5 most extreme sports holidays

You’ve done a bit of windsurfing, a bit of rock climbing and a touch of mountain biking, but you want to go all in with your next holiday. You want to go extreme. Here’s our guide to the best extreme sports holidays for the daredevils amongst you.

1. Megavalanche, Alpe d’Huez

The pinnacle of dangerous mountain biking events, Megavalanche will have you line up on a ski slope with 2000 other competitors waiting for the countdown, before hurling yourself down the gradient at the mercy of gravity. Located in Alpe d’Huez, usually a brilliant skiing destination, this competition in July sees skiers replaced by bikers, fresh from months of preparation. You’ll need somewhere to relax before and after the race too, so we’d recommend renting a chalet to get the most out of the experience. You’ll be in the Alps, after all.

Chalet available from £1750 per week, from Ski Easy.

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2. Blue Hole, Belize

Beautiful waters, weather beyond compare, and the world’s most dangerous dive site. How does that sound? Blue Hole has accrued a number of unfortunate nicknames, including ‘divers’ cemetery’, but it remains a safe location for thrill seekers if they don’t attempt to reach the infamous arch contained within. If they do, however, they run the risk of joining the startling number of divers who have perished in Blue Hole’s depths. For a spot of respite, we recommend a stay at the five star Le Meridien.

Hotel available from $88 per night, from Le Meridien.

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3. Unclimbed Peak, Nepal

Of course, there’s the obvious choice of Everest if you want the most extreme of all climbing holidays, but this expedition gives you the opportunity to make history by being the very first person to scale one of these Nepalese peaks. A number of peaks were prohibited for public climbing due their government-assigned ‘holy’ status, but with recent relaxations in the law, this is chance you simply have to seize. You’ll start off in Kathmandu for a couple of days to acclimatise and purchase all necessary equipment before beginning your ascent to eternal glory.

Deposit £300, from The Walking and Climbing Company

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4. The Zambezi Rapids, Zimbabwe

White water rafting is one of the most dangerous extreme sports, with the possibility of being thrown out of your seat and head-first into a rock. Amongst the most dangerous courses in the world, these rapids are exceptionally aptly named, as you’ll be wrestling with OblivionMuncher and Devil’s Toilet Bowl. With waves reaching up to 7 metres high, and hippopotami and crocodiles sharing the river, you’re certainly not going to get bored.

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5. Sossusvlei, Namibia

The trouble with skiing is that it’s far too seasonal; you’re forced to go at a certain time of the year when the snow’s perfect, but you’ll have no such problems with sand boarding. A truly unique extreme sport, undertaken on some of the highest sand dunes in the world, sand boarding is the perfect solution for gentlemen impatient for the skiing season to begin, and thirsty for a new challenge. This four day package offers the exhilaration of sand boarding, coupled with a safari and cheetah tracking, ensuring you’re always amused. Not that you’d ever get bored.

From £300 per person, from Chamelon Safari.

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