Gifts for the extreme adventurer in your life

Are these experiences the presents that really last?

Forget the scarf and the perfume this year. Want to wow friends and family with a gift they’ll actually remember? Then consider sending them on an extreme adventure. People derive more happiness, Cornell University research shows, from experience-based presents than they do from objects.  

These trips are pricey, to be sure. But paying for it doesn’t have to break the bank. Sites including myregistry.com and depositagift.com make it easy for individuals or groups of friends to put money towards one large gift. From exploring the ice caves in Iceland to walking with penguins on the Falkland Islands, here’s a look at some unforgettable holiday adventures.

Volcano trekking

Climbing Ecuador’s Triple Crown, three glacier-topped volcanoes, is quicker than trekking through the Alps or the Andes, but the views from the summits are just as spectacular, according to Pete Royall, product manager at KE Adventure based in Keswick, UK. Best of all, there’s little technical training required, though “familiarity with walking in crampons is a prerequisite,” Royall said. Due to the trek’s popularity, the company has increased its trips to five per year from just one per year a decade ago. The top of the Chimborazo volcano is the furthest point in the world from the earth’s centre. Price: £1,845 ($2,788) at KE Adventure

Helicopter skiing

Most skiers will try anything in search of the perfect powder — including being dropped from a helicopter. The Blue River area of British Columbia, Canada, gets 10 metres of snowfall each year and covers more than 1.2 million acres so every run feels like the “ski run of a lifetime,” said Jess Pearce, sales and marketing manager of Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing. Ski instructors help guests navigate anything from deep snow to backcountry descents of the Cariboo and Monashee mountains. Price: 4,443-12,265 Canadian dollars (US$3,367 to $9,296) at Mike Wiegele

Walking with penguins

Located more than 500km off the coast of Argentina, The Falkland Islands, once an archipelago scattered with landmines, has become a wildlife haven for what’s estimated to be more than a million penguins from five different species. Most tourists fly to East Falkland from Chile to experience the penguin army and other wildlife, such as sea lions. For visitors, getting close to the wildlife is the ultimate experience. “We manage our tourism well so people are free to walk amongst [the penguins],” said Jenny Luxton, a tour operator living in Stanley who has offered tours for 25 years. Price: £1,500 to £2,000 ($2,264 to $3,020)

Wilderness survival camp

Getting off the grid at a wilderness survival camp doesn’t mean guests are simply left wandering around the forest, said Cliff Hodges, founder of Adventure Out based in Santa Cruz, California. “We’d prefer our students not to suffer,” he said. Instead, participants work with expert guides and learn how to build shelter, a fire and prepare edible plants all in an effort to learn the necessary outdoor survival skills. People want to de-stress outdoors, away from mobile-phone towers, he said, adding that the number of guests has quadrupled since the company launched in 2005. Children under 12 can attend most tours with adult supervision. Price: $125 to $750 at Adventure Out

Ice caving

Iceland’s centuries-old ice caves are in a state of constant flux, which means tour guides typically pick their winter spots each year when the river levels fall and the water freezes. Knowing where to go means plenty of incredible photo opportunities of the blue-tinged ice. A few hours’ drive from Reykjavik, visitors trek with guides to cave entrances before entering to explore the ice formations. Price: 19,900 Icelandic krona ($150) at Glacier Guides

Shark cage diving

For visitors to Cape Town, South Africa, there’s no better way to explore the regions rich marine life than diving to see Great White sharks in their natural habitat. The behaviour of sharks differs throughout the year, according to Karyn Cooper, general manager at Apex Shark Expedition. From mid-February to September the Great Whites stay close to the boat but during the SA summertime (October to mid-February) visitors can see sharks in predation mode and “breaching on seals,” Cooper said. Guests spend about four hours at sea and dive in a floating steel cage near the ocean surface. Price: 1,950 South African rand ($138)

Wandering salt flats

When visitors head to Bolivia’s salt flats, they should be prepared for the most basic accommodation (i.e. no public toilets or central heating in sub-zero temperatures), said Roberto Orihuela, co-founder of La Torre Tours in Tupiza, Bolivia. But that hasn’t kept travellers away from wandering the spectacular 11,000 sq km Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. Visitors take jeeps into the salt dessert and stay at nearby hotels or with local families. Growing demand means the company now operates 29 jeeps to visit the flats, up from just three jeeps 10 years ago.  Price: $210 at La Torre Tours

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