If your idea of relaxing is Evel Knievel-style, staring imminent danger and death in the face, there are plenty of options to get your adrenaline going, says Joshua Tan

Parahawking

The thrill factor: Imagine flying over a lush valley surveying the fabulous scenery that stretches out for miles. Suddenly, an eagle swoops down alongside you, flying headlong into a rush of winds that suddenly lifts the both of you even higher till the clouds become a filmy carpet under your feet.

Developed by Scott Mason in 2001, parahawking combines two vastly disparate activities – paragliding and falconry – creating a unique experience. Mason is an avid paraglider as well as an expert falconer.

Capitalising on birds’ instinct to seek the thermal winds, which elevates them to greater heights, he trained his charges to lead paragliders to these exhilarating levels. Another trick he taught them was to land on the driver’s arm, as if hitching a ride.

Where it’s done: Pokhara in the Himalayas, where birds of prey such as eagles, kites and vultures are known to congregate. Located at the base of the Great Himalaya Range, Pokhara is Nepal’s third largest city after Kathmandu and Biratnagar, with a population of about 200,000 people.

Enthusiasts take to the skies above the Pokhara Valley overlooking the beautiful scenery of the Himalayas.

Price: Parahawking can be done for US$135 onwards.

Contact: Scott Mason, tel 977 061 523 650, www.parahawking.com

AEROBATIC FLYING

The thrill factor: Aerobatic flying is like executing the heart-thumping barrel rolls and 360-degree loops in dog fights during the Second World War.

Definitely not for the faint hearted, participants will get the opportunity to fly with ex-military pilots, who first demonstrate a series of high-speed aerial manoeuvres before handing you the controls. Soon, you’ll be soaring to infinity and even performing snazzy stunts

You will also have the chance to “engage” another plane, sans the danger of a real-life situation, and zoom up and down the Blue Yonder, experiencing a freedom you’ve never felt before.

Where it’s done: In Cirencester, Gloucestershire, the UK, less than two hours from London by car or train.

Flights take place in the Extra300, the world’s top two-seater aerobatic plane with a maximum passenger weight of 98.4kg, and a maximum height of 1.93m. Naturally, due to the nature of the sport, there is a minimum age of 16 for those daring enough to try it.

Price: From US$618.70.

Contact: Extreme Element, tel 44 845 862 9900, www.exelement.co.uk

FLIGHT OF THE GIBBON

The thrill factor: This adrenaline-pumping activity shows participants a different perspective of the rainforests of Chiang Mai – from above, that is.

The activity allows people to “fly” through the jungle canopy layer of on a zip line that is connected to 18 platforms, skybridges and lowering stations forming a 2km-long sky top network.

The activity, unique to Thailand, mimics the way gibbons move through the forest. If you’re lucky, you might even see some of these frisky primates as you “swing” from tree to tree.

Where it’s done: Mae Kompong, 1,300m above sea level and approximately 55 minutes outside Chiang Mai City in northern Thailand. All the guides are native to the area, and visitors are encouraged to ask any questions they may have about the forest and indigenous wildlife. The forest in question is about 1,500 years old and hosts a rich biodiversity that visitors can see first hand while moving through the treetops like gibbons do.

While children of all ages are welcome, there is a minimum height requirement of 1.2m and a weight limit of 150kg for each individual harness. Young children will go in tandem with either an adult companion or one of the guides.

Price: The experience costs US$65 per person for pick up during normal hours (8am to 11am); or US$58.90 per person for early pick up between 5.45am and 6.45am, or late pick up between 12.30pm and 1.30pm.

Contact: Treetop Adventure, tel 66 899 70 55 11, www.treetopasia.com

VIA FERRATA

The thrill factor: A Via Ferrata (ferrata is Italian for “iron road”) is a form of climbing that takes place in the Dolomites in Italy. It traces its roots to warfare tactics used by the army during the First World War. Wishing to secure prime observation spots and mount field artillery for protection against the enemy, the soldiers fixed permanent rope lines to rock faces and used wooden ladders to allow them easy access.

Since then, the old network has been slowly revived, but now only used for sport, with several other routes added. Safety has been ensured with steel cables and rungs hammered into the rock, replacing the ropes and wooden ladders of the past. “Good cardio fitness is essential to engage in Via Ferrata,” stresses Heather Wilz of OnTop Mountaineering. “One should not also suffer from vertigo or be afraid of heights. Some ferratas can lead you over pretty sheer mountain sides.”

Where it’s done: Mainly in Italy’s Dolomite mountain range. Route difficulty is classified from Grade 1, the easiest, which does not require climbers to don Via Ferrata self-belay kits (harnesses) to Grade 5, the most physically challenging. A total of 80 via ferrata routes run throughout the Dolomite Mountains.

Price: A seven-day package starts from US$1,600, inclusive of lodging and transport but not airfare, meals and entrance fees for sightseeing. Participants should expect to be on their feet for about eight hours a day.

Contact: OnTop Mountaineering, tel 1 800 506 7177, www.ontopmountaineering.com

ICE CLIMBING

The thrill factor: Ice climbing is similar to rock climbing, except that climbers shimmy up a wall of ice, formed from a frozen waterfall or cliff sheathed in ice due to frozen water flow, instead of a rock face. Full winter gear, snow axes and climbing shears are needed to succeed in this challenge.

Where it’s done: Drakensberg, South Africa (“dragon’s mountain” in English), the tallest mountain range in Southern Africa that stands at 3,482m and runs for about 1,000km. It is home to a number of long waterfall ice routes and snow gullies that are created every year and only suitable for climbing between mid-June and mid-August.

The difficulty level ranges from WI2, which refers to consistent ice angled at about 60 degrees to WI6, which is vertical climbing for an upward distance of between 30m and 60m without rest.

For those not familiar with this specialised sport, two- and three-day courses are available to impart the basics. However, clients are required to have engaged in some form of rock climbing activity before signing up for the experience.

Price: US$170 per day for one person; US$120 per day for two people; US$110 per day for three.

Contact: Guided tours and equipment rental are provided by Peak High Mountaineering, tel 27 33 343 3168, www.peakhigh.co.za

Rest assured

Any adventure sport, no matter how many precautions have been taken, still features that inherent potential for danger – perhaps the very reason why it attracts hordes of enthusiasts. With the uncertainty factor being greater in this niche, adventure or extreme sports requires a more specialised insurance plan that includes features such as trip cancellations, trip interruptions, emergency evacuation, medical expenses, adventure travel equipment loss and adventure travel equipment delay costs. While the tour providers mentioned in this article do not provide insurance coverage for their trips, they can always recommend reliable insurance partners.