Extreme Sports in South America
Boasting a long list of extreme sports, South America is the perfect holiday destination if you love an adrenaline rush.
Thanks to its high peaks, huge waves, dramatic dunes and its people’s lust for life, South America offers countless opportunities to partake in extreme sports. In this vast continent, even the simple pastime of walking can be turned into an exciting experience. Why not trek Ecuador’s Avenue of Volcanoes? Or, if getting wet and wild is more up your street, how about taking a break from the vineyards of Mendoza and spending the day white-water rafting through some of Argentina’s powerful rapids?
Thrill-seekers love South America and who can blame them? With active volcanoes, dense jungle and vast expanses of desert, you are never short of adrenaline-inducing activities here. Jump in a dune buggy and explore the sand dunes of Brazil’s Parque das Dunas, dive in to some of the world’s most pristine waters off the coast of the Galapagos Islands or get away from everything and make for the windy town of Paracas on Peru’s west coast for a spot of kiteboarding.
For those brave enough to attempt it by mountain bike, Bolivia is home to what has been called ‘the world’s most dangerous road’. Dropping down the mountainside between La Paz and Coroico, the North Yungas Road – nicknamed ‘Death Road’ – is certainly not for the faint-hearted! In fact, if you have a head for heights, South America will not disappoint. Action Valley has the continent’s highest bungee jump, while Colombia’s much-loved city of Cartagena makes for a beautiful tapestry below as you enjoy a tandem skydive. Paragliding enthusiasts, meanwhile, should head to Iquique for a bird's eye view of the Chilean coast or, if you plan to visit in the winter, be sure to make your way to Las Leñas in Argentina for some seriously good off-piste skiing. With so many choices available, this extreme-sports mecca offers year-round thrills that will quite literally take your breath away.
- Bungee jump in Action Valley, Cusco, Peru
- Climb to the summit of Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador
- Zip-line above the Sacred Valley, Peru
- Go hang gliding over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Try white-water rafting in the Andes near Mendoza, Argentina