If a sedate, all-inclusive holiday reading a book by the pool is your idea of hell, check out some of these ideas for the more adventurous traveller…
Adventures in Antarctica
Backpacking Travel Adventure in Antarctica
Man has kept away from Antarctica for a long time for good reason: it is the coldest and driest continent on the planet. But more and more adventurous walkers are braving its climes and setting off for a trek to the South Pole. Some get right into the freezing water by hiring a kayak and gliding through menacing glaciers, spotting penguins along the way.
So you know what you’re getting into, perhaps check out Crossing the Ice, part of the Thrillseekers Adventure Film Festival. Australian buddies James and Justin contend with frostbite, hypothermia, and extreme hunger during their epic (and unassisted) journey to the South Pole and back. You have been warned.
Adventurous sleeping
Backpacking Adventure Travel to the Poseidon Undersea Resort in Fiji
Have a nap on the sea bed amongst a coral reef and exotic marine life at the sprawling Poseidon Undersea Resort in Fiji, which also features a library, theatre and fancy restaurant.
‘Fly’ between mountain villages
Backpacking Travel for Paragliding in Italy
Journey between two mountain villages in Italy along a wire stretched across a 1,000 metre high, 1,500 metre wide canyon if you are looking for that extra special adrenalin rush.
Cycle along the most dangerous road in Bolivia
Backpacking Adventure Travel to La Paz “Death Road” in Bolivia
Locals are known to take a moment to pray to their God before journeying along this road because it is so dangerous. Which is exactly why it attracts thrill-seeking cyclists. Hold your breath as you start the ride at La Paz and head through the Amazon jungle along narrow lanes and stomach-churning drops of thousands of feet. And did we mention that the nearest hospital is two hours away?
Do a marathon along the Great Wall of China
Backpacking Travel to the Great Wall of China Marathon
Breezed your way through your fair share of marathons? Think you’re fairly fit? Try tackling one of the toughest marathon courses in the world: the Great Wall of China. Running up the 20,518 steps won’t be easy, but the panoramic views make it all worthwhile.
Freeze your tootsies off in Oymyakon
Backpacking Adventure Travel to Oymyakon, Russia
A town that is so uninvitingly cold that it has historically only been used to house political exiles, Oymyakon in Russia is becoming an unlikely holiday destination for travellers looking for a real challenge. Winter temperatures plunge to the depths of -58°F and the ground is permanently frozen – making it perfect for winter activities like ice hockey and ice fishing.
Get pelted with oranges
Backpacking Adventure Travel to Ivrea Carnival, Italy
Every year in the Piedmont region of Italy, locals get suited up and select the juiciest looking oranges to pelt each other with as part of the Ivrea Carnival. Taking place over several days, this large-scale food fight involving competing teams is taken very seriously by participants, so be prepared to get orange juice in places you didn’t even realise it was possible.
Extreme eating in Iceland
Backpacking Adventure Travel to Iceland for Food
Sample whale sushi or go for the famous fermented shark dish. This speciality is prepared by burying the shark underground for three months, hanging it out to dry for a further five months before scraping off any particularly mouldy bits and serving it up to adventurous diners.
Other local delicacies for you to sample include prickled ram’s testicles, seal flippers and headcheese (made by removing the brain from the sheep’s head, pureeing it and turning it into a kind of ‘jam’).
For something a bit safer, the succulent local lambs (which are free to roam in the fresh air) are delicious and went down better than the rotten shark with travel writer Laura Dixon during her trip.
World's Most Adventurous Travel Ideas
As well as ticking these weird and wonderful dishes off your to-do list, you can enjoy one of nature’s most stunning shows, the Northern Lights, and discover Iceland’s quietly beautiful landscape.
What’s on top of your must-see list? With so many cheap flight deals available, there’s really nothing stopping you.
Emily Connor is a travel blogger and a mother of two living in Edinburgh.
Nice lists for backpacking, it sure beats just sightseeing!
I’m going to visit Thailand with my friend at the beginning of June. We are going to spend a couple of days in Bangkok and see as many as we can “must see” things there. Then we are planning to spent 4-5 days in Koh Tao, doing scuba-diving, and relaxing at the beach. Could anybody, please, tell me how much money we need if we are oriented to cheap ‘backpacking’ travel. No luxury hotels, no expensive restaraunts.
Like for example, backpacking adventure traveling for couple months. I could pack up things like every vacation when I was a student. Now I’m in my early 30′s and things are different. Even though I am still single and don’t have to commit my life to a career, I just do feel scared when I want to decide on something. Anyone feels like this?
How much money do you need to go travelling / backpacking round Asia / South America / the rest of the world for a few months? And how the hell do so may poor, newly qualified 21yr olds with massive student debts afford to do it??
High school or 3/4yr degre courses. I’ve seen both.