American Adventure Holidays
Beautiful America Holidays
Nicaragua is laid back but different to everywhere else – try sailing around the islands
Panama's Darien district has some remote islands – adventurers might want to try to find the site of the Darien colony, an abortive attempt to establish a Scottish colony
Alaska has some amazing and remote national parks
Bolivia lays claim to the world's most dangerous road – the Yungas Road starts at La Paz
Mexico's Copper Canyon isn't one canyon, but a maze of gorges, caves and trails
The USA's Appalachian Trail is one of the longest trails in the world, and stretches from Georgia to Maine
Most of the fun of walking in the Americas comes from the sense of wilderness. Make sure someone knows where you're going though, and always carry water and a map. Canada has great scope for adventure holidays. The country's vast wilderness areas mean that it's easy for you to get off the beaten track and go hiking into pristine areas where you're unlikely to meet another soul. If you'd prefer something to give you more of an adrenaline rush, then white water rafting, rappelling, abseiling, spelunking, snowboarding and various other extreme sporting activities can be found here. Kayaking, sailing and other forms of boating are popular both in the lakes and in the sea – in the latter, you have a chance of spotting dolphins or whales. Hunting is also a popular sport, but make sure you've checked procedures both for taking any hunting equipment onto the plane and into the country, and for arranging permits, before you head off.
Venezuela's top destination for adventure sports is arguably Merida. Here you can hike and climb to incredible altitudes, try white water rafting, paragliding, mountain biking and walking. A beautiful town in itself, you can ride on the Teleferico, the world's highest cable car, take a mule ride up the mountain, and enjoy the thriving nightlife. Some of the paragliding companies in South America don't, to put it charitably, enjoy the best of reputations. If you want to try any aerial activities, do your research before you go, ask around when you're there, and don't necessarily take the operator's word for it when they provide safety assurances. If in doubt, don't do it! If you're intent on visiting some high altitude destinations in South America, remember that you'll take a little time to adjust to the lowered oxygen levels. Don't get too ambitious, and take advice on what you should and shouldn't attempt before you set off on any climbing or hiking excursions.
The Galapogas Islands belong to Ecuador, but lie far off in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This is where Darwin developed his theory of evolution – and you can still see much of the animal and plant life that inspired him. Sea kayaking, speedboating are popular activities on top of the waves, while snorkelling and diving are great ways to see the life below it – the Galapogas Islands have several renowned dive sites. Beware of sharks and bull sea lions!
Peru has numerous adventure holiday operators and packages available. The classic adventure is the Inca Trail, a long trek, sometimes fuelled by barbecued guinea pig, that culminates in a visit to Macchu Pichu. However, there are plenty of other activities available. Mountainous Peru provides the perfect terrain for paragliding and hanggliding. You can also sail on the high-altitude lakes and have a city adventure in Lima – try cerviche, go to the local cafes, and take in a football match.
Brazil's Itatiaia Nacional Park has opportunities to try trekking, rappelling, mountain biking, horse riding and rock climbing. Stay within the park itself or at nearby Penedo, where you can see beautiful waterfalls and climb Penedinho Peak.
