Activities for Adrenaline Junkies: 29+ Adventures from Around the World!

29+ Crazy Bucket List Ideas Adrenaline Junkies Need to Try!

For as long as I can remember, I have been what they call an ‘Adrenaline Junkie’. I have always loved the idea of taking part in high adrenaline run activities in order to seek-out the feeling of excitement and adventure. On my recent trip to Budapest, I got to talk to fellow hostel goers about various adventure activities we had all taken part in on our travels. I really enjoyed hearing about others experiences and was excited to add them to my very own bucket list of Activities for Adrenaline Junkies.

That very experience got me thinking, what if I asked fellow Adventure lovers to help complete the ULTIMATE Adrenaline Junkies Bucket List featuring high Adrenaline activities from around the world. So, if you too are looking to spice up your travels, consider adding some or all of these activities to your adventure sport Bucket List.

I have decided to divide this post into 4 subsections, Water Based Adrenaline Activities, Air Based Adrenaline Activities, Land-Based Adrenaline Activities and Winter/Snow based Adrenaline Activities.

I want to thank all those who have helped create the Ultimate Adrenaline Junkie Bucket List. Please take some time to check out their awesome blogs <3

Crazy Bucket List Ideas Table of Contents

1. White Water Rafting Down the Zambezi River
2. Jet skiing in the Florida Keys
3. Cliff Jumping in Jamaica
4. Waterfall Abseiling in Nepal
5. Surfing in Bali
6. Swimming with Humpback Whales in Tonga
7. Diving in Bali
8. Canyoning in Slovenia
9. Paragliding in the Swiss Alps
10. Zip Lining Through the Rainforest in Costa Rica
11. Sky Diving in Hawai’i 
12. Dine 50 Metres above Dubai
13. Parasailing Over Lake Tahoe
14. Rock Climbing with a Jeep in Las Vegas, Nevada
15. Cycling Death Road, Bolivia
16. Rent UTVs in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain
17. Canyoneering in Zion National Park
18. Sand Buggying in Peru
19. Cycling Stelvio Pass, Bormio, Italy
20. ATV Adventure in El Dorado Canyon, Nevada
21. Climb Scotland’s Via Ferrata
22. Caving Beneath Budapest
23. Climb an Active Volcano, Chile
24. Climbing Mt.Elbrus in Russia
25. Hiking Mera Peak in the Himalayas, Nepal
26. Ice Caving In Iceland
27. Snowkiting in Harbin, China
28. Chadar Trek, Ladakh, India
29. Skiing in Mayrhofen, Austria

Water-Based Activities for Adrenaline Junkies

It is easy to find a bit of water while on our travels. Some like to spend time at a lake, by a river or have a dip in the ocean. However, one thing that set’s an Adrenaline Junkie apart from an everyday holiday goer is the consent desire to seek adventure and get their adrenaline fix.

Luckily, there are many Adventure Bucket List Idea’s down below that will help you do just that

The violent rapids make self-rescue very difficult. When we took a trip down the Zambezi in June we experienced a flip in one of our first series of rapids. The river is so fast, with long and violent rapids, that we went through two more rapids outside of the raft. The experience was intense and left us shaken early in the trip. Be sure to explore the Zambezi with the assistance of a guide team.

Drier Victoria Falls activities can be found on Victoria Falls Bridge. There, adrenaline junkies can explore Victoria Falls gorge by bungee jump, gorge swing, and a zipline. After our experience on the river, we decided to keep the adrenaline pumping with an afternoon of all three.

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There are many jet ski rental options in Key West and Key Largo, the two most popular Keys, along with many other options along the coast. At all of these places, you’ll pay for a jet ski for a period of time, and you’ll be off on your way!

If you don’t have a boating license, you will have to take a quick boating safety test, which they give you on the spot at any rental site.

What makes the Florida Keys so special and unique is the incredibly blue water. There may not be a prettier sight on earth than cruising over the tropical water of the Florida Keys.

When you add in the fact that the water is warm, it makes for a perfect day trip! Fly around the water at 50 mph for a half hour, then swim for 15 minutes looking for fish, then repeat!

Your next trip needs to be a jet skiing trip to the Florida Keys. You’ll find yourself having the time of your life in one of the most beautiful places in the world, any adrenaline junkie will love it. And on top of all that fun, Key West has loads to explore both day and night to fill up the rest of your trip! Enjoy!

The first location I went to, Blue Hole, had two platforms, a zip line, and you could climb to the centre of the waterfall and jump. There was some easy to moderate climbing that you had to do to get to each of the platforms so an active sandal or durable water shoes would be very helpful.

The second location, Rick’s Café is possibly the most widely known cliff jumping location in Jamaica. Rick’s Café has three platforms located in the outdoor dining and bar area so it was easily accessible (stairs to each platform). This was a little awkward because people were there eating dinner.

Both locations were fun and I had great jumping experiences, but I recommend Blue Hole because it was much less commercial and touristy. The scenery at Blue Home was also prettier to me, but the sunset at Rick’s Café was amazing.

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The hotel provides all of the equipment needed including a wetsuit, a harness, gloves, and ropes. Waterfall abseiling isn’t particularly scary as you can easily control your speed. Making it a great activity for those dipping their toes in the adventure pool.

For anyone who wants to feel a rush, just wait until you find the confidence to push back off the wall and freely fly down. If you get it right, you feel a just like Spiderman.

Waterfall abseiling costs around $60-$80 depending on the package you choose and the experience lasts a couple of hours. Overall, it’s totally worth the money!

As I grew older, I soon realised that I could get that same rush of racing down the mountain, but without frostbite. I traded in my snowboard, for a surfboard and headed closer to the equator where the water is always warm.

I love surfing in the warm waters of Bali. The waves in Bali are perfect for all levels, the water is warm and the people of Bali are super friendly.

Surfing in Bali is amazing because all you need is a swimsuit, a board and some good old trusty suncream. There is no extra expenses like paying for lift tickets, which makes it a great sport for those on a budget. Plus, there is just something about saltwater therapy that can fix all of your worries. 

I love surfing and I think everyone should try it. No one is ever too old or too young to learn to surf. It is a great sport that people of all levels can do at the same time.

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He was named Missile because he was known for swimming straight towards people. It made for exhausting swimming keeping out of his way.

I’ve also had two hour ‘hangs’ where a mother and calf are just resting in the water and you watch the calf come up to the surface every 20 minutes or so.  The mother can hold her breath longer but when she comes up to the surface it is incredible to see just how massive these animals are up close.

The first time you get in the water with a humpback whale it is always a bit scary but then you realise just how peaceful it is to be in the water observing such a beautiful creature. This is most definitely one for the Adrenaline Junkie Bucket List.

Before entering the water my instructor explained how to use the mask, breathe, clear my goggles. Although the ocean looked a little rough I had no choice but to jump right in. I was carrying a heavy oxygen cylinder on my back but once I entered the water it became weightless.

All the money that I spent and the butterflies in my stomach were worth it for when I entered the water and looked down, colourful fish surrounded me from all directions. After that initial inhibition, I relaxed and enjoyed my two dives, both of which lasted for about half an hour. 

Diving in Bali is a must-have adventure for all adrenaline lovers. 

I’m not going to lie, I found the hike rather difficult as it was an extremely warm day and the wetsuits weren’t made of the most breathable of material. With that being said the workout was 100% completely worth is as Canyoning is a super fun Adventure Sport.

Once we reached the top of the Canyon, we could see various waterfalls, plunge pools and cliff edges. The purpose of the sport is to make it down to the end of the Canyon by sliding, jumping and swimming.

I personally really enjoyed sliding down the waterfalls and jumping into the plunge pools, however, there was something about jumping off the cliff edge that freaked me out. In saying that, there is something about the fear that made the activity a little bit more exciting. Canyoning is the ideal sport for any Adrenaline Junkies Bucket List.

Air Based Adventure Activities for Adrenaline Junkies Bucket List

Ok, so let’s leave the water behind (for the most part) and reach a little higher. A lot higher actually. The next list of things to do for adrenaline junkies either involves hoovering over land or free failing from an outrageous height.

Now, it is common for people to have to board a plane when travelling, but most of those people don’t even have the desire to jump out of a plane. Unless they are an Adrenaline junkie of course. The next list of thrill seeking activities involves a lot of courage and well, excitement.

The reason I chose First is that it’s the only location from where you can make the extra-long tandem flight, where the instructor takes advantage of the up current to make the parachute go further and higher. It cost a bit more but was definitely worth it! It did mean that I had to wait until May, as the extra-long flight is only offered from May to September. At the other locations, flights are possible year-round.

I fully expected to be scared out of my mind on the takeoff, but it was actually pretty easy. We just ran for a few steps and then the wind picked us up, so it wasn’t like we had to leap off a cliff into the unknown. The company provided all the equipment, so I didn’t have to bring anything except warm clothes. It does get quite chilly when you’re flying around the mountaintops! Afterwards, my husband and I settled into the Eiger Selfness Hotel in Grindelwald and savoured a lovely vegan Swiss meal at Barry’s, the hotel’s cosy restaurant.

Besides the breathtaking views my favourite part of the experience was the safety of the lines. They had top of the line equipment and I didn’t have to worry about accidentally getting turned around or having to manually break myself. The crew simply hooked me in, I then look forward, leaned back and put my hands on the pully. When I approached the end I spread my legs to avoid cable burn and the automated braking system did all the work.

Feeling safe as I soared through the rainforest canopy made the experience that much better. I was able to take in the panoramic views of Arenal Volcano and the lake below as I zipped between the trees and across canyons descending from one mountain to the next. The zip lining experience was worth the thrill, the money, the excitement, and the rush.

I can’t wait to do it again!

I chose SkyDive Hawaii because they have great student discount deals. Plus, you don’t need any equipment, or really ANY knowledge of jumping out of a plane. Which was perfect because I had neither.

When you skydive with a tandem partner, THEY do all the work and you just have to sit there and enjoy the view. My kind of adrenaline. I’m not scared of heights, so I didn’t feel nervous or scared at all while the small plane circled in the air to gain height. Buuuut, as I quickly found out, it did give me motion sickness.

Aside from swallowing back my own nausea, jumping out of a plane was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. The weightlessness is indescribable. Though, next time I’ll take a motion sickness pill beforehand, haha.

I would absolutely say skydiving is a MUST on Oahu, Hawai’i, even if you’ve already skydived before. And ESPECIALLY if you’ve never skydived before. Hawai’i is the place to do it.

Though it is not the most chilled setting you can imagine, given the nice staff and music that is played I felt better after a few minutes and began to relax more.

I noticed some of the people where not able to enjoy the stunning views of the Dubai Marina or the Persian Gulf because they were too scared and were constantly looking from left or right.

While the experience was not cheap, it is a meal I will never forget and easily one of the best things to do in Dubai.

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I have never really been one for ‘chilling’ or ‘taking it easy I’m always keen on doing some sort of activity. So, sure enough, before I knew it, I was straight on to Mr Google to find a list of Adventure Sports in the area

I jumped at the chance to go parasailing, I was already in awe with Lake Tahoe’s beauty from the ground level, so having the opportunity to see it from the sky was an extra bonus.

When we arrived at the parasailing spot we were given a quick safety briefing. We then boarded the speed boat and headed for the centre of the Lake. Then before we knew it we were hoovering 800ft above Tahoe.

I was rather surprised at how smooth the whole experience was. I was expecting there to be high winds and to feel the impact of the boat speed. Instead, it was completely calm.

Our driver asked if we had a problem getting wet. We didn’t mind, so at the end, he brought the parasail in and out of the water a handful of times, which made the activity even more fun. It was honestly an amazing experience one I’d 100% recommend adding to your Adventure Bucket List.

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Land-Based Adrenaline Rush Activities

The next section of our Adventure Activity List will cover some of the most exciting, adventurous and thrill-seeking land adventure sports. Perfect for those looking to add to their Adrenaline Bucket List.

I recommend the Logandale Trail as your adventure. Our guides met us in Las Vegas where we were assigned our jeep. They then lead us out of the city to Valley of Fire State Park. Here, we made a quick stop at a gas station to use the restroom and so they can unhook the sway bars and let air out of the tires. Then it was time our adventure to begin!

Not long after entering the park, we came to our first obstacle. We looked at it and thought, “Really?” But luckily, the guide walked us through each step of the way. It was nerve-wracking and thrilling as we climbed those rocks.

Our tires were coming off the ground; the jeep was almost lying on its side at times! Yet, we kept climbing up. We couldn’t stop smiling we were having so much fun! Not to mention, there is some beautiful scenery at Valley of Fire State Park. We even saw some mountain goats.

The hubby and I have been to Las Vegas 4 times. Our adventure with Las Vegas Rock Crawlers has been the highlight of all our trips. We can’t wait to do it again! So, don’t hesitate and book your adventure!

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A day Cycling Death Road requires signing up with a tour company, of which I recommended Gravity. They equiped me with a mountain bike, a helmet and appropriate clothing. They aren’t the cheapest company but their approach to safety makes them worth every penny. 

There were regular stops to assess my ability and provide information about upcoming obstacles to look out for. Such as waterfalls, vehicles, slippery sections, rocks in the road, sharp turns or steep sections. 

The cycle route itself is stunning and the scenery is varied and breathtaking. If you’re anything like me you will be holding your breath the whole way down anyway, never daring to look at the huge cliff-side drop on your left. I felt petrified the entire day but absolutely exhilarated at the same time.

This is truly an amazing experience and one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys pushing their limits and the feel of their heart hammering in their chest!!

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From high-speed straightaways reaching 50-plus miles per hour to low-speed mountain drops that give a roller-coaster’s pit-in-the-stomach feeling, the three-hour UTV rental was worth every penny of the $100 per person we spent.

Aside from getting a bit sketched out with every fork in the road, steep hill climb or straightaway drop you couldn’t see until there was no room for turning back, one of the most incredible things about renting UTVs in the Colorado mountains is the sheer beauty that unfolds right in front of our eyes. The mountain terrain, lush green trees and diverse colours took our breath away — or maybe it was the altitude at nearly 9,000 feet above sea level.

Renting UTVs is a truly unique thing to do in Colorado and is best done from May to October when the snow doesn’t carpet the majestic mountain trails. There are plenty of companies throughout Colorado willing to rent two-person and four-person UTVs for full-day or half-day excursions. The prices will vary from company to company, but you can always call and ask for a special rate.

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I and an expert guide were dropped off near the start, though there is typically a short hike to the first cliff. After the safety briefing and detailed instructions on what to do, I was kitted up.  There was technical equipment including a harness I stepped into, several carbineers, a helmet and a piece of equipment that helped control the speed of my descent. Plus over 200 feet of rope (which the guide carries). 

Standing on the edge of a 60-foot cliff for the first time, with my back to the cliff and my heels hanging over the edge, supported by a rope tied to an anchor, as I leaned back and put all my weight on the rope, trusting that it will hold me, is terrifying!  But also incredibly exciting! I promise your adrenaline will definitely start pumping as you start to ‘walk’ down the vertical surface, slowly releasing the rope as you descend. 

The first was the worst!  After that, there were 11 more cliffs to descend – the longest of 200 feet – but by the end, they seemed easy! Sometimes the canyons were a little more than tubes, worn out by powerful water gushing through in a flash floods. Being in the middle of this landscape, which is only accessible by rappelling, is a truly amazing experience. 

I did this canyoneering trip near Zion National Park in the United States a few years ago, in May when it wasn’t too hot, and it was one of the most exhilarating things I have ever done.  I would highly recommend it IF you are up for excitement and are willing to be out of your comfort zone AND don’t have a strong fear of heights.  It was not cheap, but was worth every penny! 

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It was much scarier than I thought it would be. The drivers of the buggies really go to the limits of what is possible driving up high sand dunes and going down again at full speed. Most sandbuggying tours in Huacachina include sandboarding as well.

After an exhilarating ride of about an hour, they stopped at one of the highest sand dunes. This is where we took some time to take in the beauty of the landscape around us before we slid down the sand dunes on our boards. It’s the perfect adrenaline sports combination and guarantees an afternoon of fun.

There are plenty of sandbuggying and sandboarding tours in Huacachina. Most leave in the afternoon so you can see a bit of the sunset as well. They start from 15 US dollars onwards. A real bargain for the adrenaline kick you will get out of it. Sandbuggying in Huacachine should be on anyone’s adrenaline bucket list.

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Switchback after switchback takes you past thundering waterfalls, towering rock faces and the faded, peeling facades of the abandoned houses that were the former homes to the tough men that built this incredible pass. About two-thirds of the way up you find yourself in a lush, green valley where there’s a moving memorial to those who died fighting here in the First World War.

As you climb up from the Bormio side, the scenery is absolutely stunning. Switchback after switchback takes you past thundering waterfalls, towering rock faces and the faded, peeling facades of the abandoned houses that were the former homes to the tough men that built this incredible pass. About two-thirds of the way up you find yourself in a lush, green valley where there’s a moving memorial to those who died fighting here in the First World War.

When you finally reach the windswept summit, you’ll undoubtedly be exhausted. Make sure you’ve got some extra layers to put on and take in the view down the other side of the mountain, towards Prato. The toughest cyclists out there may be tempted to descend down the other side, only to ride up again before heading back to Bormio – but most will be happy with having simply made it to the top of this famous mountain, often the highest point of the world-renowned Giro d’Italia cycling race.

For good reason, conquering the Stelvio Pass is on the bucket list of many avid cyclists, but beware this ride is definitely not for the novice or unfit road cyclist. The climb is seriously testing and you’ll need excellent descending skills to ensure you don’t crash on the way back down!

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Then you pick your vehicle (one or two-seat ATV or Quad) and get used to operating it. Aside from the provided equipment, I highly recommend that you bring sunglasses or some form of protective eyewear as well as a buff or scarf to keep dust and sand away from your eyes, mouth and nose. Also do not forget the sunblock to protect you from the harsh Nevada sun.

Once properly outfitted you will head out following the journey miners did use mules in the 1800’s. But instead of the slow arduous pace the miners experienced, you get to zip along on powerful ATVs.  The tour allows for two hours of manoeuvring up and down hills, passing cactus gardens and indigenous wildlife, and kicking up dust as you speed along the unpaved roads. It is quite the rush as you control your own pace. You can go to maximum acceleration feeling the wind and the thrill that comes with high speeds.  In addition to the fun-filled ATV journey, you can opt for a guided tour of the nearby underground gold mine – who knows, you might just strike gold!

Overall this is a fun action-packed tour. Has a great combination of adrenaline, adventure, history, and beautiful unique landscapes. Almost everything is included in the price – transportation from Las Vegas, equipment, lunch and refreshments, making this experience a good value for a fun full day adrenaline adventure.

There are many Via Ferratas around the world, but only one in the Scottish Highlands – and it leads along one of the tallest waterfalls of the country, Grey Mare’s Tail in Kinlochleven. Kinlochleven is a small village, tucked away at the end of Loch Leven but very easy to get to – it’s just a 15-minute drive from the famous valley of Glencoe.

I climbed the Via Ferrata in Kinlochleven with Vertical Descents during a wet September-day and summer is generally the best time for this activity. One thing to keep in mind is that heavy rain makes the waterfall too powerful, it would not be safe to climb alongside it – however, your guides know exactly how to decide whether it’s safe or not. 

Equipped with a warm wetsuit, helmet, harness and gloves, wearing my own hiking boots and waterproof jacket to stay warm, my group headed out to the waterfall. We spent about 4-5 hours on the wall, climbing up iron ladders in the rock face, practising to trust our harnesses, walking across the roaring waterfall on steel cables and ziplining over the fast-flowing river at the top. It was an exhilarating and physically challenging experience, but also so much fun! I got drenched from the waterfall’s spray and was happy I had a towel, spare clothes and dry shoes waiting for me in my car. At the top of the waterfall, I got a fantastic view over to Loch Leven and the mountains of the Highlands!

The Via Ferrata tour with Vertical Descents tour is worth every penny. Maybe not for you if you are very scared of heights*, but a fantastic activity to overcome your fear and immerse yourself in the elements of the Scottish Highlands. 

*Note, that once you have started the ascent, you cannot turn back.

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On the day, my friends and I were kitted with overalls, a helmet and a head torch. We then signed a waiver, which I’m not gonna lie, scared me to my very soul. After a safety briefing, we were ready to enter the caves.

We started our descent into the caves by climbing down a very long ladder. The further down we got the darker the caves became until our head torch was our only source of light.

We then embarked on a 3-hour stint of crawling on our arms and knees through narrow tunnels and cracks in the rock. At one point we turned off all light’s and sat in complete darkness. Eventually, we started to imagine movement. Which was insanely freaky.

This was an amazing experience, one I recommend to people time and time again. In fact, it is the prime inspiration behind this post. If you ever find yourself in Budapest be sure to book a caving tour. It will set you back around 24 euro’s, but it is 101% worth the money.

Related Post: Is Budapest Worth the Visit?

Adrenaline Junkie Activities in the Snow, Ice and Winter Months

Winter Sports, You either love them or hate them. Generally speaking, winter sports involve Thrill Seeking Activities like climbing snow-capped peaks, racing down alpine mountains at a high speed or surviving sub-zero temperatures. As a result, winter sports are the perfect addition to any Adrenaline Junkie Bucket List.

Let me tell you, it was amazing! It’s not a technical climb, you only need the right equipment and stamina to walk up the 1000+ meters (3280+ ft) of altitude change. What makes it worth it is that, if you summit it, you’ll be on top of one of the few places in the world where you can see lava.

If you want to go on your own, you need to have a climbing experience (a membership card to any mountaineering club will prove it). Otherwise, you must go with a guide –there’re plenty of options to join an organized trip in town, where you’ll also get all the equipment needed and transportation to the mountain.

The volcano is 2847 m (9347 ft) high, and you can either start the climb from the foot of the mountain or grab a cable car ride on the ski lift and start the ascent from approximately 1800 m (5900 ft).

The views through the whole hike are beyond amazing. You have the Chilean Lake District at your feet, which means that you get to see at least three lakes and the forest that surrounds them. From the summit, you see the peaks of other nearby volcanoes and enjoy the special experience of seeing fume and lava in the crater. As if this wasn’t cool enough, on the way down you can slide through canals carved in the snow! Do I need to say more?

The climb can do independently or in a group with a guide, the second is recommended for inexperienced climbers. Unlike most of the other highest peaks in the world, there is no fee to climb Elbrus which significantly reduces the cost of the venture.

Ascending Elbrus is not a very technical climb but it might be quite dangerous if climbers don’t follow the rules. The main advice for climbing Elbrus like for any other activity at high altitude is to be properly acclimatised and not to attempt the climb if you feel weak, have a headache or nausea. The final ascent to the peak starts at 4100m from Maria Shelter between 12am and 1am the main reason for the early start is the weather, climbers have to return back to the camp before lunchtime. After midday weather often changes it gets misty and cloudy, the wind starts picking up, it’s easy to lose the trail.

The main gear climbers need for Elbrus is plastic boots and crampons, on the way up you’ll walk for 10-12 hours in deep snow. Hiking poles are highly recommended for the climb as well as good sunglasses, a down jacket and pants, beany and mittens.

The climb itself, especially the last 100-200m up, is very tough, you feel exhausted and out of breath sometimes it looks like you won’t make it there, but seeing the peak and being that close to it gives you extra strength. Once at the top you immediately forget about the challenges and difficulties you had on the way, it’s an amazing feeling to be there and to see other snowy peaks below you and to know you’ve made it.

It’s a difficult trek not recommended for the faint at heart. The trail dives deep into the forest and is more remote than the popular Everest Base Camp Trek. You will cross waterfalls, and trek on the edge of mountainsides. But the real challenge starts when you reach the glacier.

The glacier walk starts on the way to the high camp at 5800m. At this point, it’s difficult to breathe. Walking in heavy mountaineering boots and crampons doesn’t make it any easier. But the scenery is stunning.

High Camp is set on the edge of the mountain, looking onto high lakes and Kangchenjunga another 8000m mountain. The summit attempt starts around 2 a.m. In the dark, you’ll gear up with boots, crampons, harnesses and ropes. It’s a long cold trek to the peak. On the way, the sun will rise behind the snowy mountains. You’ll see the sky play with colours of pink, orange and yellow. Legs aching and lungs burning, the adrenaline rush will be the driving force that takes you to the summit.

The trek to Mera Peak is a true challenge, I felt crazy for even attempting it. I’ve never worn mountaineering boots or summited anything in my life. But all the effort was worth the prize. How can I describe the rush I got from summiting? At times I remember the feeling as if I’ve been to the moon and back. The only way to sum it up is to say, I feel lucky to be crazy enough to go for it!

We scaled the steep incline with little more than crampons and a rope. Fortunately, it was easier than it first looked! As we first looked over the peak into a large cauldron-like bowl of ice, our tour guide pointed to a two-metre gap in the ice and said “this was only a crack last week”.

The cave itself was paved with wooden boards to prevent anyone from slipping into any crevasse’s and was not so challenging. But the anticlimax of the cave itself has pushed aside when we made it to the other side and saw a magnificent (and melting) icy archway… that also looked much smaller than it did a week ago.

The contrast in the view down to the volcanic valley floor, and lush green mountains was a unique site that we would only get in the summertime.

One of the best things about a return trip to Iceland is that in winter everything will look completely different.

We can’t wait to go back and to the winter version into a deeper, darker and not melting cave.

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I was introduced to Felix, an English-speaking German who then explained the sport of Snowkiting. He also happened to be an instructor.

I signed up for lessons the next day and learned that snowkiting is done on a frozen lake with the same equipment as kite surfing and snowboarding. Felix supplied all the equipment and set about teaching me how to operate a kite. It took a while for me to keep it up in the air and learn how to pull the bar and when.

Being an avid snowboarder, I was able to pick it up quite quickly since I already knew how to control it aboard. I had never heard of the sport before then and it was one of the most unexpected finds on my trip. Snowkiting out on the river with the sun setting behind the city of Harbin was one of my favourite memories of that trip.

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This is the time when the blanket of ice remains hard enough for trekkers to walk on them. And this is also the time when Ladakh experiences the lowest temperature. So Chadar Trek is not just any trail, but it is a constant battle of will power for the trekkers who have to take on the harsh weather conditions of the Ladakh region.

To be honest, I was initially scared of the extreme temperatures. We live in places where temperature hardly goes below 20 degrees, and at Chadar I had to face -35 degrees! But I was excited also. The trek turned out to be one of my best experiences. For at Chadar, I learnt to walk over ice like a penguin, listened to the babble of the flowing river below the ice sheet, waded through knee-deep ice cold water, tried to climb ice waterfalls and come out victorious overcoming my fear.

While any special equipment is not needed for the trek, but you need to carry a gumboot for the places where you have to wade through the water (places where the Chadar is broken or not formed properly). If you wish to climb the ice waterfalls, then ice axe and ropes are needed. Well, Chadar Trek is definitely worth the time and money. The experience is totally overwhelming.

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I love the variety the Zillertal ski area has to offer with over 620 runs to choose from it is possible to go an entire week without doing the same slope twice (excluding the home stint of course). The resort is breathtakingly beautiful, especially Hintertux Glacier. Like that place still to this day takes my breath away. And dare I mention Mayrhofen’s fantastic aprés ski?

Ok, enough about how great Mayrhofen is. It is time to get back to the real reason on why we are all here. The reason Mayrhofen the perfect addition for an Adrenaline Junkies Bucket List. And the answer is, Harakiri of corse. Harakiri is the steepest groomed ski slope in Europe with an incline of 78% :O Are you up for the challenge? 😉

Or, are you like me and not as dare devilish as you would like to think. If so, you can always take a picture in front of the famous slope and pretend to all your family and friends that you concurred the beastly slope. Just be careful you don’t fall down as you pose haha.

Thank You!

I just want to say a huge thank you to all of those who contributed to this post. I had so much fun reading all your entries and what can I say. My Adrenaline Junkie Bucket List is now 10 times longer than it ever was before. I think it is time I start booking. Thanks Everyone!

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