How do you define adventure? You can call it as an undertaking or enterprise of a hazardous nature. And when this adventure is added to traveling it becomes adventure travel. It is a trip to a natural environment or remote location wherein the travelers get involved in active physical activity or participate and explore a new experience. It gives you a wonderful time and at the same time helps you to spiritually stimulate your body and mind.
Adventurous trips are those vacations that change you, mesmerize you and guarantees memories for a lifetime. People of all ages can experience adventure. But some of them are not suitable for everyone because they involve extreme physical exhaustion. There are various destinations in this world meant for adventure and some of them are appropriate and convenient for travelers of all ages.
Floating above the world in a hot air balloon:
It gives you a bird’s eye view of scenery. Seeing the world from the sky is a breathtaking experience. You can float over an African veld and experience the view of lions roaming below. You can get a glimpse of the exclusive landscape of Cappadocia, Turkey. Balloon festivals are held annually at various places in the U.S.A. like Albuquerque in the state of New Mexico, Snowmass in Colorado and many other resort towns.
In Europe, hot air balloon ride is available in Barcelona, Catalonia, Madrid and Segovia, Alic ante, Costa Blanca, Southern Central England and various other places.
Down Under, go ballooning majestically and effortlessly over the picturesque countryside of South East Queensland. You will greatly enjoy the beauty of the heritage city of Ipswich and the Scenic Rim region which is a part of the Greater Brisbane region and the Great Sunshine Way, Southern Queensland as they gently unfold before your eyes.
Hiking, trekking or backpacking:
This is another adventure activity meant for people of all ages. It is a recreation walk that can be done almost everywhere. Hiking brings you close to the land and its people and helps in expanding your cultural horizon.
You can hike along some of the famous places in Asia like the Angkor Extension (Cambodia); the Chomolhari Trek in the Land of the Thunder Dragon, Bhutan; from the green mountains and grassy steppes to the dunes of the Gobi Desert, Mongolia; journey from Lhasa to Everest (Tibet); the Great Wall and the terracotta warriors of Xi’an in China and the list goes on and on.
Europe boasts of some marvelous hiking destinations like Cinque Terre hiking in Italy which will take you across the tiny, color fishing villages perched on cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean to sun washed jet set resorts. Another wonderful hiking journey is through the most stunning areas in all of the Scottish highlands. From Florence to Siena, you will see the finest expressions of Renaissance culture, and hike in beautiful areas of countryside beloved by local Tuscans.
In America, hiking can be done in Nicaragua. Nicaragua is considered one of Central America’s hottest adventure destinations. Again, traveling from the high Andes to the lush rainforest of the Amazon Basin you can hike along Ecuador’s Avenue of the Volcanoes, enjoying comfortable stays in Haciendas.
A special way to enter Machu Picchu is by hiking along tiny ledges weaving up and down 13,000-foot-high Mountains, as you follow the ancient Inca trails in Peru. Another wonderful experience of hiking is in Colca Canyon, believed to be the deepest canyon in the world. There you get a chance to see the giant condors fly.
Dog sledding:
This adventure sport is a great way to enjoy the winter wilderness. A dog, such as a husky is used to pull a dogsled, especially in Arctic regions. The surroundings of Ratece, close to the ski area of Kranjska Gora, Slovenia provide some incredible professionally guided dog sledding adventures. You can experience some magical moments in Sweden’s Wolverine territory as well.
An awesome trip across the wilds of Spitsbergen cannot be missed. Spitsbergen is one of the Svalbard Islands located halfway between Norway and The North Pole. Of the total land mass, about 60 percent is made up of glaciers and a meager 6-7 percent is covered with vegetation. The islands offer fresh and untouched, Arctic wilderness with vast mountain areas and magnificent glaciers.
Adventure has no boundaries. It is endless and limitless. Age actually has nothing to do if you are adventurous at heart. The thing which matters the most is that you get to see the world in a new way, make friends and gives you a chance explore foreign places.
