The Ultimate Adventure Bucket List: 30 Heart-Stopping Challenges You Must Conquer

The Ultimate Adventure Bucket List: 30 Heart-Stopping Challenges You Must Conquer

Here are 30 exhilarating challenges that will definitely get your heart racing. Go forth and conquer, our brave friends!

Calling all adventure-seekers and adrenaline junkies! Do you feel like you haven’t truly lived unless you’re flirting with death? Or are you unable to get that sense of adventure unless you feel the spike of adrenaline in your veins?

Here are 30 exhilarating challenges that will definitely get your heart racing. Go forth and conquer, our brave friends!

1. Dance with Death in the Shark Cage

Image credit: kalanz

The great white shark is known to be one of the SCARIEST creatures to ever roam this Earth. Just think of those teeth! *shudders* For those willing to do a dance with death, we invite you to try out the shark cage, where the only thing separating you from these fearsome predators are just thin pillars of metal. Come face to face with rows and rows of those jagged teeth… just inches away from your face! About to pee in your pants? We thought so. Warning: Don’t stick your hand out too far, or you might just end up as, you know, breakfast for the sharks. Go forth and enjoy, all you brave souls – may you live to tell the tale!

2. Climb to the Top of the World with Bridgeclimb Sydney

Image credit: Bridgeclimb Sydney

Think of Sydney, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge immediately comes to mind. And here in Sydney, you even get to climb right to the top of that bridge! Time to face those fears and get REALLY HIGH UP. Ascend the metal steps (be still, those jelly knees) – all 1332 of them! Yep, the summit lies 134m above sea level, 1332 steps above ground. Feast your eyes on the downright magnificent view when you reach the top, IF you reach the top! Okay, we kid. It’s perfectly safe, but that thrill and exhilaration is real. Have the Climb of Your Life – if you dare! See you at the top!

Bridgeclimb Sydney has different climbs to suit every occasion and every kind of adventurer. Our personal favourite is the Twilight climb, where you’ll get to have a spectacular view of the sunset whilst on top of the world. There’s nothing quite like it! This Twilight climb is only available for the month of July, so hurry book your climbing escapade before it’s too late! Visit the Bridgeclimb Sydney website for more details.

Image credit: Bridgeclimb Sydney

3. Take the Leap of Faith a.k.a. BASE Jumping

Image credit: Xof711

Okay, we know it takes a great amount of faith – and sheer courage! – to jump off a high ledge into the great unknown. Wipe off the sweat from your palms, take a DEEP BREATH, don your wingsuits and make sure to strap on your parachutes nice and tight – those will be your ONLY salvations as you take that giant leap of faith! Enjoy that feeling of weightlessness as you plunge towards your impending doom. Remember to keep your eyes open, for the views are magnifique. Picture rolling hills and calm waters as you soar – and with the adrenaline spike in your veins? It’s the best feeling in the world. P.S. Don’t forget to open that parachute too!

4. Sail Through the Skies on a Hang Glider

Image credit: Rio Hang Gliding

Always wanted to fly like a bird? Now you’ve got your chance. Strap yourself into a hang glider, and literally hang hundreds of metres up in the skies. We’re soaring, flying…there literally won’t be anything you can’t reach once you take to the skies on a hang glider! It might sound like a total breeze, but just think: the only thing holding you up is a skimpy metal contraption as well as a couple of belts and buckles. Gulp. The best part? When you first launch off into the air. Soar above the beautiful landscapes of Rio de Janeiro for a flight you’ll never forget!

5. Watch Your Step On The Highest Tennis Court In The World

Image credit: brett jordan

Tennis is a hard sport  – take it from a tennis player and enthusiast. But just imagine sprinting around after a tiny ball on a platform more than 300m in the air. That’s not all, how about having no walls around you as well? Challenge your buddy to the ultimate game of tennis in Dubai as you fight to the death – watch your footing, because one wrong step and it’s sayonara, goodbye for you. This is only for the BRAVEST of us tennis players – you have been warned!

6. Do a Tightrope Act Across the Trift Bridge

Image credit: Bossi

Remember those movie scenes where the hero is crossing a bridge, and the bridge always… snaps? Live out your movie fantasies right here on Switzerland’s Trift Bridge, but do remember that this ain’t no Hollywood. Movie characters somehow always manage to live another day, but you? Better take each step extra carefully. Especially since this bridge is practically threadbare, and super wobbly to boot! Grip those ropes for dear life and make your way gingerly across the worn narrow planks. See you on the other side!

7. Slide Down the Highest Glass Slide in the World

Image credit: CurbedLA

Just think: A glass slide suspended on the OUTSIDE of a building 1000 feet in the air. That’s really really really high up. That’s like 130 Yao Ming’s (you know, that super tall basketball player) stacked on top of each other. Or 12 great blue whales, laid end-to-end. Yup, that high. And with glass being glass, there’s always the possibility that that glass might just.. Crack. Any minute. The thought of this slide in Los Angeles might be more than enough to induce a cold sweat, but this will literally bring you right. To. The. Edge. Remember having that one slide that you refused to touch when you were a kid because it was just too scary? Well, this one totally takes the cake!

8. Get Totally Wet and Wild as You Raft Against Ferocious Waters

Image credit: Bundu Adventures

Calling all adrenaline junkies! There’s nothing like a good beating against a massive force of nature that’s going to get your heart pumping, amirite? This all-out brawl with roaring waters is definitely going to be at the top of all ultimate thrill-seeking activities. Maneuver your way down rapids and canyons with water crashing from every direction. Here’s hoping that your boat will stay afloat; take it from us – no one’s going to leave the boat dry with this one!

9. Jump Down Towards the Highest Peak in the World

Image credit: Everest Skydive

SKYDIVING. Come on, who doesn’t want to try this at least once in their lives! Why not go one step further and take the leap against the backdrop of Mt Everest? Just think of how awesome your pictures will look. So. beautiful! So gather every ounce of courage you have and leap out of the plane thousands of feet in the air. Feel the wind rushing against your face, and your stomach rise up into your throat. Definitely not for those with a fear of heights!

10. Feel Your Stomach Dropping Out on the World’s Steepest Rollercoaster

Image credit: Alex Brogan

I don’t know about you, but one look at the picture is enough to make us sweat. Those turns! Those loops! Those drops – gasp! We all know that Japan is the King of Innovation, but this just makes us question their sanity. This rollercoaster in Japan is the world’s steepest rollercoaster that has a sheer drop angle of 121 degrees! Now that’s steep. Screams guaranteed!

Also Read: The Ultimate South Africa Bucket List: 27 Experiences Every Traveller Must Complete

11. Blaze Your Own Trail By Going Volcano Boarding

Image credit: NicaPlease

Surfing? Pffft. Why surf when you can add an exciting little twist to your experience? Try sliding down the slope of a volcano on a thin board, and I’m sure that it’s going to be enough to change your mind. For the ULTIMATE volcano surfing experience, take a trip to Cerro Negro in western Nicaragua, which, might we add, is an ACTIVE VOLCANO. Blaze past the items on your bucket list with this hot, hot activity!

12. Take the Deepest Plunge Ever at Dean’s Blue Hole

Image credit: Engwirda

This might sure look pretty, but don’t let its looks fool you! This place in the Bahamas is the deepest freshwater sinkhole in the entire world! Cast your eyes around and be greeted by darkness, silence, and the haunting echoes of the underwater cavern. It’s going to be creepy, it’s going to be chilling, so go ahead and take a dive – only if you dare! Why, you never know what’s going to be lurking deep below.

13. Surf or Die with Big-Wave Surfing

Image credit: Jeff Rowley

Picture this: waves thrice your height roaring all around you as you desperately try to make your way towards the light. Dream. Come. True! This is for all you adventurous nuts out there – get up close and personal with the craziest waves at Shipstern Bluff in Tasmania. It’s literally a race against time to surf that wave – too slow, and you’ll go UNDER! It’s truly a test of balance and skill, and sheer dumb luck; we wish you all the best! 

14. Zipline at Breakneck Speed Through a Canyon

Hold your breath as you zip down at 100km/h whilst dangling precariously on a harness a few hundred feet in the air. Gravity Canyon in New Zealand promises downright gorgeous views, and the ride of a lifetime. For those looking for something a little closer to home, check out the Megazip Zip Line in Sentosa, just a stone’s throw away from our Singaporean shores!

15. Come Face to Face With Giant Crocs in the Cage of Death

Image credit: Crocosaurus Cove

So you thought that it couldn’t get any crazier than shark cages? You haven’t seen nothing yet. Submerge yourself in the Cage of Death in Darwin, and go literally face-to-face with the gaping maws of these big, scary crocs! Just like the shark cage, the only thing keeping you from becoming croc chow is one layer of thin, thin, thin piece of fragile glass. Just one chomp, one hairline crack, and… we’ll leave the rest up to your imagination!

16. Take an Icy Dive Beneath the Surface

SPICE up your trip to Europe by taking the plunge – a very icy plunge! We challenge you to submerge yourself into the best ice-diving spot at the Arctic Circle in Russia – you just gotta go big or go home. Embrace that shivering, it’s worth it! Let’s see who comes out on top.

17. Cross the Vast Sahara Desert On a Camel

Image credit: Mainam123456

Remember that episode where Bear Grylls drank his own pee while trying to survive the Sahara Desert? Well, trust us when we say the Sahara Desert isn’t that scary! One of the greatest experiences you can ever have would be to cross the vast desert on the back of a camel. Think: rolling sand dunes, scintillating sunsets, and the rough feel of a camel’s hide. You’ll feel oh-so-miniscule amidst the vastness of it all – enjoy!

18. (Literally) Live On The Edge at the Devil’s Pool

Image credit: joepyrek

Forget the infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands, the Devil’s Pool in Zambia is THE pool to swim in! Peer over the edge, and you’ll find yourself staring down a 108m waterfall that plunges into a cluster of rocks waaaaay down below. Be careful not to jump too far out, we wouldn’t want you to jump… over the edge. *Shivers in exhilaration* Talk about living on the edge!

19. Run Alongside the Bulls at the San Fermin Festival

Image credit: Camilo Rueda Lopez

Spain is famous for its’ exciting fiestas, and this is the most exhilarating of them all! Revel in that feeling of chaos as you stare the bulls in the face. Not just any bulls, but bulls that are stampeding down the street with their horns pointing right at you. Exciting, no? You bet! Word of caution: Proceed with care, because 15 people have died throughout the entire history of this event! You definitely don’t want to be the 16th.

20. Get Hyped Up at a Water Buffalo RaceImage credit: Bil Timmins

Yearning for some animal action closer to home? Look no further than these water buffalo races in Thailand and Indonesia! Bask in the sheer madness of people shouting themselves hoarse at the numerous water buffalos thundering down the course. Sadly, you won’t be able to ride one yourself, but the atmosphere is absolutely insane!

21. Vent Your Office Frustrations In The Office Chair Race

Image credit: Rikki’s Refuge

Ah, those long days bound to your chair and to your work desk – you’re bored, restless, and fed-up beyond comprehension. Why not vent all those frustrations in a race? And in an office-chair race, no less! It might sound ludicrous, but this office-chair race might be all you need to survive that work week. Just imagine your colleagues and you twisting here and there whilst trying to outmaneuver those crafty Germans on their home turf. Trust the Germans to come up with such a sport!

Also Read: 8 Best Destinations in Southeast Asia for the Water Sports Enthusiast

22. Hang On For Dear Life To… Yaks. Yes, Yaks.

Image credit: Sumeet Jain

Yaks might look pretty cute, but they are deceptively cute. Normal skiing just doesn’t cut it anymore, and here in India you can rocket down the hill attached to a charging yak. What…? Yep you heard us right – hang on for dear life to a yak barrelling down a hill at top speed. #YOLO!

23. Bungy Jump Off the Edge of the World

Image credit: Alan Light

Admit it – no adventure bucket list is complete without a bungee jump. Even the most faint-hearted of us will want to do it at least once! There are countless places in the world where you can take that leap, such as the highest jump in Macau or unbelievably scenic locales such as New Zealand or Switzerland. Stop procrastinating, and just jump already!

24. Dangle Minutes Away From Doom On the Insanity Ride

Image credit: Sarah Ackerman

This ride in Vegas is known as the Insanity ride, and rightly so! Riders are suspended 900 feet off the ground, high high above the tiny ants of people crawling around on the streets below. Pray hard before you get on this ride, you’re going to need it when you’re spinning and dangling off the edge of the Stratosphere Las Vegas!

25. Face Nature’s Wrath With a Plunge Off Towering Cliffs

Image credit: John O’Nolan

This isn’t any ordinary dive into the pool off a dive board. This time, you’ll have nature as your foe! Get ready to face all of nature’s wrath as you plunge off towering cliffs to the thrashing waves below you. Not to mention how far the sea will look from your perch atop the rocky cliff!

26. Dive Deeper Than Ever Before At The Blue Hole

Image credit: Adam

Remember Dean’s Blue Hole up above? Why, that’s chicken feet compared to the Blue Hole in the Red Sea, because this one’s 450 feet deep. Four hundred and fifty metres deep! Besides embarking on a deep sea escapade, you’ll also get to feast your eyes on some of the most magnificent underwater sights. Swim amongst stunning stalactites formations with bull sharks circling lazily around you… sounds like a real adventure!

27. Feel On Top Of The World at the Top Of A Tree

Image credit: Tropical Tree Climbing

Those trees you used to climb when you were a kid are going to look like such puny weeds next to the great trees of the Amazon. Ah, the mighty mighty Amazon. Tropical Tree Climbing right here in the rainforest will let you get up ‘til 200 feet in the air – while being seated precariously on a harness! Soak in the tranquil atmosphere and relax amidst the canopy of trees and wildlife stretching out all around you. A date with Mother Nature has never looked so breathtaking!

28. Show Off Those Sick Moves With Your Sandboarding Skills

Image credit: Raphael Koerich

Remember that point about volcano boarding? Add sandboarding to the list. Think about it – just you and your board, surfing down smooth, silky sand. Sounds like a real treat! Grab your fellow thrill-seeking pals and make a trip to Australia, Dubai, or awesomely enough, Vietnam, because this trip is waaaaaay overdue for you thrill-seeking pals.

29. Go Dashing Through the Snow on a Sled Pulled by Huskies

Image credit: The U.S. Army

Always wanted to be one of Santa’s elves on his sleigh? Dog sledding is the next best alternative! Hurl along the deep white snow as you’re pulled along by numerous strong, panting, and incredibly fast huskies. Zip through the course in a teensy carrier pulled by these fearsome dogs, and feel like you’re going to fall face-first into the snow with every heart-stopping swerve! Plus point: the huskies are extremely adorable, and are always up for a belly rub post-ride.

30. Pilot Your Own Jet. ‘Nuff said!

Image credit: MiGFlug

You heard it from us first – there’s an opportunity for you to be a real-life pilot! Zinger #1: You get to fly your own plane, duh! Zinger #2: No experience needed. Zinger #3: The views. The views! There’s no better way to feel completely in control than to be flying your very own plane. Don’t forget to take an epic selfie while you’re at it. Aye, aye pilot!

Also Read: Adrenaline Junkies Unite! 5 Experiences in the World that’s No Ordinary Playground

Feeling that need for speed? Time to check all 30 experiences off your list – you only live once, so time to get cracking. Go get ‘em!

About Author

Farzana Fattah
Farzana Fattah

Farzana is a student at Singapore Management University who’s currently wondering what on earth she’s doing with her life. When not nerding out over the latest superhero movie or scrolling through memes on Tumblr, she is almost definitely researching random places across the globe and daydreaming about the next holiday destination. She is inspired by the variety of cultures in the world and hopes to travel to at least fifty countries in her lifetime to experience most of them.

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