<div>Virgin group CEO Richard Branson tried to set a world record on his 60th birthday, a couple of years ago, by kiting across the English Channel. That he had to abort the mission due to bad weather is another matter. He’s also made several attempts to circle the globe in a hot air balloon. In fact, there’s a story about him having written a goodbye note to his family while marooned in a hot air balloon, 12,000 feet above the ground, after his pilot bailed out. Fortunately, he managed to land.<br /> </div><div>Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle, enjoys taking part in regattas — a sea sport where many an experienced sailor has lost his life. <br /> </div><div>Last year, director and producer James Cameron became the first person to dive 11 km to the deepest point in the ocean.<br /> </div><div>Closer home, Vijaypat Singhania, the chairman emeritus of the Raymond Group set a world record a couple of decades ago when he flew a microlight aircraft from London to Ahmedabad. <br /> </div><div>What is it about pushing the limits that gives these men a thrill like no other? Having achieved so much in life, defying nature and the elements seems to be the only challenge left for them to overcome. They love the adrenaline rush that comes with participating in an extreme sport or adventure. The large element of risk involved makes it all the more exciting — it’s almost a stress-buster for them.<br /> </div><div>Now, many Indian travellers, so far content with taking family on beach and hill station vacations, are increasingly opting for adventure holidays.<br /> </div><div>According to a recent TripAdvisor survey, 16 per cent Indians said they preferred an adventure holiday as opposed to 11 per cent globally. <br /> </div><div>If you too are bored of the ordinary and itching to take the road less travelled for an adventure of a lifetime, read on. Forget bungee jumping off high bridges, river rafting through deep gorges or skydiving from 14,000 ft, those are for regular Joes. Try your hand at our pick of adventure holidays for that ultimate adrenaline kick. Be warned, they are not for the faint-hearted.</div><table width="400" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3"><tbody><tr><td><img src="/image/image_gallery?uuid=9d8dcbb3-6259-4dd1-aee4-cb060df0a25c&groupId=816580&t=1368791932569" width="610" height="300" vspace="3" hspace="3" alt="" /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><strong>THE END OF THE WORLD: Skiing enroute to the South Pole while dragging a sled is no mean feat<br /><br type="_moz" /></strong></span></div><div><strong>South Pole — The Final Conquest</strong></div><div>With temperatures falling to -22 degrees Celsius in June and July, it may not be the ideal time for exploring the South Pole. However, it makes it to our list simply because it will take you at least six months of strength and resistance training to prepare for this life-changing adventure which requires you to ski for 6-8 hours daily, pulling a sled that weighs approximately 30 kg. Thankfully, the skiing does not require much skill. “It is similar to walking on ice,” says Annie Aggens of The Polar Explorers, a US-based travel company specialising in expeditions to the Poles. However, you do need good cardiovascular endurance and stamina to not only pull the sled but have enough strength to help set up camp in the evenings. The trip involves flying to Punta Arenas in Chile and on to Antarctica from there. The last 69 miles (approximately 111 km) to the South Pole have to be done on skis. <br /> </div><div>With 24 hours of daylight, there’s no dusk to signal the end of a day’s exertion. Add to that the beautiful but inhospitable environment and you begin to realise why an expedition to the southernmost point of Earth is no cakewalk. But if you have the physical strength and stamina, you can join the elite club of a few hundred who have been to the end of the world. <br /> </div><div>Of course, to enjoy an adventure of this magnitude you also need deep pockets as a two-week trip can set you back by over $10,000.<br /> </div><div><strong>Amazon Adventure</strong></div><div>Here’s a no brainer. When you return from your holiday, what do you think is going to get more people interested in what you did — lying on the beach or swimming with the piranhas? <br /> </div><div>For those willing to test their survival skills, there’s no place like the Amazon. Take a jungle survival course or go in search of the anaconda with a local guide. On a two-week survival course, you are taken deep into the jungles of Guyana in South America. Here you are taught techniques on how to find water, make traps, hunt with a bow and arrow, start a fire without a match, build a shelter and even find your way out of the jungle. You sleep on hammocks and cook your own meals. And when you begin to feel comfortable with your surroundings, the instructor and the guides leave you. Yes, you pay them to abandon you in the middle of the jungle with nothing more than a machete or pocket knife! For the next few days you are on your own. Survive the jungle and live to tell the tale.<br /> </div><div>You don’t need to be a national-level athlete for this adventure but basic fitness is required. Also it helps if you are not squemish about what you eat. Price: $2200-2500 for the course plus airfare.</div><div> </div><div><strong>Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro</strong></div><div>This summer challenge the world’s tallest freestanding mountain — and your own determination. The trek will take between 9-10 days, depending upon the route, the weather and your guide. You will be required to hike between 3-7 hours daily. The good thing is that the climb to Mt Kilimanjaro is now well organised. So, you have porters who carry your luggage and decent camps to stay in. “We organise a hike in the Arusha National Park a day prior to the starting of the trek to help you acclimatise,” says Amit Kalsi, vice-president of private travel at Abercrombie & Kent. <br /> </div><div>Needless to say, you need to be fit to undertake this adventure. Price: $3500-4,000 per person. </div><div> </div><div><strong>Gorilla Tracking And Trekking</strong></div><div>Tracking gorillas in the wild is often touted as one of the 50 things to do before you die. Not surprising, considering there are just over 800 mountain gorillas in the wild, making them a rare species. Of these, nearly 350 are found in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a world heritage site. “Seeing these primates in their natural habitat is spellbinding,” says Mukti Datta, an Almora-based entrepreneur who went on a gorilla trek last year. “Tracking gorillas is not an exact science.<br /> <br />They move around the forest at will, so you need to be ready for arduous climbing,” says Kalsi.<br /> <br />Not satisfied with just gorillas, you can go in search of chimpanzees as well. However, you need to book these trips in advance as gorilla-tracking permits are issued to only a few people every day. Price: $2,000 onwards per person for a 4-5 day trip.<br /><br /><div>smitatripathi(at)<span style="line-height: 1.4;">bworldmail(dot)com</span></div><div>Twitter: (at)smitabw</div><br /><span style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal;">(This story was published in BW | Businessworld Issue Dated 03-06-2013)</span></div>
