IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY


MATCHMAKER


A SHORT HOP


Cappadocia No matter how much you’ve read about this other-worldly landscape in central Turkey, nothing really prepares you for the sheer size and complexity of its rust-coloured geological wonders. For the full-blown experience, there’s only one way to truly appreciate this fantastical landscape and that’s from above. Take a thrilling hot air balloon ride, soaring above the fairy tale turrets in the honeyed morning light. From €300 (£268). hotairballooncappadocia.com


FAR-FLUNG


Myanmar Bagan’s temples oſten steal the show here, but the remote islands of the Mergui Archipelago are every bit as enthralling. Far off the tourist trail, these pristine specks of land have all the beauty of the neighbouring Thai islands, but none of the crowds, thanks to strict regulations. Many are wild and unnamed, and sailing trips offer an easy adventure, visiting desolate beaches, coral reefs and the villages of the elusive Moken people. From £1,545. intrepidtravel.com


Corsica Beyond its glittering shoreline, chic harbours and Franco-Italian culture, Corsica’s interior is full of high-tempo adventures. There are deep valleys, tangled forests, and hulking mountains to climb, but canyoning is also a big deal here, too. Set off on a multiday route through remote sections of this rugged isle and you’ll abseil down rock faces, jump into pools and scramble down rivers, bedding down in tents or hotels along the way. A seven-day adventure costs from €750 (£671). altipiani-corse.com/en


Zambezi River One of Africa’s most fabled waterways promises a real sense of discovery. On a kayaking adventure, you’ll encounter sedate pools and thundering rapids, glimpse the likes of crocs and hippos, and pass villages on the river’s banks. As darkness falls, you’ll be back on land, huddled around a campfire, then dozing off in a tent to the sounds of Africa. It’s physically demanding, but you’ll be hard pushed to find a more intrepid adventure. From £2,295. waterbynature.com


Iceland Where else can you be dropped into a magma chamber of a dormant volcano? Iceland offers rich pickings when it comes to adventure, but for an experience to top any diver’s wishlist, look to the Thingvellir National Park and Silfra — a fissure in the earth between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It’s technical, and you need a dry suit certification, but these are some of the clearest, most pristine glacial waters you’ll ever get to glide through. From £190. dive.is


Guyana Venture deep into the untamed Guyanese jungle — home to anacondas, caiman and jaguar — and learn the basics of survival training on Bushmasters’ Jungle Survival expeditions, such as finding fresh water and fishing for piranha. Aſter five days, the expedition leaders bid their goodbyes, leaving you and your teammates to fend for yourselves with just a machete, bow and arrow, sat nav and little else. From $2,600 (£2,326). bushmasters.co.uk


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