Like risk? We've got some vacation ideas for you. Update your will and pack your bags.
No guts, no bragging rights. From the dicey to the deadly, we've rounded up daring recreational adventures that will satisfy the novice thrill seeker and seasoned adventure traveler alike, rating each on its level of hazardousness. So when planning your next vacation, ask yourself: What would Richard Branson do?
The Human Torch
First you slide down a 210-foot zip line. Then they set you on fire. It's a typical day in the life of an action star (or at least his stunt double) and part of a five-day vacation in Las Vegas. You'll learn professional stuntman techniques as you use heavy weapons like M-16s and AK-47s, fall out of a 60-foot tower, practice stunt driving, and perform choreographed punches, kicks, and flips. And all of the training is videotaped, so you can relive the rush.
Who'll show you how
You'll need a group of four or more for the Stunt
Experience, run by Thrillseekers Unlimited. Prices start at $2,600 per person.
Danger quotient !
It's a completely controlled environment, so you may even have a better chance of pulling a muscle at the slot machines.
It's a Long Way Down
The only thing heavenly about high-altitude, low-opening (or HALO) jumping is the height at which you leap out of the plane: nearly six miles up. Then you wait until you fall as low as 4,500 feet to open your chute. The technique is used by military special forces to slip into enemy territory. After a day of training, you don an oxygen mask, strap yourself to an instructor, and take the plunge. The free fall may be the most exhilarating--and longest--two minutes you've ever experienced.
Who'll take you
Incredible Adventures runs HALO jumping courses near Memphis every week between May and November for $3,500. To participate, you must be physically fit and weigh less than 210 pounds.
Danger quotient !!!
HALO jumping is considered more dangerous than parachuting, but according to the U.S. Parachuting Association about 30 out of three million participants die every year from traditional skydiving.
On Top of the World
Take in the vast landscape of the Arctic as you ski from 89 degrees latitude to 90--the geographic North Pole. It's a test of endurance that starts in Longyearbyen, Norway. You'll need to be fit enough to drag a sled packed with up to 80 pounds of equipment, skiing eight to 10 hours a day for more than a week to cover roughly 80 miles. And you'll need to put up with temperatures of 40 below zero.
Who'll take you
The Northwest Passage runs its North Pole "Last Degree" Ski Expedition every April and can take you for $17,000.
Danger quotient !!!
Did we mention the polar bears? Your two guides carry guns to ward off hungry foes who think you'd be as tasty as chilled salmon.
The River Wild
Buried in the Andes of southern Peru, the Colca Canyon, among the deepest canyons in the world, offers one of the most intense rafting experiences you can have. You'll need to be in top shape to battle stretches of Class 5 white-water rapids (one level below impassable). In places, the river narrows to the width of a single raft and the canyon walls reach two miles high on either side, leaving only a sliver of blue sky.
Who'll take you
For $3,000 a person, Earth River Expeditions leads 12-day trips through the Colca Canyon every June.
Danger quotient !!!!
