If you were somehow not already aware, I have a penchant for throwing myself off high places.
Yet, despite already having been on a whole host of adventures, I’m only 23.
This means that (touch wood) I have many more years of adventures ahead of me.
There’s so much I still want to tick off my bucket list and I’m not going to quit this adrenaline streak anytime soon. Sorry, mum.
This bumper adrenaline junkie bucket list covers everything from volcano boarding and swimming with crocodiles to theme park rides and walking on the wing of a plane.
So strap up, buckle down and get ready to start planning some crazy adventures!
1. Skydive over Mount Everest
Skydiving anywhere should be at the top of your adrenaline junkie bucket list.
But skydiving over the tallest mountain on the effing planet?
Oh yeah, now that is something else.
I mean, just look at those views!
As you can imagine at that height this isn’t any old skydive.
You’ll experience a rare “oxygen jump” and land on one of the highest drop zones on the planet at 15,000 ft (which is the height I skydived from!).
Yep, that means you’ll be dropping off from a height of 29,500 ft. Certainly not for the faint-hearted.
However, skydiving over Everest isn’t for those short of cash.
Rather than just being able to rock up, jump and leave, the Everest skydive is only offered as part of an 11-day trek through Nepal that wraps up with two tandem skydives.
And that trek, held annually every November, starts at $25,000!
2. Take on the highest bungee jump in the world in China
Once again, any old bungee jump will do.
But if you really want to push yourself to the limit, there’s no better place to bungee jump than from Macau Tower, just an hour’s ferry ride away from Hong Kong!
Run by AJ Hackett, the New Zealand entrepreneur who popularised the extreme sport of bungee jumping, you can guarantee that it is nothing short of safe.
This bungee will see you take a 233-metre plunge down Macau Tower.
However, if you don’t quite have the balls to take the plunge just yet, AJ Hackett offers a whole host of other adrenaline junkie bucket list activities from the tower.
We’re talking a Skywalk, Sky Jump, and even a Tower Climb!
3. Fastest zipline in the world in North Wales
You may have been on a zip wire or two during your time, but have you ever been on the fastest zip line in the world/the longest zip wire in Europe?
The whole experience lasts around two hours from start to finish.
You get to go on two zip wires across the historic and truly breathtaking Penrhyn Quarry, first on the little zipper then experiencing Velocity on the big zipper, reaching speeds of up to 125mph.
Having personally been on this zip wire, the photos and videos you see online really don’t do the scale of it justice.
I was shocked by just how high up and steep it was.
However, if you’re not feeling brave enough for Velocity just yet then don’t worry, there are plenty of smaller zip lines too!
4. Volcano boarding in Nicaragua
This is perhaps one of the most unique adrenaline junkie bucket list experiences on this list.
I mean, it’s not every day you slide down an active volcano!
Wherewith the adventures above you are in the safe capable hands of either instructors or a harness, with volcano boarding you’re doing this solo.
No wonder it’s one of the most extreme sports in the world!
The best place to go volcano boarding in the world is, undoubtedly, Nicaragua.
This is because this is where the sport was initially invented by Australian thrill-seeker, Daryn Webb, in 2004.
First testing everything from picnic tables to mattresses, they eventually landed on a sit-down toboggan made of metal and Formica-reinforced plywood which is used by the public today.
Once you reach the top of the 2,388-foot summit, you will slip into a sexy orange jumpsuit and safety goggles, before launching yourself over the edge.
Accelerating as the incline steepens, expect small rocks to fly from all angles – fingers crossed, you remain unscathed in the process!
5. Ride the world’s steepest rollercoaster in Japan
Pretty self-explanatory but the world’s steepest rollercoaster, Takabisha, definitely deserves its place on this list.
Found at the Fuji-Q Highland theme park in Yamanashi, Japan, this rollercoaster is most well-known for its steep drop angle of 121°.
The ride only lasts 112 seconds but who can complain when you’re on the steepest rollercoaster in the world?
6. Go on the world’s biggest swing in New Zealand
We really are enjoying the world’s tallest, fastest, steepest, etc. today, aren’t we?
Well bam, now take the world’s largest swing.
Not your ordinary park swingset, the Nevis Swing in New Zealand swings you in a 300-metre arc over seventy metres, reaching speeds of up to 75 miles per hour.
AJ Hackett really aren’t here to play, are they?
The best part is that you don’t have to do it alone either!
Choose to swing by yourself or tandem with a friend – forwards, backwards, upside-down – however you like.
Either way, this swing is bound to get your heart pumping.
7. Go base jumping in Norway
Base jumping is pretty much the scariest thing you can do, right?
Taking matters into your own hands, base jumping is essentially skydiving on steroids.
If you’re not already familiar with the art of base jumping, base jumping is the recreational sport of jumping from fixed objects, using a parachute to descend safely to the ground.
Obviously, it’s not something you can just rock up and do – you’ll need to attend a Base Jump school first.
Just have a Google and see what you can find near you.
Once you’re a base jump pro, it’s time to take to the skies!
One of the most famous base jumping spots in the world is Norway, specifically Kjerag.
This mountain is already popular with tourists from around the world, but why not see it from a different perspective?
8. Traverse the Mount Hua plank walk in China
This famous plank walk is constantly doing the rounds on social media – it’s hard to miss it!
Considered one of the most dangerous hikes in the world, it’s no surprise that it regularly goes viral.
In order to reach a small shrine, hikers must first walk across a few planks of wood bolted into the side of a 7,000-ft peak.
They may be harnessed, but that doesn’t take away from how terrifying it is!
Especially as it’s always packed too.
9. Cycle Death Road in Bolivia
The appropriately named Death Road attracts thrill-seekers from all around the globe.
One of the scariest parts of cycling Death Road is that it isn’t only used by cyclists.
Nope, you can anticipate vehicles at any time, so never steer into a blind corner without checking for oncoming traffic first.
The cycle route is about sixty km long and links the city of La Paz and the Yungas region of Bolivia.
By taking on this route, you will be rewarded with some beautiful Bolivian scenery.
Marked by its lush cloud forest rich in vegetation, the area is certainly easy on the eyes.
Just try not to take your eyes off the road too much, yeah?
The highest point is 15,260 ft, after all.
10. Walk on the wing of a plane in the UK
Yes, I have not just made this up, this is actually something you can do.
And boy has it shot itself right to the top of my adrenaline junkie bucket list.
We do love the UK’s strange, quirky traditions, don’t we?
There are several airfields across the UK where you can participate in this activity, all the way from Kent and Devon to Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
The wing-walking flight lasts ten minutes and is conducted by a highly qualified pilot who completes a variety of flypasts and manoeuvres to make things a little more fun for you!
Sign me up.
11. Swim to Devils Pool in Victoria Falls
Every time I think about this, I am in complete awe that it’s actually possible.
You can swim right up to the edge AND come back alive. Nuts!
You’ll find yourself just casually looking right into the 103m chasm of the falls, while huge torrents of water flow just metres away.
It seems far too good to be true.
But with the help of a trusty guide (and please make sure they are trustworthy), the operation is extremely well managed and run, with safety being a high priority.
Five trips run each day, from late August to early January, and they last up to two hours.
A boat ride will take you to Livingstone Island where you then swim slightly upstream in a very slow current towards Devil’s Pool.
The pool itself is a deep natural pool that has been created by thousands of years of erosion.
The reason you’re not swept over the edge is that there’s a rock ledge on the lip of the falls that is only a few centimetres deep.
This acts as a natural barrier!
12. Do the EdgeWalk in Toronto
There are a number of these so-called walks all around the world, from Auckland to Macau, but by far the most impressive is the EdgeWalk up CN Tower in Toronto, Canada.
The first of its kind in North America, it’s the world’s highest full circle hands-free walk, located on a 5 ft wide ledge, 1168ft above the ground.
Encircling the top of the tower’s main pod, visitors walk in groups while attached to an overhead safety rail via a trolley and harness system.
It definitely provides the best view of Toronto that you could possibly ask for!
13. Have dinner in the sky
While the actual activity of sitting down, eating and drinking to your heart’s content may seem a walk in the park, Dinner in the Sky takes eating to new heights.
Literally.
The most high-end experience in the world, you can experience Dinner in the Sky all around the globe.
The company have arranged more than 5,000 events in cities ranging from Paris to Las Vegas!
To book your table, just head over to their website to find their next events.
14. Swim with crocodiles in the Cage of Death
You may have heard of swimming with sharks, so why not try swimming with crocodiles in the Cage of Death instead?
Australia’s only crocodile dive is the best place to come face to face with the world’s largest reptile.
Each experience lasts fifteen minutes, allowing you plenty of time to marvel at a 5m+ saltwater crocodile.
Designed for one or two people per cage, the cage suspends above the crocs before being lowered into the pen for an up-close encounter.
Be ready to soak up their size and prehistoric features from different perspectives!
15. Walk the Zhangjiajie glass bridge
There is a fair share of glass bridges and platforms around the world but Zhangjiajie might just be the most impressive!
Hanging over Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, it’s the world’s longest and highest glass bridge at 1,411 feet long and 984 feet high.
The glass floor takes sightseeing to a whole new level!
However, be warned: while it looks serene, it’s typically overrun by tourists.
16. Take a ride on Insanity in Las Vegas
Taking your average theme park to a whole new level, Insanity really is, well, insane.
This Vegas ride spins you and several other passengers in the open air at speeds of up to three Gs, propelling you up to an angle of seventy degrees.
Heck, this could be a scary enough ride on the ground!
But nope, it extends 64 feet out over the edge of the SkyPod at a height of over 866 feet.
Be sure to keep your eyes open if you can, as you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking view of historic downtown Las Vegas.
17. Sleep cliffside in Peru
If you’re less of a fan of jumping out of aeroplanes and more of a fan of, well, sleeping, Skylodge Adventure Suites might be up your street.
Possibly the craziest Airbnb I’ve ever seen, Skylodge is home to three transparent capsules that hang from the top of a mountain in the Sacred Valley of Cuzco in Peru.
You’re probably thinking how the fuck am I meant to get up there?
Well, you have two choices: climbing 400 metres of Via Ferrata or hiking an intrepid trail through ziplines.
Once you’re up there though, you’ll be rewarded with the most stunning views across the valley below, plus breakfast and a gourmet dinner with wine.
The pods are designed to handle all sorts of weather, including winds, so let’s just hope you sleep soundly!
For those who’d rather not stay the night, SkyLodge also offers a lunch-only, Peruvian gastronomic experience.
So there you have it: the ultimate adrenaline junkie bucket list!
There are so many great adrenaline activities around the globe and I’m sure you’re now desperate to try some.
However, if you’re looking for more inspiration, then check out my favourite adventure quotes that will have you booking your next flight in no time!