Seize control with these 5 action-packed adventures

We don’t know about you, but it might be a fair assumption to say that we haven’t exactly been “seizing the day” lately. We’ve become pretty good at seizing that remote, seizing that takeaway menu and seizing our yoga mats to get that little bit more zen. But, with most of us getting doubly vaxxed in the next month or two, it’s about time that we all get back in the driver's seat (so to speak and seize control of our adventures.

We’re all in favour of putting those blurry Netflix-binge weekends firmly behind us and starting afresh with adventures that not only get our adrenaline pumping but take us right to the heart of the action. So, we’ve collected some of our favourite trips to help you get that much-needed adrenaline rush back in your life.

Kayak towards lost, sunken cities in Turkey

 This trip to Turkey is not for the faint-hearted. Get your pulse racing in Kibris Canyon by canyoning along fast-flowing mountain streams, abseiling down vertical gorges, and hurtling yourself into milky-blue plunge pools to cool off. With off-the-beaten-track jeep safaris to deserted beaches and exhilarating treks in Saklikent National Park, you’ll be surprised that one of the most memorable parts of our Sports & Sundowners in Turkey involves a two-sided oar.

Put your stamina to the test, with a full day sea kayaking around the Turkish and Greek islands towards cobalt blue bays, hidden coves, and the lost sunken city of Kekova. On the northern side of the island of Kekova, you’ll find the mysterious underwater ruins of Dolchiste, an ancient Lycian settlement. Half-submerged by an earthquake in the 2nd century, Dolchiste was rebuilt, but the threat of an Arab invasion caused the locals to flee, leaving the town abandoned for centuries.

Even though swimming is strictly forbidden around these sunken ruins, you’ll come away with some pretty epic pics for the gram. While you’re there, make a pitstop at Tersane Bay, where you can take a closer look at the ruins of an ancient Byzantine church, and have a well-earned refreshing dip in the crystal-clear waters of Akvaryum Bay. End the adventure by tucking into mezes and sharing a couple of ice-cold glasses of Rakı with your group on the beach.

Board the dunes in Egypt

After checking the Pyramids of Giza, Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel off your Indiana-Jones must-see landmark list, it’s time to up the ante and seize control by quad biking past the pyramids, kayaking on the river Nile and exploring the islands around Aswan by felucca.

Another pretty ancient past-time you’ll tick off on our Pharaohs and Pyramids in Egypt trip is sandboarding across the dunes in the ochre-dusted deserts. At the Great Sand Sea near Siwa Oasis, the dunes reach up to 140 meters (459.3 feet) high. So, why not embrace the breeze and give sandboarding a shot? Legend has it, that some hieroglyphics in Egypt show pharaohs using clay or wooden planks to slide down the dunes – if it’s good enough for pharaohs, it's good enough for us, right?

Hit the rapids in Nepal

Imagine feeling that rush of venturing deep into the wild. Spotting herds of one-horned rhinos and crocodiles lurking in the waters while floating in a dugout canoe along the Rapti River in Chitwan National Park is certainly one way to seize control! Alternatively, awaken the senses while wandering through the bustling, incense-infused streets of Kathmandu on your way to one of the holiest Buddhist stupas in Nepal. On our Mountain Vistas and River Quests in Nepal trip, you can do all that and more.

Somewhere in between epic wildlife encounters and finding your zen, this trip takes you right into the very heart of the Himalayas, towards the Seti River, for two jam-packed days of white-water rafting. Continuing through the countryside to Damauli, you’ll be fully briefed when you arrive at the river, ready to hit two small Grade II rapids. But don’t worry – there’ll be plenty of breaks where you can take your hands off the reins and get snappy-happy while floating past remote villages, jungles and towering lime-stone gorges in the spectacular Pokhara valley. The following morning, we up the intensity with five Grade II rapids. Who needs boring bicep curls at the gym when you’ve got the gushing waters and glorious views of the Annapurna?

Grab your ice axe for a gruelling glacier hike in Iceland

We’re going to level with you - our 5-day trip, Aurora and Adventure in Iceland packs a punch. In your first couple of days, you’ll feast your eyes on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet, visit the bubbling Geysir in Thingvellir National Park and hunt down two of Iceland’s spectacular waterfalls (that no one knows how to pronounce): Skogarfoss and Kvernufoss. But the best is yet to come.

It’s time to unleash your inner adventurer and get kitted out with crampons, an ice axe, helmet and that ugly neon trekking gilet that’s been hiding in your closet for exactly this type of occasion: an epic glacier walk. Walking past otherworldly glaciers and towering rock formations, your adventure continues with hopping on an ATV, where you’ll make your way over black volcanic sand to the eerie abandoned wreck of a 1973 US Navy plane. And if that wasn’t enough, you may even get to see some swirling auroras in the evenings if you’re travelling from late August to mid-April.

Scale North Africa’s highest peak in Morocco

If, like us, the best thing you’ve done to quench your thirst for hiking since Covid has been to “hike” up your nearest hill just to be met with a glorious panorama of grey cloud – then we feel you. For those itching to get their hiking boots back on in sunnier climbs, our Summits and Spices in Morocco trip doesn’t disappoint. Unlike other fantastic mountain climbs around the world, you can tackle Mount Toubkal (4,167m), North Africa’s highest peak, in just two days, ideal for those looking to test their limits but only wanting to take a cheeky extended weekend break.

Starting off in Imlil, you’ll hike towards the remote village of Arroumd in the High Atlas Mountains, where you’ll stop for lunch, before passing Berber communities and the shrine of Marabout of Sidi Chamharouch. After spending the night at the Toubkal Base Camp, you’ll head out the next day and quickly become a pro at scrambling over rocky paths and escarpments. Once you pass the 4,000m point, the ends is in sight – literally, as you’re met with jaw-dropping panoramas overlooking the valleys and lower summits of the High Atlas Range – a view that easily tops all the jaunts you’ve made in your local park. Afterwards, reward those aching muscles with a trip to a traditional hammam in Marrakech and toast your efforts with drinks and a delicious sunset dinner on a rooftop that overlooks the Atlas Mountains.

If this blog has inspired you to seize control of your next holiday, take a look at our action-packed adventures here.