the water was too high.  Maybe in Fiji, the conditions will be just right.

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4. Hot Air Ballooning

It has been a dream of ours to take a hot air balloon over the Serengeti in Africa. That hasn’t happened yet, but we would love a practice run over the South Pacific looking over the magnificent Fiji islands. Every time we see a hot air balloon fly over head like here in Udaipur, we think about how awesome it would be to float silently in the sky looking at the land below. A hot air balloon ride is our thrill of a lifetime that is very high on the list of things we would love to do in fiji.

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5. Parasailing

Believe it or not, we have never parasailed before. We have paraglided and if they have that in Fiji, it would be even more amazing. From what we could tell, they don’t offer paragliding.  So, if paragliding is not an option, parasailing is a close second. We have have seen people doing it in Mexico and in the Caribbean while relaxing on the beach but we have never gotten around to hiring a boat to take us out for a spin. Maybe Fiji will finally be the place that we will try our first Parasailing adventure.  The fact that it will be over the South Pacific is even more of a bonus

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6. Trekking to a Waterfall

One of our favourite adventures is to trek in Jungles.  We are drawn to travelling to tropical places and hitting the rainforest trail of their national parks. I remember watching the eco challenge and wanting to trek through the untamed jungles of Fiji one day. While the eco challenge is no longer, the treks and trails of the island are still there and we look forward to taking a wild hike that hopefully ends up at a waterfall. There is nothing better than plunging into the water after a long trek through the hot and humid jungle.

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7. Sandboarding

Apparently Fiji has some good sand dunes and we saw on the fijime website that there is sandboarding there.  We have sandboarded while traveling to Peru and loved it.  Peru has some of the highest sand dunes in the world, so Fiji would have a lot to live up to, but if we can zip down a hill at top speeds, well that is really all that matters. We didn’t get the hang of it completely in Peru, but as avid snowboarders, we think that we could catch on quickly if given a second chance.  Practice makes perfect after all, and hey if we still can’t manage to carve a few turns, laying down on the board and flying head first is a blast in itself.

8. River Kayaking

We took a river kayaking course years ago when we had dreams of being adventure racers.  We wanted to be prepared for anything.  To kayak through the rainforest in rock mazes and hidden passages would feel like we are taking part in our own little eco challenge. There is something about the jungle that we just love and there is nothing better than paddling right through it.

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9. Zip Lining

The first time we went Zip Lining was during an adventure racing exposition in Toronto. Celebrated adventure racer and eco challenge racer Ian Adamson was a guest speaker and he was completely inspiring. While I was a little worried about ziplining from the top of Ontario Place, I knew that if I were to ever be an adventurer, I was going to have to jump, and what a thrill it was. We have done it a few times since, and ziplining never gets boring. Every situation is different. Sometimes it is over a gorge, a jungle canopy or over a river. We could do it again and again.

10. Mountain Biking

As I mentioned in the introduction, we honed our skills in mountain biking because of the Fiji eco challenge. At the time we thought that we may take part in an eco challenge one day. For a few seasons we were hooked on mountain biking. We spent every weekend up north biking the trails of Albion Hills, Hardwood Hills, 3 Stage and the other trails in the area.  There is nothing like the feeling of finally tackling a new obstacle making it up an epic climb or conquering a rocky downhill. I wonder what kind of trails Fiji has to offer?

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11. Bamboo Raft to a local village – Adventure doesn’t have to be all about adrenaline and heart pounding thrills.  An adventure is to raft on a bililibili and explore a new culture.  The culture of Fiji is a blend Melanesians and the Polynesians, it is filled with ancient ceremony and strong tradition. For us to be able to visit a village and take part in a local ceremony would be an honour and we look forward to catching a glimpse into life on the island.

Look out Fiji, Here we Come!!!-

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Make Sure to Follow the fun on Twitter from November 2nd to the 18th.  There are two waves of groups going. We will be in Fiji the week of the 11th to the 18th.  Below are the other talented Bloggers that will be enjoying Fiji with us!

• Margo and Occhi, Scuba Diver Girls
• Bridgette Meinhold, Inhabitat
• Stephanie Hicks – PeachyGreen
• Megan Finley, Off Beat Bride
• Michelle Jerson, NJ 101.5 fm

If you like adventure, you are going to love a visit to Victoria Falls in Zambia.  We spent 3 days at the falls in Livingstone and we filled it with not stop thrills from start to finish.

Here are just a few of the adventure activities that you will find to do at Victoria Falls.

Gorge Swing

Abseilling at Victoria Falls Gorge

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Victoria Falls is definitely the number one place in Africa for adrenaline adventure.

Everyone knows about the bungee jump off of the bridge between Zambia and Zimbabwe, but there is an even more exciting leap in the area for true thrill seekers. As seen on the Amazing Race, the Gorge Swing will get your blood pumping. Your day starts with a 55-meter (160 ft) abseil down the cliff into Batoka Gorge. After a tough climb back up, prepare to soar over the gorge on a zip line. As you stare into the depths below you are pulled back to safety only to do it all over again. After two jumps, you are now more than ready for the final activity of the day.

The Gorge Swing is a bungee jump with a twist. You step off of the edge of a cliff and free fall to the bottom, but once the line tightens, it whips you across to the other side of the gorge at 120km (75 miles) per hour. The 55m free-fall is a thrill, but it is the abrupt snap at the end that takes your breath away.
At the bargain price of $90, you are allowed two jumps so you can fall back into the gorge for your first jump and then once you have built up the nerve you can jump face first on the second. It is a thrill like no other.

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Helicopter Tours

A Flight over Victoria Falls, Great Adventure

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Victoria Falls is impressive indeed, but it is difficult to take in the full scope of its immense size unless you see it from the sky. You must see the falls from the air while you are there. The helicopter flight, is definitely an adventure. They call this thrill, white water rafting in the sky. Your helicopter pilot takes you right down to the Zambezi River. The high cliffs rise above you as you twist and turn your way through the canyons following the river gorge. Just when you start to feel air sick, you lift off high into the sky for a bird’s eye view of the world’s largest waterfall.

It is a loud and exciting flight. Wearing your headphones, the pilot points out sites on the ground. You may just spot some wildlife as well as you fly over the preserve. Catching the full view of the Victoria Falls is breathtaking, the gorge cuts through the land zig zagging like the letter “z” showing you the true strength of Mother Nature. The flight is designed to circle above the falls to give you the chance to see it from all directions.

It is 15 minutes long and $100 but worth every penny. The flight through the gorge is a thrill and to see the falls from high in the sky is an experience that you will remember for a lifetime.

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Chobe National Park

Chobe National Park, Short Trip from Victoria Falls

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From Livingstone, you can book a trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana. It has one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife found on the African Continent. Chobe is located 90 km from Victoria Falls just over the Zambian border and you have the added bonus of adding another African Country to your list. You can visit Chobe on a day excursion or you can book an overnight safari to several days. It is definitely worth the visit.

You will be visiting one of the largest game reserves on the African Continent. You can go for a day or a multi-day trip. A river cruise is not to be missed. You will witness a spectacular sunset and will float right next to grazing hippos and bathing elephants. Elephant sightings are guaranteed with a population of 12,000 and it is more than likely that you will see nearly all of the major species. Zebras, lions, hyenas, they are all there waiting for you to spot them.

This wildlife safari is a must for anyone to do when visiting Victoria Falls. Witnessing Africa’s unique wildlife in their natural setting is one of the greatest adventures that anyone can possible experience.

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Walk Next to Victoria Falls

A Wet Walk by Victoria Falls

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Walking next to the powerful Victoria Falls will make anyone’s heart pound. Entering the national park beside the falls, a network of trails takes you right up to its face. Covered in spray it is a thrilling experience being so close to the thunderous water. The path takes you to a narrow bridge that you can walk across. Be careful though, it can be slippery and difficult to see, as you are only a couple of hundred meters away from the falls. Staying dry is not an option and the water is so loud that you have to shout to talk to each other.

The bridge is so close to the falls that you are engulfed in a mist and fog. Once you make your way across, you are free to explore trails and paths that wind their way through a patch of land directly across from the falls. You will be able to see it from many angles.
Once you are finished looking at its cascade, make your way to the top and sit near Devils Pool. The water is so calm and you are dangerously close to the edge. It low water season people actually swim in this pool and stand right on the edge of the falls to look over. That would definitely be an adventure of a life time but not something we recommend trying while you are there.

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White Water Rafting

A great Adventure at Victoria Falls

White Water Rafting is the prime attraction of Victoria Falls that almost everyone does when they visit Zambia. Book a full or half day trip on one of the top ten white water rivers on the planet. Long violent class 5 rapids known as the Devil’s Toilet and Stairway to Heaven will get your blood pumping.  The mighty Zambezi river is legendary and you will have the adventure of your life tumbling through its rapids. Whit Water Rafting prices start at $100. Tours can be booked at your hotel in Livingstone. Transfers and pick up are included.

Rafting the Zambezi River is one of the world’s greatest white water experiences.

There are so many things to do in Victoria falls it would take more than just one blog post.  There are enough adventures to keep you busy for days on end, so book a trip to Zambia today? What are you waiting for? If not now…When?