extreme tourism

1. Dive to the Wreck of the Titanic

The History of the RMS Titanic The RMS Titanic was built in 1912 and was the largest moving object made by humans at the time. The name, Titanic, comes from the Titans of Greek mythology. RMS stands for Royal Mail Steamer, which means that the Titanic could legally transport British mail. On April 14th, 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg and began to sink. By the early hours of the 15th, the ship was gone, taking 1,500 people along with it. It wasn't until Sept. 1, 1985, that the wreck was found at a depth of 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) in the Atlantic Ocean.

Starting at Newfoundland, if you head roughly 400 miles (600 kilometers) south, you'll find yourself in the middle of nowhere, floating on the Atlantic Ocean. The surface, however, is not what brought you to this point -- you're here to see what lies well beneath the waves and wind above. About 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) below you is the wreck of one of the most famous ships ever to have sailed the seas, the RMS Titanic. From the Russian research ship Akademik Keldyshe, you'll board one of two submersibles capable of withstanding the pressure of diving deep into the ocean. The MIR I and II will ensure you a safe and comfortable ride to the bottom of the ocean, where you'll be one of only a handful of non-scientists to view the wreck of the Titanic . Just remember to keep your hands and feet inside the vessel!

2. Heli-skiing

Heli-skiing takes adventure to new heights -- instead of a ski lift, a helicopter takes you to the highest peaks.

The problem with ski lifts is that they can only take you so high up the mountain. In order to ski the best slopes on the most powdery of powder, you may want to give heli-skiing a go. Some of the best spots to try this experience can be found in Alaska, British Columbia and Italy, and most heli-skiing will provide you with transport to some of the highest peaks in the area. Once on the top, you'll disembark from the helicopter with your guide and follow him or her down to the pick-up spot. You will be skiing at an altitude of anywhere between 6,500 feet (1,900 meters) and 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). In addition to air-lifting you to your skiing destination, most companies will allow you to rent equipment and offer the option to pay for a package deal that will include your room and board, or opt for a pay-by-the-run deal where you pay for each lift to the top separately.

3. Space Travel

The Four Types of Space Travel Lunar Mission: This is the most extreme of the extreme. You'll circle the moon and see the Earth rise from the far side of the moon. Orbital Spaceflight: While in orbit of the Earth, you'll spend 12 days in space, walking around and circling earth every 90 minutes. Suborbital Spaceflight: You'll simply pop into space about 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the planet, but you won't actually orbit the Earth. A suborbital flight will be somewhat shorter than an orbital one. Zero Gravity Flights: This is the most practical and realistic of all the flights. In a Boeing 727, you'll fly in giant arcs through the sky, experiencing brief periods of simulated weightlessness along the way.

If you're hoping your vacation will be a chance to get away from it all, perhaps your best bet is in the infinity of space. With the market and interest growing rapidly and large scale investors getting involved, the reality of space tourism is growing ever closer. And why not? It's a chance to free yourself from the grips of Earth's gravity and feel the weightlessness of space as you circle your home planet hundreds of miles above its surface.
At the moment, your options are limited in respect to actual space travel. There are several major companies that are in the process of building ships, such as Virgin Galactic's reusable launch vehicle (RLV), which will take tourists on a suborbital flight. Companies are also looking into public ships that will allow for longer flights deep into space. That being said, your best bet for the weightless feeling will be to check out a zero gravity flight.

4. Sandboarding

If you want to go beyond water skiing and snowboarding, consider sandboarding for your next adventure.

If waterskiing is too wet for you or snowboarding is too cold, look no farther than the hills of the increasingly popular sand dune parks throughout the world. Sandboarding has a long history, stretching back to the ancient Egyptians skiing down dunes on bits of pottery, but it has only just recently come back into vogue as a new generation discovers the thrill of the sport . Sandboarding can include everything from simply hopping on a board and sliding down a dune to setting up courses with jumps to increase the thrill.
You don't even need a desert to sandboard, as parks have sprung up all around the world in places like Oregon, Brazil and Peru. These are often privately owned parks that will provide you not only with the heaps of sand, but also with the proper equipment needed to traverse the dunes. If you're looking for a more authentic experience, head on over to South Africa, where you'll find a multitude of natural dunes to hurtle down.

5. Gorilla Safari

A gorilla safari will get you up-close-and-personal with some of the world's most fascinating animals.

Venturing into Uganda's Impenetrable Forest will surely get your heart rate up. Inside the shadowed deep, you'll embark on a gorilla safari that will give you the chance to see Africa's mountain gorillas up close. First, you'll join a group in Uganda's coastal town of Entebbe to catch a plane to Kibale Forest National Park. For the next 11 days, you'll hike, trek and ride around Uganda's forests and plains while watching chimpanzees, gorillas, elephants and lions in their natural environment. You'll have the chance to ride across the lake-dotted savannahs in four-wheel-drive vehicles and track gorillas on foot up to altitudes of 8,500 feet (2.6 kilometers) in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. While on the trip, you'll have a chance to stay in everything from the national parks' lodges to a tent camp in Bwindi. All the while, you'll be as close as possible to the "gentle giants" that you have come so far to see.