 10. Edge Walk, CN Tower, Toronto, Canada
The rules of the game are this: head 1,168 feet up to top of tower, strap on harness, lean out over its furthest ledge – and pray. We’ll concede that thanks to strict safety controls, EdgeWalk isn’t dangerous in the mortal peril sense, but it’s nonetheless one of the more terrifying ways to spend $175. EdgeWalk 9. Bungee Jump a Volcano, Pucón, Chile The perennially insane act of throwing oneself off a bridge tied to a piece of elastic just got jacked up. For $12,500, try diving off a helicopter into the mouth of the active Villarrica volcano in Chile, where you’ll dangle 700 feet over a pool of bubbling lava. Hilariously, the website’s FAQ includes the question, ‘Could I die?’ to which they reassuringly answer, ‘Yes. You could. You'll be signing a waiver though, so we're cool.’ Bungee 8. Whitewater rafting with crocodiles, Zimbabwe, Africa Head to Batoka Gorge below Victoria Falls to experience the world’s wildest raftable rapids. But the Zambezi's water isn’t all you’ll need to fear, for below the surface swim hundreds of not overly hospitable crocodiles. While we’re assured that they’re quite small, sometimes size isn’t everything. Zambezi 7. Wild weather watching, Oklahoma / Colorado, USA The company Storm Chasing Adventure Tours offers just what its name suggests. Having filmed for Nat Geo, Discovery and NBC amongst others, these hurricane hunters know what they’re doing. For $2000 join them on 6-day tours across the aptly titled Tornado Alley (several states in central N. America) to witness these forces of nature from the relative safety of fortified trucks. Storm Chasing 6. Tow Surfing Jaws Break, Maui, Hawaii Jaws, one of the world’s biggest wave breaks has become the daredevil surfer’s apex. Guides tow you into the breakpath on jetskis – then whisk you to safety just before the 33 foot wall of water crashes onto you. While there haven’t been any recorded deaths yet, the rising number of novice riders giving it a good old go are causing some concern. Jaws Tours 5. Running the Bulls, Pamplona, Spain Being chased by a horde of stressed out bulls isn’t to everyone’s taste, yet thousands turn up annually in Pamplona to do just that. Lasting on average 3 minutes, the exhilaration is said to be tremendous. But then we find the idea of a second piña colada by the pool pretty thrilling too. And we’re on the bulls’ side anyway. Bull run 4. Death Road, La Paz, Bolivia When traveling across a track called the Death Road there are two things to consider: 1). Do I value my life? and 2). How bouncy is my car? If the answers are yes and not very, you should avoid this route. Winding 40 miles from La Paz to Coroico, this rail-less road is at times just 10 feet wide – forcing around 20 cars off its cliff-face each year, causing an average annual death toll of 100. Needless to say you’d have more luck wearing a parachute than a seatbelt. Trekker 3. Tour a War Zone Run by ex-military men, War Zone Tours offers a rare insight into the heart of, well, war zones. While arguably very questionable to profit from the struggles of another nation, the team offers an on the ground insight into globally significant events, from Iraq to Mexico to Africa. But the company is quick to mention that “You’re not going there to fight. We're not going to hand you an AK-47. We’re not there to get shot at.” - The spoilsports. War Zone Tours 2. Tour a nuclear fallout area, Chernobyl, Ukraine A genuine piece of tragic history, Chernobyl – the site of 1986’s huge nuclear disaster – was in 2010 considered safe by the Ukrainian government, though in 2011 there was some backtracking. Now officially illegal, several on-site travel companies promise to take you around, though forbid touching vegetation or eating outdoors (always a red flag). Quite why you’d want to do either of these things however is another question entirely. 1. Scale Mount Huashan, China on a plank of wood The true daredevil knows no fears, and walking a rickety 12 inch plank around a sheer cliff-face aint no thing. High winds, suspiciously unsupportive harnesses (only around the chest, not the waist) and hordes of hungover gap year travelers only add to the horror. This is undeniably the most dangerous and terrifying tourist attraction in the world. Travel China
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