The world of extreme sport was once confined to a small set of adrenaline junkies who took massive risks for the release of the powerful chemical. But now extreme adventures are a part of many mainstream holidays. Whether it’s jumping out of a plane or going on a rollercoaster, travellers seek out that high associated with dangerous activities. So, if that sounds like your cup of tea, then at least one of these adventure holidays listed below should tickle your fancy.
World Fastest and Tallest Rollercoaster
Take a ride on Kingda Ka, the world’s fastest and tallest rollercoaster in Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in New Jersey. Accelerating from 0 to over 200km/hr in 3.5 seconds, Kingda Ka is not for the fainthearted. It starts by twisting 90 degrees while climbing vertically to reach a towering 139 metres before plummeting straight downwards for 127 metres.
Even experienced thrillseekers will return shook from their experience on the undisputed ‘King of Rollercoasters’. It’s only saving grace is that the experience is all over within 28 seconds.
Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in New Jersey is only 108km from New York City, so it can easily be visited on a day tip from Manhattan - if you dare! www.sixflags.com
Sky Jump in Auckland
Jump 192 meters at 83km/hr off the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, Auckland’s Sky Tower. Described as a wire-assisted base jump, it’s a must do on the list for anyone visiting New Zealand, the home of extreme adventures. Jumpers fall fast for about 11 seconds before landing in the plaza below. An added bonus of the jump is that you get a free pass to visit the viewing section on the Sky Tower, but just make sure you do the jump first! It costs about €95. www.skyjump.com
Fly a MiG-025 Fighter Jet
Fly one of the fastest aircrafts ever built and have your own 'Top Gun' experience. See Moscow from above by flying a MiG-25 fighter jet over the city. Climb to 24,384 metres (which is twice as high as a jumbo jet) in less than two minutes. Break the sound barrier and be propelled straight up into the sky to where you can see the curvature of the earth.
Pre-flight training is compulsory and includes emergency ejection procedures. But this adventure does not come cheap and is priced from a capitalist €8,400. www.flymig.com
Bull Running
Imagine the adrenaline racing through your body while running 
through narrow Spanish streets with a herd of bulls chasing you? The running of the bulls takes place in Pamplona during the Festival of San Fermin every morning from 7 to 14 July.
Thousands gather each morning at 7.30am for the 825-metre run. Each day six fighting bulls and a herd of bullocks run the route which takes an average of three minutes to complete. It’s a dangerous activity and this year three runners were injured and a Spanish tourist was gored to death, the first fatality since 1995. www.sanfermin.com
BASE Jumping
BASE Jumping is an extremely dangerous sport that gives you a massive adrenaline hit. With a parachute on their back, the jumper leaps from a fixed object (such as a building or a bridge), releasing the shoot when close to the ground.
Adrenaline junkies love the danger associated with base jumping and the Perrine Bridge in Idaho is the only bridge in the US which allows you to BASE jump all year round without a permit. It’s the most jumped place on earth and up to 5,000 jumpers flock there every year. Make sure you know what you’re doing before jumping. www.basejumper.com
Jump the World’s Highest Bungee
If you prefer less risky jumping than base jumping, the world’s 
highest bungee is off South Africa’s Bloukrans Bridge. The staff at Face Adrenaline harness and walk you along a specially designed catwalk before counting you down for a heart-stopping jump 216 metres above the Bloukrans river. www.faceadrenalin.com
Cycle Death Road
Death Road
is the mountain road which runs from La Paz, Bolivia’s capital city, to Coroico (64km away). It got its macabre name owing to the high number of deaths and crashes that have occurred there. At least 13 cyclists have died on the road, yet tourists flock for the white-knuckle ride and adrenaline hit.
The cycle starts in the Bolivian Andes at 4,700 metres above sea level and descends a steep 3,600 metres. The road snakes around a steep mountain side, twisting beneath waterfalls and rocky outcrops. The most dangerous parts of the road are the areas where it narrows and winds around hair-pin bends with sheer drops of over 1,000 metres. www.gravityboliva.com
Cage Shark Diving South Africa
Get face to face with one of the most feared animals in the world, the Great White shark. There are dozens of operators around Cape Town offering Shark Safaris.
Dressed in a hooded, black wetsuit, humans scarily resemble the sharks’ favourite food, a seal. You then step into a cage which is lowered into shark-infested waters along with a baited line of tuna.
Even though you are assured that the cages are 100% safe there is always a niggling doubt in the back of your head when you see an aggressive Great White coming for you.
Shark cage diving is opposed by many surfers, divers and fishermen, who claim that shark attacks have increased with this activity. www.sharkwatchsouthafrica.com
Croc Diving
The word on the street is that shark cage diving is so last season 
and the latest craze for adrenaline junkies is croc cage diving! A new centre has opened up in Darwin, Australia. Thrill seekers can get up close and personal with man eating Saltie Crocodiles, some of them measuring more than 4.8 metres long.
Two tourists at a time stand in a purpose built acrylic cage which is then lowered into the croc-infested pool. The crocs associate the cage with food and attempt to take bits from the ‘croc proof’ cage with frightened tourists inside. www.crocosauruscove.com
White Water Rafting in Queenstown 
The Shotover River near Queenstown has rapids graded from three to a scary white-knuckle five. What makes this trip different from others is that you raft through a 170-metre tunnel in darkness, which is then followed closely by Cascade Rapid. You can opt to reach the river by leaving Queenstown in a helicopter, a stunning beginning to the experience. www.queenstownrafting.co.nz
Deirdre Mullins
RTÉ is not responsible for the content of external websites.
