13 Of The Most Extreme Places To Visit In The World

If you are always wanting to go to extremes, an adventurer constantly looking for adrenaline rush holidays, feast your eyes on some of the most extreme places you can visit and things you can do in this varied and wonderful world.

1. Steepest - Mount Thor, Canada

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While not the highest peak in the world this mountain, at 5,495 feet in height, is the steepest. Mount Thor in Nunavut, Canada offers a 4,101 foot vertical drop with an average angle of around 105 degrees and it’s all just pure granite. While very remote, this mountain is popular with the more daring mountain climbers from all over the world.

2. Driest - Atacama Desert, Chile

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For extreme dryness, it’s hard to beat the Atacama Desert in Chile. Looking like something quite literally out of this world, the desert has seen the least rainfall in the world’s recorded history. In fact, according to NASA, the desert has soil comparable to that on Mars.

3. Closest To Space - Mount Chimborazo, Ecuador

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Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador has a unique claim to fame. This inactive volcano at 20,000 feet high might not be the tallest mountain in the world, but due to its position at the furthest point from the centre of the Earth, the peak is the closest to outer space reachable by man on foot.

4. Coldest And Remotest - Antarctica

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Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth with a record low of -93.2 degrees Celsius, is only sparsely populated and is one of the most difficult to reach. Accessible only by sea, in special ice-strengthened ships, the continent is well known for its breathtaking scenery, but due to its dangers, needs to be toured with experts who know the area well.

5. Coldest Inhabited - Oymyakon, Russia

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With a recorded historic temperature of -71.2 degrees Celsius back in 1924, Oymyakon in Russia is the coldest inhabited spot in the world. Once used for political exiles, the area has since become popular for sports such as ice hockey, ice fishing and skiing.

6. Hottest - Lut Desert, Iran

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Going totally the other extreme, with temperatures as high as 70 degrees Celsius, the Lut Desert in Iran is for those who like it really hot and unbearably dry.

7. Largest Salt Flat - Salar De Uyuni, Bolivia

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Located in Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat, measuring some 10,000 square kilometres. The desert-like salt flat, along with the extraordinary heat in the area, makes for fascinating mirages and surrealistic views.

8. Tallest Waterfall - Angel Falls, Venezuela

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Hidden in an isolated jungle in Venezuela, the Angel Falls are approximately 3,212 feet high, with a 2,648-foot plunge, as well as fascinating cascades and rapids.

9. Remote Trekking - Himalayas, Nepal

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With the highest mountains in the world, for those who enjoy trekking and mountain climbing in remote places, the Himalayas are key. Whether scaling Mt. Everest, or exploring Nepal, the Himalayas are an experience of a lifetime.

10. Most Isolated - Tristan da Cunha

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The most isolated spot on the globe is actually a British Overseas Territory. Tristan da Cunha is an island, more than 1,750 miles from the nearest coast in Africa, and is only accessible by sea.

11. Treacherous Waters - Gansbaai, South Africa

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Actually it’s not the waters that are treacherous, but those who inhabit them. Gansbaai in South Africa offers an extreme cage diving experience with the Great White Sharks, offering a face-to-face view of these deadly and scary creatures.

12. Wingsuit Flight - Eiger, Switzerland

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For those wishing to literally jump off the top of a mountain, the Eiger, towering 13,000 feet over the town of Grindelwald, Switzerland, offers the perfect spot for the extreme sport known as BASE jumping, considered to be one of the most dangerous sports in the world.

13. Extreme Explorations - Amazon Rainforest, South America

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Despite the fact that this area of the world offers so much danger in the way of vicious wildlife, jungle-borne diseases and terrifying spiders, the Amazon is a popular destination for those wanting to get away from it all in one of the last, great frontiers of nature.