Extreme vacation, the most dangerous extreme tours. Extreme sports and recreation Unlike previous types of extreme recreation


In the modern world, it is difficult to surprise anyone with your photos against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower or the Egyptian pyramids - these popular attractions have long lost the effect of novelty. However, there are still many truly extreme destinations for tourism. Today we will talk about 10 amazing places on Earth, having been in which you can then all your life surprise friends with stories.

Antarctica

Since childhood, we have been surrounded by a romantic halo of stories about polar explorers who have been living for years at autonomous stations in Antarctica, conducting scientific experiments, collecting information about this harsh continent, and also taking care of its “indigenous inhabitants” - penguins.



However, it is not at all necessary to go on long and far from always safe Antarctic expeditions, because you can also visit the southern continent as a tourist. Many travel companies provide their customers with a similar service.



Those wishing to visit Antarctica can sail to the shores of this continent on a cruise ship or even fly to one of the stations as part of a thematic tour.



Price. A cruise on a liner with a disembarkation in Antarctica will cost a fan of extreme sports at least 1800 US dollars (start from Patagonia). A ten-day expedition across the continent costs much more - from $5,000.

North Pole

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the leaders of several expeditions argued among themselves which of them managed to visit the North Pole first. On this moment, the American Robert Peary is considered the discoverer of this point on the globe, it happened on April 21, 1908. However, it is unlikely that this brave man, who reached the pole, enduring incredible hardships and exerting superhuman efforts, could have imagined that after a century tourist trips would be possible there.



However, anyone can now visit the North Pole to admire the endless fields of ice, as well as travel around the world in just a few seconds.



You can get to the North Pole quickly and safely by plane, icebreaker, or even by cars specially prepared for such an expedition.



Price. A trip to the North Pole on an icebreaker will cost a tourist 21 thousand US dollars, by plane - 18 thousand.

Climbing to the top of Chomolungma is an activity for the strongest and most experienced athletes in the world who have been preparing for this achievement for many years. However, almost anyone can touch this event without long workouts and deprivation, because there are tours to the base camp on Everest.



The base camp is the main stronghold on the path of climbers to the Top of the World, it is located at an altitude of 5545 meters. There, brave athletes undergo acclimatization for several days, prepare equipment for the ascent and wait for good weather to start.



Ordinary tourists can also visit here. To do this, they will have to walk for several days through the most beautiful places of the Himalayas in Nepal.



Price such a tour, in comparison with the conquest of Antarctica or the North Pole, is small - it starts from 1250 US dollars.

North Korea

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea is one of the most closed countries in the world. This is a real reserve of the totalitarian communist system, which in other parts of the world went down in history in the middle of the twentieth century.



It is impossible for an independent tourist to get into North Korea; visiting this country by foreigners is carried out exclusively in the form of groups organized and approved by the leadership. A traveler who has arrived in the DPRK cannot even walk alone through the streets of Pyongyang - only with guides who will control him so that he does not film something that could discredit the bright name of the DPRK.



Tourists in the DPRK are expected to visit places sacred to the Korean Revolution, including the mausoleum of Kim Il Sung. Guests of the country are taken to the mountains and to the sea, they are taken to an exemplary Kindergarten, to a mass sports and dance show, and also allow you to go down to the subway, however, without a trip to another station.



Price. For a tour to North Korea, a tourist must pay from 1450 euros.

This type of entertainment for the inhabitants of the Navarre region in Spain became known to the whole world thanks to the work of Ernest Hemingway, who lived in Pamplona for a long time and wrote the work “The Sun Also Rises” about this city.



Every summer, Pamplona hosts the San Fermin Festival, during which traditional bull races take place through the streets of the city. The inhabitants of this settlement, and more recently, tourists who want to risk their lives, dress in special clothing and try to run at least a few meters next to the angry animals, while remaining unharmed.



Practically during each such race (and they take place daily during the nine days of the festival), there are brave souls crippled or even killed by bulls. However, this is a very small percentage of the thousands of adrenaline junkies running around.



Price. Participation in the San Fermin Festival is free. Those who want to run with the bulls daredevils need to pay only for the trip to Spain itself, as well as an overnight stay and meals in Pamplona.

Exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant

On April 26, 1986, perhaps the worst technological disaster in the history of Mankind occurred on the border of the Ukrainian and Belarusian SSRs - one of the reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded, releasing a huge amount of radioactive substances into the air.



Since then, the cities of Chernobyl, Pripyat and many smaller settlements have been empty, resettled, and nature in them takes away what man had previously taken from her. Once paved roads are now overgrown with thick bushes, and trees make their way even inside the concrete boxes of houses.



Now in the Exclusion Zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant you can meet only plant workers who control this facility and build a new sarcophagus over it, a small number of self-settlers (old people who returned to live in these places without permission), as well as tourists.



Price. Tours to Chernobyl are carried out from Kyiv in an official way from the station management. The cheapest option will cost an extreme tourist $50.

Afghanistan

Over the past three decades, the name “Afghanistan” has not been associated with the word “tourism” among the vast majority of the inhabitants of the planet. However, there are daredevils who dare to travel to this troubled country.



Some even travel to Afghanistan on their own, but most still prefer to use the services of professional guides who show tourists the most interesting and safe places in the country, organize accommodation, meals and trips to a state almost unknown to foreigners.



Price an organized tour to Afghanistan starts from 1200 US dollars.

Way of Saint James

The airport of the city of Santiago de Compostela in the north-west of Spain in the historical province of Galicia is known for flying out of it several times daily. more people than arriving. The fact is that this settlement is the final exact Way of St. James - the famous Christian pilgrimage to the relics of the apostle.



More than 200 thousand people come to Santiago every year. But these are not only religious pilgrims. Most of the people walking along the Way of St. James are ordinary tourists, because this trail has become the most popular walking tourist route in the world.



The Way of St. James is not a single route, but a whole network of footpaths throughout Europe. The most popular part of it is the so-called French Way - a trail from the Pyrenees 750 kilometers long. But there are also many alternative routes. The most recent marked point is located at a distance of 4053 km from Santiago in the Polish village of Medyka on the border with Ukraine.



Price. A monthly pilgrimage along the French Way, together with a flight from anywhere in Europe, will cost about 1000 euros.

Space flight

In childhood, almost all boys dreamed of becoming astronauts, but only a few managed to achieve this goal. At least for now. But Mankind stands in the way of a real cosmic breakthrough - mass travel to the Earth's orbit.



The first space tourist was the American millionaire Dennis Tito in 2001, who paid the Russian Space Agency $20 million for his flight. But in the very near future, this amount may be reduced by almost a hundred times, because several private companies promise to start regular tourist flights to space at once.



The most famous of these endeavors is Virgin Galactic, which flies into suborbital space (above 100 kilometers) on SpaceShipTwo space shuttles.



In the fall of 2014, a shuttle in the Mojave Desert, but already this winter, its clone was put into operation.

Price flight on this ship is 200-250 thousand dollars. True, commercial flights from Virgin Galactic have not yet begun.

Hitchhiking to Vladivostok

In their youth, a huge number of people who want to see the world, but do not have enough money to do so, hitchhike. Some keep this hobby into adulthood, turning it into the main hobby of life.



It is these people, truly passionate about hitchhiking, that can go in this way almost all of Eurasia - to Vladivostok. The journey there from Moscow takes more than a month one way, but the people who made it really get to know Russia in all its beauty and squalor.



A hitchhiking trip to Vladivostok is not as dangerous as it might seem at first glance. The overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Russia are wonderful people who are ready to help the traveler standing on the side of the road in every possible way. The extreme in such a trip comes from harsh climatic and living conditions, large distances between settlements and the lack of a normal road surface for many hundreds of kilometers of the road to the Far East.


Of course, not all people are ready to make even one of these trips. But this does not mean at all that the road to the End of the World is closed to them. After all, you can travel without even getting up from the couch. For example, using the Google Street View service, which allows you to get even into.

In our fast-paced time, adventure tourism has become incredibly popular. This variety active rest includes travel by intensive means of transport and leisure in nature. The purpose of such a pastime is to get unusual sensations, impressive emotions, and improve physical data.

A specialized subspecies of adventure tourism - extreme tourism - recruits more and more fans every year. Daredevils want to admire the splendor of the underwater world, glide down a dizzying mountain slope on a snowboard or feel the feeling of freedom, descending under a parachute canopy.

Active recreation takes in its ranks more and more ordinary tourists. Diving is especially popular. Fascinating and avant-garde, impressive and memorable outdoor activity.

Skydiving is no less fashionable. Today there are many variations of them: skysurfing, group acrobatics, BASE jumping.

Desperate brave men can try windsurfing or experience physical abilities and fortitude in rafting along the seething mountain streams.

For those who are afraid of water, extreme tourism offers hiking tours that are fraught with dangers and difficulties. One of the variations is a hike through the caves.

Extremely difficult type of recreation is mountain climbing. During a difficult ascent, not only the physical, but also the emotional endurance of a person is tested.

Autotourism, including jeeping

Autotourism can be counted among the mass ways of travel. It is popular, first of all, because of the freedom in choosing the direction of the trip and the time of its implementation. But only an SUV is suitable for such tourism. In our country, autotourism is called jeeping or jeep tours. The first is short trips, which are based on the desire to experience the benefits of driving a powerful car. Tours are wanderings "with meaning", that is, an SUV is only an assistant in the realization of a cognitive goal.

Jeeping includes a list of undeniable advantages:

  • you can travel with a company;
  • no need to carry luggage;
  • adrenaline, beautiful landscapes and new experiences are guaranteed.

The duration of such a trip is from a couple of hours to several days, and for professionals - weeks. Usually travelers travel all daylight hours, and spend the night in tents or guest houses. The jeep tour season is from May to mid-October, but there are also winter routes.

Jeeping is most actively developed in Russia in the Krasnodar Territory and the Leningrad Region. Tourists are shown waterfalls, mud volcanoes, ancient burial mounds (the tour is accompanied by a story of ancient legends). Those who decide to go to Kamchatka will see lakes in round basins, fire-breathing mountains, geysers, lunar landscapes of stone deserts.

For those who are going on a multi-day jeep tour for the first time, it is better to invite an instructor with them.

Autotourism cannot be called an economical type of recreation. But fans of this extreme tourism ready to pay for a combination of leisure in nature, some comfort and a certain amount of danger.

Mountaineering

Climbing is generally recognized as the most extreme sport. It involves climbing the tops of mountains with the use of special equipment. There are no rules for conducting competitions in this sport. The number of conquered peaks and the complexity of the route are counted.

The essence of such an extreme lies in overcoming obstacles erected by nature itself: relief, ice layer, slope angle, weather conditions.

In professional competitions, the height of the peak, the complexity and length of the route are added as criteria.

There are two areas of mountaineering: educational, which involves mastering the skills of using ropes, an ice ax, special shoes, and sports or professional. Beginner training takes place at low elevations. Masters of mountaineering take on the storm of famous mountains, the ascent of which requires coordination with the All-Russian Mountaineering Federation.

mountain tourism

This is not mountaineering, although these types of extreme activities have a lot in common.

The peculiarity of mountain tourism lies in the fact that an organized group moves along a pre-formed route in a mountainous area. Quite difficult paths are chosen with an abundance of obstacles, so considerable endurance and a certain level are required. physical training to such transitions. Equally important are the psychological readiness for tests, the ability to acclimatize and the absence of fear of heights. You also need to be able to correctly calculate the necessary supply of provisions and wait for favorable weather.

Mountain tourism includes some elements of rock climbing, their complexity is almost identical, but there is a significant difference in these sports. The ultimate goal of a climber is to climb a specific peak, and the task of a mountain tourist is to overcome passes of varying difficulty, and, if necessary, by climbing to the peaks. The road is selected at an altitude of 2.5-3 kilometers above sea level.

In some countries (the Himalayas, the Pamirs, the Alps, Switzerland, the Argentinean Andes), the tourist infrastructure is very developed, competent service is offered and the choice of route difficulty is offered.

Diving

Diving, or scuba diving, according to its fans, is the most exciting form of extreme sports. Unforgettable impressions and elation that can be experienced already during the first descent under water have prompted millions of people to buy fins, a mask and a wetsuit.

The main thing that slows down beginners is the fear of the first dive. However, diving should not be considered something very dangerous. Scuba diving has its own levels of difficulty, and if you dive with the right equipment and carefully follow the instructions, nothing bad will happen. The only thing to absolutely avoid is contact with poisonous creatures or plants. In the rest - only positive sensations - shallow water, water at a comfortable temperature and no strong currents. True extreme - great depths, night dives, fast currents, under-ice and speleo diving - for experienced divers.

There are places where divers from all over the world go to dive: almost all countries of Southeast Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, South Africa, Australia, India and Ecuador. From the position of a connoisseur, to visit these countries and not swim in the depths is simply blasphemy!

Those who dream of conquering a mountain river can try to raft down a turbulent stream on some kind of watercraft: a kayak, a catamaran, even a raft. A burst of adrenaline, a charge of vivacity and an influx of positive emotions are guaranteed.

In our country, all this is called rafting. However, each variant of the alloy has its own characteristics.

The original rafting is the descent down the river on frameless inflatable boats with a self-draining bottom - rafts. They are strong, stable on the water and are characterized by high-quality buoyancy. Each raft can accommodate 6-12 people. Inside, it is equipped with inflatable seats, a special system for holding rowers and an external set of lifelines, which you can hold on to in case of a fall overboard.

Recently, kayaking is gaining popularity - rafting on a single kayak. Rowing is performed with a two-bladed oar. There are three types of kayaking:

— traditional alloy;

- rodeo - you need to perform as many tricks as possible (flips, surfs, spins) per unit of time;

- rowing slalom - a competition in speed and jewelry accuracy of passing obstacles.

Hiking

Hiking or trekking, in fact, is a pedestrian crossing over rough terrain. Participation in this type of outdoor activity can be practically unprepared people. It involves a free choice of routes, it is cheaper than other types of tourism, but it can give no less impressive memories. This is a quality holiday and a chance to improve physical health. Features of this tourism variation:

  • organized groups are formed from 6-12 people;
  • sometimes there are pre-trek trainings;
  • much attention is paid to the completion of the first-aid kit and lung choice by the weight of the equipment;
  • it is obligatory to draw up route documents indicating the deadlines for passing certain points (it is necessary to take into account the influence of bad weather);
  • in the very first and last days it is not recommended to make long transitions and plan to overcome difficult sections;
  • dangerous terrain is best crossed in the morning.

If the hike is organized correctly, and the participants follow the recommendations of the instructor, then the adventure promises to be interesting and safe.

Various types of extreme tourism are very long years attract the attention of travelers who are already fed up with standard hotels and sightseeing tours.

It was for them that they were developed in last years special tours that involve climbing mountains, viewing ruined historical buildings and, of course, traveling not by the usual sightseeing buses, but by hiking, hitchhiking and riding a motorcycle.

There are really many interesting options for the modern traveler. Their potential participant only needs to choose the right one and join a specific tour so as not to miss anything.

So that you can do this without any problems, let's figure out what exactly they invest in the concept of extreme tourism, and what varieties of it are available to all travelers today.


To date, there is no single understanding of the term extreme tourism. Usually, they designate those types of activities associated with staying in territories that are different from the place of residence in terms of landscape, social principles, climate, cultural heritage, which pose an increased risk to human life and health.

This risk can be associated with various factors, including the possibility of falling from a height, exhaustion, drowning, and so on. The list of such risks is currently very large and depends more on the type of tourism you have chosen.

Various types of extreme tourism can both promote a complete rejection of the use of the benefits of civilization and require the use of only improvised means in the campaign: flasks, shovels, matches and other things. Others, for example, diving, are unthinkable without modern equipment.

Extreme tourism is currently available to travelers in virtually any country. You just need to decide which direction you want to pursue. Thankfully there are plenty of them today.

Types of extreme tourism



Extreme tourism in all countries is quite diverse. There are such types of this pastime:

  • Automobile tourism. This is one of the most common movements in the west, involving travel to other countries by car. It can be either your own or rented;
  • Mountaineering. This direction aims to climb various mountain peaks. The most important thing in it is to constantly overcome natural obstacles - height, terrain, as well as various adverse weather conditions. Climbing can be practiced both with the use of safety equipment and without it;
  • Mountain tourism. Another extreme kind of sport with overcoming the relief and height, in which the ascent is carried out solely due to the muscular strength of a person;
  • Diving is a kind of extreme activity that involves diving to the bottom of the sea or ocean using special equipment for these purposes;
  • Rafting - rafting on fast-flowing mountain rivers with the help of a special inflatable vessel - a raft;
  • Hiking tourism is a direction that involves the movement of one person, or a group of people over rough terrain without the use of any transport;
  • Industrial tourism. A kind of extreme direction, involving the study of buildings, including abandoned ones. In some cases, even a pilgrimage is considered a kind of such tourism;
  • Hitchhiking is a type of travel using passing transport. Such tourism does not provide for payment for movement;
  • Rope - jumping - a direction, the basis of which is jumping from various stationary objects using equipment for mountaineering, including insurance, or complex modern systems depreciation;
  • Motorcycle tourism is travel exclusively on a motorcycle. As a rule, they provide for crossing the borders of other countries and the complete rejection of other modes of transport;
  • Mining skiing– descents on prepared or wild slopes on skis or snowboarding. Here the level of skill is determined by the slope of the track, the presence of obstacles on it, as well as the speed of movement of the athlete;
  • Easy-going is another extreme direction of tourism, which provides for overcoming various segments of the path through the terrain. different kind using only light equipment. The main requirement is that the rejection of heavy ammunition does not increase the risks of travelers.

Also referred to as varieties of extreme tourism are activities such as skydiving, ballooning, hang gliding, survival courses in the natural environment, for example, in swampy areas, and much more. Today, this direction is developing very rapidly, because its new branches are formed almost every year.

All these directions are quite popular these days and are often promoted as best options tourism, allowing you to really deeply understand nature, improve your own health, and also get the most thrills. However, in pursuit of such a fashion, few people remember that these types of tourism are quite specific and require certain physical fitness, knowledge and skills from a person.

Let's analyze what exactly beginners in this business need to understand before giving preference to one or another extreme tourism.

What beginners need to know!



In order for your chosen vacation to be as exciting and at the same time safe as possible, you need to be as careful as possible when choosing a direction and a specific tourism offer. In particular, the following must be taken into account:

  • Your level of preparation. There is a whole international classification, according to which trails, rafting, descents are divided into several categories of difficulty from A to F. If you are a beginner, choose routes marked A. Most likely, other routes will be very difficult for you.
  • Features of the equipment necessary for engaging in this type of activity. This is especially true for mountaineering and diving. In advance, you need to make sure that you have a complete set of it, moreover, you can work with it quite effectively. If you cannot provide such a thing for yourself, it is advisable to simply refuse such tourism.
  • your state of health. There are a number of contraindications to mountaineering, diving and other areas. These are, for example, chronic diseases of the heart and lungs, congenital malformations, epilepsy and other pathologies. Even if you think that the chosen route or program is designed for beginners and does not require application great effort, it will not be superfluous for you to consult a doctor. This will eliminate many risks.
  • The presence of a coach and his level of training. Unauthorized employment in extreme tourism is fraught with injuries, disruptions, force majeure. All these phenomena can lead to serious consequences up to disability or death. That is why it is so important to make sure that you are taught by a good instructor who will find an individual approach to you and will be able to properly prepare you to overcome obstacles.

Also, a beginner needs to remember that at the first stages it is vital for him to clearly listen to the recommendations of the instructor, as well as to follow absolutely all the safety rules for such tourism, even if they seem stupid or incomprehensible to him.

Remember: there is absolutely nothing superfluous in sports. Over time, it will become clear to you why there are certain restrictions in a particular direction of tourism and why they are needed.

It is also possible that on the very first trip you will simply not like the chosen type of extreme rest. This usually happens if a person is poorly prepared for this type of tourism, or if he chose a route beyond his strength. Then it will simply be hard for him all the way, can there be any talk of pleasure here.

It is also possible that this extreme does not suit him specifically. How to proceed in such a case? You can try something else for yourself, because the choice of such categories is quite large. And if you are sure that you initially correctly determined what exactly you need, just repeat your attempts, and very soon you will get the desired thrill.

Extreme tourism in Poland



Almost all types of extreme tourism are available to a traveler in Poland. Here they are put on stream, almost every direction is supervised by a whole group of instructors, and everywhere they will be able to offer you an option for your level.

For lovers of rafting, rafting on the Krutynia River is ordered here. The routes here are moderately picturesque, interesting, if you wish, you can even find a program for a beginner. Descents under water are organized in Poland in local lakes, such as Galadus. Entire survival courses, numerous hiking trails can run through the swampy part of the country.

Here, extreme tourism is often combined with ecological recreation. Visitors are taught how to survive even in such conditions. And in recent years, this direction is one of the most popular.

Due to the presence of 3 types of mountains in this country, skiing is very actively promoted here in winter, and in the summer months rock climbing, hang gliding, and balloon rides are also held here. There are often organized routes for hikers. Many of them actually do not require preparation from the beginner.

It is enough to pass a brief briefing on the technique of the chosen tourism, and it will be possible to realize your wildest dream. Not only native residents, but also visitors can engage in all of the above types of active detailing in this country. They can independently organize such a tour for themselves.

However, in this case, they will be responsible for booking a hotel, finding an instructor, equipment, as well as calculating the funds needed for such a trip. And such an undertaking does not necessarily end well. After all, it is rare when visitors discover best places countries the first time.

You can also organize a variant of such tourism for yourself in a different way. It is enough to order it at the agency, and then you will not have to worry about equipment, accommodation, or confirmation of the date of stay in the country that you will need to apply for a visa.

The last one, regardless of what kind of sport you want to do, you need to draw up a tourist ordinary one. In order to obtain a visa, in this case it is enough to submit your basic documents, insurance, state the purpose of the visit, and attach documents for booking a tour and tickets to the country.

You need to do this in advance - about 10-15 days before the start of your extreme tourism, otherwise you may simply not have time to prepare the documents.

In general, choosing an option for extreme tourism in Poland and getting to this country for a good time is not so difficult. It is enough to decide on the direction of rest, and then just choose the most suitable options for it and arrange everything as a regular tourist trip.

And if you do everything right, the excitement and excitement that extreme tourism guarantees to all its lovers will also be provided to you.

We spend our days in constant hustle and bustle. After all, this is the only way we can survive, trying to keep up with the quickly escaping time. And the long-awaited vacation seems just a fabulous dream, which may not come true if another collapse at work suddenly happens.

So rest with such a rhythm should be worthwhile. Relaxing on the beach or active and expressive, the choice is yours. But the main thing to remember is that you need to restore all the forces spent during the year. So think over your holiday with special care.

If you want to get away from everyday life, forget about all the problems, in general, get into another world. How about extreme tourism? Yes, it was his: with a storm of emotions, risk and unforgettable impressions. You just look at the familiar world with different eyes, as you would not dare before.

An ordinary vacation will not open up so many new and unrealistic things for you. Learn to overcome difficult obstacles, discover hidden abilities in yourself that you didn’t know about before. Alas, but living in urban reality, we lose our dexterity, turning into robots, repeating the same work every day.

Types of extreme tourism

Now there are many types of extreme recreation: skydiving, diving, windsurfing, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing and others. In general, extreme options are varied. And every day there are more and more. But before you go on a risky journey, you need to go through a small course of preparation.

The old-timers of extreme recreation are skiing and snowboarding. Rushing down steep slopes, inhaling the frosty air with your chest and feeling a surge of strength - that's what attracts lovers ski holidays .

Getting more and more popular diving. In order to indulge in this sport, you need to get a certificate from a diving school. Preparation is very important, because you can face critical situations, and after completing the training course, you will be absolutely calm. And where do diving enthusiasts go? The most popular places today are Egypt, Thailand, because they are washed by warm seas with beautiful inhabitants and coral reefs. The mysterious and alluring water world has always attracted many travelers.

For class rafting you need to find turbulent rivers and a team of like-minded people. Many specially go in search of such rivers, not knowing the exact route. Of today's types of extreme water recreation, windsurfing and just surfing are also popular. They differ in the type of board, in windsurfing a board with a sail and stabilizer fins is used, and in surfing just an oval-shaped board. Floating on the waves, you will feel lightness and a sense of long-awaited freedom.

For those who prefer hiking or, in other words, trekking, there are many fascinating and beautiful routes, though you will have to spend a lot of effort, because crossing a river or hiking in the mountains is a difficult test. As an alternative to hiking, there are cycling, dangerous mountaineering and cave trips.

Speleotourism is a journey through natural caves. Traveling through naturally occurring caves involves a lot of risk. First of all, you need to find an experienced guide who will know the main entrances and exits of the cave.

Of the recently appeared exotic types of extreme recreation, the most famous are trips to the north and south poles. More and more people want to visit extreme climatic conditions and see northern animals.

Ethnotourism also belongs to the category of extreme - to visit the jungles of the Amazon or learn the life of African tribes - an activity not for the faint of heart. Often the guide is a local resident who knows all the nearby places, the language of the local population, customs and traditions. And travelers, taking a map and a compass with them, are laying new roads and paths, plunging further and further into tropical forests or African savannahs.

Space flight- this is the most expensive type of extreme recreation. See the human world from space, enjoy the beauties of the earth and feel the unusual weightlessness.

So, we can say that extreme tourism is an expensive type of recreation that attracts more and more people. All over the world, more and more new types of extreme sports are constantly being invented, as well as already known ones are being developed and improved. For example, well-known Skydiving from an airplane can now be done the same way from bridges, skyscrapers, rocks.

To extreme types of recreation, some include backpacking- travel light and with a minimum of money in your pocket.

On the territory of Russia, one of the promising places for tourism in extreme conditions are Altai, Kamchatka, Krasnodar Territory, Sakhalin.

Remember that whatever your vacation is: passive, active, emotional, adventurous, quiet or full of adventures and unexpected meetings, always get a surge of strength, emotions, unforgettable impressions from it.

Just let yourself forget the routine Everyday life and believe me, after the rest you will immerse yourself in your work with great pleasure, because new, yet unknown journeys will await you ahead. Do not stop at one type of recreation, experiment, try the most unusual species extreme. Discover new places, traditions and customs of other nations.

11.1. The concept of extreme tourism

Recently, adventure tourism has been actively developing - a type of tourism that combines all travel associated with active modes of movement and outdoor recreation, with the aim of obtaining new sensations, impressions, improving the tourist physical form and achievement of sports results. Special types include a variety of adventure tourism, namely, extreme tourism, which is gaining momentum all over the world, especially in Russia. More and more people are eager to see the beauty of the underwater world, go down the mountain slope on skis and even jump with a parachute. In Europe, for example, this type of tourism began to develop rapidly and become more popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s. And here, in Russia, since the mid-1990s. Despite the fact that this type of tourism is becoming more and more popular from year to year, tourists mostly prefer such still popular types of tourism as sightseeing, educational, beach, etc. And all because most of the tourists do not know what itself includes extreme tourism, where you can go (and you don’t even have to leave your city) and how much it all costs. In Russia, extreme tourism is not as well developed as in other parts of the world, in particular in Europe.

Active recreation is gaining more and more fans among ordinary tourists. Diving, one of the most extreme types, has become especially popular. Diving is addictive. He is dangerous and exciting. He is fashionable. Skydivers and skiers have to make room - the number of divers in Russia and around the world is growing rapidly. The divers themselves are sure that better holiday than diving to a depth of 40 meters with heavy tanks behind your back, no. When looking at the numbers, it becomes clear that the spread of diving is comparable only to an epidemic. Now there are almost 20 million certified recreational divers in the world, and 40 years ago there were only a few hundred.

Skydiving is very popular these days. They started jumping with a parachute more than half a century ago, but they turned into a mass form of recreation only about 15 years ago. Now there are many options for skydiving. This is both skysurfing and group acrobatics, but BASE jumping is gaining more and more popularity.

If someone does not like diving under water or jumping from great heights, then you can try windsurfing, which is also a popular form of recreation. (But it is worth considering that this pleasure is associated with constant falls into the water and the real possibility of drowning in the sea waves, as well as the inevitable calluses on the hands.) Or try yourself in rafting on rough mountain rivers, which will definitely be remembered for a long time.

Hiking tours are suitable for those who are afraid of water. This is also extreme tourism, which is fraught with difficulties and dangers.

The most extreme recreation can be safely called mountaineering, where both the physical and psychological endurance of a person is tested.

An alternative to mountaineering can be a hike through the caves. Impressions from such a trip are usually enough for a long time.

11.2. Water sports of extreme tourism

Diving(snorkeling, diving) is very popular all over the world. This is a rather expensive kind of extreme tourism. General training and equipment will cost a beginner up to $ 1,000, additionally you will have to pay the cost of a tour package. If you do not buy equipment, the cost of preparing for the first round is reduced to $250. True, then you will have to pay $30-40 each for renting a suit, scuba gear, and other things needed at depth. Well, really good equipment costs from $ 1,500 for a complete set.

Russian divers are mostly young - their average age 30 years (in the USA - 36). These are intelligent urban youth: in Russia, the vast majority (77%) of divers have higher education(in the USA - 50%).

In general, diving in Russia is very poorly developed, and by our standards it is very expensive. And the number of travel companies offering this type of recreation directly in Russia is small. After all, the Black Sea, of course, cannot be compared with the Red Sea in terms of the beauty of the underwater world.

Therefore, many Russian citizens prefer to travel to Sharm El Sheikh or Southeast Asia than to Sochi. For a little more price, they get a lot more fun.

Wakeboarding is a combination of water skiing, snowboarding, skateboarding and surfing. The boat is towing a raider standing on a short, wide board. Moving at a speed of 30-40 km / h with additional ballast on board, the boat leaves behind a wave that the raider uses as a springboard. In the jump, you can perform many different tricks. Wakeboarding began to develop especially dynamically in the early 1990s. He revolutionized water sports just like at one time snowboarding in alpine skiing. From a hobby of a small group of enthusiasts, he turned into popular sport with its own philosophy and culture. Many tricks came to wakeboarding from related "board" sports - snowboarding, skateboarding, which gives the wakeboarder the opportunity to progress all year round. All you need to do is just change the board!

The cost of a full set of "wakeboarding" equipment is from $400. Wakeboarding requires a special boat, but such boats are expensive, which is why they rarely appear in Russia. Consequently, in our country this type of recreation is almost not developed due to the high cost of the tourist product.

Water skiing- one of the most famous types of outdoor activities. This is a worthy replacement for mountain and cross-country skiing. Water skiing first appeared in 1922, when the American Ralph Samuelson, a resident of Minnesota, experimented with conventional winter skiing decided to try them out on the water. He equipped two wide pine boards with fasteners for the legs. After that, the inventor successfully tested skis on the waters of the lake in Lake City. This sport has constantly progressed and today it has become so spectacular and popular that in 1998 the Greek Olympic Committee recommended the introduction of water skiing into the program of the 2004 Olympics in Athens. True, the IOC did not make a final decision on this issue.

Well, for water skiing, you will need four things: the actual water skiing, a life jacket, gloves and a wetsuit. The cost of skis varies from 120 to 1000 dollars, plus the rest of the equipment (wetsuit, gloves, life jacket) - about 150 dollars. Water skiing is currently actively practiced on the Black Sea coast.

Windsurfing- variety sailing; racing on a special oval carbon fiber board with a rough surface for stability, with stabilizer fins on the bottom plane and a small sail attached to the board. Born in the USA (1968).

Surfing- the same, only without a sail. Actually, windsurfing originated from surfing. With a good wind, you can reach speeds of more than 10-12 m / s. Well, the record for today is more than 70 km / h.

The cost of a set of equipment is quite high. Windsurf kit - $1,000, spare sail kit (mast, boom, sail) - $500, wetsuit - $200, total - $1,700.

Kayaking- popular abroad, is gaining more and more popularity in Russia. This is a solo sport, although it is not devoid of a team spirit, it makes it possible to challenge the elements and remain one on one with it.

In modern kayaking, three main directions are developing - rowing slalom, rodeo and rafting.

Slalom kayaking is the ability to maneuver in a kayak, feeling the boat and the water.

Rodeo, unlike slalom, is not only a virtuoso technique, but also an element of the game. Freestyle kayak is the performance of various tricks on a boat due to the features of the river relief.

You can go on a kayak to water trip along a river of any complexity or play rafting on a small stretch of a mountain river, choosing individual obstacles in the form of barrels, ramparts and waterfalls and passing them lightly. Naturally, in order to feel confident during rafting, you need to master the basic technique of slalom and rodeo.

The kayaker's equipment includes: a boat, a helmet, a life jacket, a skirt (prevents water from entering the boat), rubber slippers and an oar.

This is a fascinating descent along a mountain river in a canoe or special rafts. Rafting is one of the most visited tours, completely safe even for the most young tourists. In recent years, it has attracted such great interest from fans of extreme recreation that most of the mountain rivers suitable for this tourism have been mastered by professionals who now offer rafting tours to almost anywhere in the world.

Raft tours are mainly of the following types: trips for a day (from 60 to 150 dollars) or half a day (in the region of 25-75 dollars) and multi-day trips. During multi-day tours, tourists get into remote corners of the mountains with untouched nature, set up camp as they pass the river and explore the wild surroundings around the campsites. Minimum cost such raft tours - from 1000-1500 dollars.

11.3. Terrestrial types of extreme tourism

mountain biking becoming more and more popular, despite its high cost. To seriously engage in mountain biking, you have to spend a lot of money. So, a bike for a beginner costs from 300 to 500 dollars, there are Mountain bikes with a rear shock absorber up to $10,000. Of course, you need to spend money on ammunition and various spare parts, and this is more than $800. This amount is for a beginner, a professional biker spends much more money.

Judging by the fact that speleologists are people who go to caves with huge backpacks in their free time, then this is tourism. But at the same time speleology is a science. Literally: "the science of caves", a section of geology, namely cartography and hydrogeology. And most importantly, the caves are the last white spots on the world map, the last opportunity to go where not only a human foot has not set foot, but also where the eyes of his eyes or cameras have not fallen. Speleologists are engaged in the study of this mysterious underground world.

To engage in speleology, one must have serious training, not only physical, but also technical, as well as psychological.

Spelestology is a fascinating mixture of tourism and science, exploring artificial cavities. In the broad sense of the word, spelestology is the science of artificial underground structures. Spelestology is closely related to speleology, only speleologists are not interested in caves. They are interested in penetrating into any underground urban structures that are inaccessible or uninteresting to the rest.

X race and - this is when extreme tourists are so well and universally prepared that they can climb rocks, ride a horse, raft in a kayak or raft along the rapids, rush through the mountains on a bicycle and go down the ropes under a waterfall ... These people unite in teams and participate in competitions, the purpose of which is to cover a distance of 3-4 hundred kilometers as quickly as possible, using your skills. This is called multisport, or extreme (more often even adventure) racing. More than 200 extreme races are held annually in the West. For example, the largest races in the UK, organized by the Extreme Racing Association of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

11.4. Mountain types of extreme tourism

It is considered the most extreme vacation. Today, mountaineering is a whole industry that is gradually developing and popularizing. As a rule, it is customary to choose summer for climbing, when the weather allows you to reach the intended peak with minimal losses. However, thrill-seekers do not stop even in winter, and difficult weather conditions and avalanches only add to the spice of the trip. People go to the mountains to test themselves, take risks, overcome everything and get to the top. The taste of victory is sweet, even if the climber did not conquer Elbrus, but only a wall at the local climbing wall.

Climbing equipment is expensive, a full set of high-quality equipment will cost an extreme tourist $ 1,500-2,000. However, if you just want to climb Elbrus once in your life, you can rent equipment. The cost of such a 10-day tour will be about $ 200.

The main problem of mountaineering in Russia, in addition to its high cost, is the small number of experienced instructors.

Alpine skiing and snowboarding. Alpine skiing is one of the oldest types of outdoor activities. Over the years, the number of people who want to ski has not decreased, but rather increased. In addition, now the ski service is much better and more diverse than 10 years ago, not to mention the 1980s and 1970s. Almost on any ski resort There are slopes for both professionals and beginners. Equipment - a set: skis, bindings, sticks, boots, suit, helmet, mask, gloves will cost an average of 700-800 dollars, rent - about 30-40 dollars a day.

Descent through the snow from the mountain slopes on a specially equipped board. This is a more aggressive, active and extreme sport than skiing. Snowboarding as a separate sport appeared in America in the 60s of the twentieth century. Surfers, who did not want to sit idle while waiting for summer days, became a fierce fan of the newfangled hobby for the most part. In our country, snowboarding gained mass recognition in the mid-1990s.

extreme hobbies associated with skiing and snowboarding, can be divided into several groups: frisking, or Freddie, - descent along steep unprepared slopes with difficult terrain; heliskiing - the same, but using a helicopter as a means of delivery to the mountain; ski touring (randonee ski) - ski tour, mountain tourism using skis and special bindings for climbing uphill; ski mountaineering (ski mountaineering) - climbing a mountain with the aim of skiing or snowboarding (the use of insurance or any additional equipment other than skis on the descent violates the "purity" of such an ascent); in recent years, a new school has appeared - something like a snowboard freestyle.

11.5. Air types of extreme tourism

Parachuting is a serious matter, and all of the disciplines listed below imply serious preparation. But first you need to understand what each of them is.

Classic skydiving includes two exercises. The first is jumping for landing accuracy. The task is to hit a target 3 cm in size. The second exercise is a set of figures in free fall. The competition is on time. A fairly conservative sport: the complex of figures itself has not changed for many years. Requires honed skill and constancy in the results.

group acrobatics. This discipline aims to build the maximum number of different figures by a team of several skydivers. The classic number of skydivers in a team is 4 or 8. There are also teams of 16 athletes. A team of four people can build about 30 figures during free fall.

Dome acrobatics consists in building formations from canopies of open parachutists. This is fundamentally different from other types of parachuting, where work on the result goes before the opening of the parachute (except for jumps for precision landing).

When performing figures of dome acrobatics, the parachutes come into direct contact with the parachutes of other athletes, and blockages often occur. Therefore, skydivers involved in dome acrobatics need special equipment.

After all the figures are built, there comes a stage when the paratroopers must separate from each other and make a landing approach. This is the most difficult and dangerous part of the exercise. If the canopies are caught on each other, even actuating the canopy release locks may not help and the canopy will not come off. Opening the reserve parachute in such a situation is quite dangerous. This makes dome acrobatics one of the most risky types of skydiving.

Freestyle- a relatively young type of parachuting, it arose about 10 years ago. It consists in showing the athlete various figures in free fall. It evaluates the beauty and complexity of the elements performed by the skydiver, as well as the skill of the air operator who shoots the athlete in the air.

skysurfing- this is ski jumping to perform various figures in free fall. Having appeared in Russia recently, sky surfing immediately became very popular.

The aerodynamics of a skier is very different from a simple free fall, so ski jumping is considered almost a different sport. Since all elements are performed in a free fall state, an air operator is needed to evaluate the jump so that the jury members can give marks based on the video. Thus, the team consists of two members - an athlete skier and a sports operator. Only the first 50 seconds of the jump video will count. The skill and artistry of the performance of the figures, as well as the quality of the operator's work, are evaluated.

base jumping. The base jumper does not need an airplane or other flying equipment to do what it loves - skydiving. He manages with an ordinary elevator, and often with his own hands and feet, plus climbing equipment.

An athlete baser climbs onto the roof of a building, preferably a higher skyscraper, some kind of TV tower, mountain or rock and jumps down.

Even enthusiasts of this sport say that this is one of the most dangerous sports, even against the backdrop of extreme ones.

In Russia, jumping from tall buildings and structures is considered petty hooliganism and is punishable in full accordance with the Criminal Code.

Balloon flights an ordinary person is available at various festivals that take place in our country. flight range for hot-air balloon depends on the strength of the wind (of course, no one will fly into a hurricane), with an average wind strength - this is 20-30 km. The landing site is completely dependent on weather conditions.

hang gliding is one of the world's fastest growing sports. Today, there are about 90 thousand hang gliders around the world, plus every year about a thousand newly minted hang gliders take to the skies. Modern vehicles are incredibly stable, durable, and flying on them can only be limited by weather conditions and the experience of the pilot himself.

11.6. Exotic types of extreme tourism

space tourism- the most expensive and, perhaps, the most exotic type of extreme tourism - a trip to the Earth's orbit. So far, space tourists can be counted on the fingers of one hand. The pioneers were American millionaire Dennis Tito and South African citizen Mark Shuttleworth. Each of them spent a week on the International Space Station at least $20 million.

essence kitesurfing consists in the fact that a person standing on a board accelerates with the help of a kite, the rope from which is in his hands. You can go in for kitesurfing both in the mountains and on flat terrain, the wind is a prerequisite. You can even ride on any field, no matter how flat or bumpy. But it is considered a special chic to ride a board on ponds covered with ice crust and powdered with snow. In addition, the channels of rivers or lakes, as a rule, are the most windy places. Amazing off-season versatility allows you to use kites both winter and summer. And some professionals make jumps up to 100 m in length and 30 in height. The kite allows you to reach speeds that are more than twice the speed of the wind.

jailoo tourism- one of the types of exotic extreme recreation - life in a primitive tribe with all the delights of nomadic life. This fascinating type of tourism is successfully developing in the high mountain pastures of Kyrgyzstan. It is offered to sleep right on the floor of the shepherd's yurt, next to the smoke of the hearth, fresh lamb and koumiss, as well as horseback riding in the mountains and pastures. A great opportunity to take a break from the big city.

Tourism at the North and South Poles. Relatively recently, cruises to the Arctic and Antarctic have been launched. And more and more people want to visit extreme climatic conditions and see exotic animals, such as penguins.

There are also such exotic tours as a trip to Chernobyl or a trip through the jungle.

For obvious reasons, there are not many people who want to go to Chernobyl. Indeed, even after two decades, the ecological situation in this area is far from optimal. Of course, thrill-seekers are sent there in special suits, accompanied by specialists with dosimeters.

When hiking in the jungle, tourists have the opportunity to literally fit into nature and at the same time be cut off from the civilized world. Even if such a tour group has modern facilities satellite communications, it may take several hours or days for help to arrive, so any emergency can lead to serious consequences.

Summarizing the above, it is obvious that extreme tourism is a very interesting, exciting type of recreation and every year it becomes more and more popular among various segments of the population, despite its cost. It is noteworthy that Russians are one of the biggest lovers of extreme tourism, although in Russia the average income of the population is low. Russian extreme tourists participate in many international competitions, and often the representatives of Russia are among the strongest.

Compared to Russia, extreme tourism in other parts of the world - in East Asia, Europe, North America - is developed to a fairly high degree. Europeans and especially North America even refer extreme tourism to the most popular sports. In addition, the incomes of the population of these parts of the world are much higher than in Russia, so almost everyone can engage in extreme tourism there.

The most promising places for extreme tourism in Russia are Sakhalin and Altai, because here nature itself is created for extreme sports. Many high quality ski resorts can be built in these areas. There are also many places for mountaineering, speleology, mountain biking, kayaking, rafting. If the problem of financing the development of tourist infrastructure is solved in these areas, not only Russians, but also residents of neighboring countries (Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Korea, Japan) will come here.

It is obvious that extreme tourism will progressively develop. The task of the state is to make it as safe as possible for the participants and prevent the uncontrolled use and destruction of natural tourist resources. Extreme tourism is one of the most dangerous types of tourism, its purpose is to feel the danger. All types of dangers in extreme tourism can be classified according to the nature of the phenomenon and the role of tourists in the occurrence of a dangerous situation.

Risk factors in extreme tourism are classified according to their nature:

Injury hazard - the result of the movement of mechanisms and objects (rockfalls, avalanches, etc.), unfavorable ergonomic characteristics of equipment, dangerous atmospheric phenomena;
- environmental impact - the danger of adverse weather conditions;
- fire hazard;
- biological impact - the risk of animal bites, poisonous insects, carriers of infections, ingestion of poisonous microorganisms into the human body;
- psychophysiological loads - the risk of physical and neuropsychic overload among tourists when passing through difficult, dangerous sections of the route;
- danger of ultraviolet and radiation radiation;
- chemical effects - toxic, irritating, sensitizing;
- specific risk factors - the possibility of natural and man-made disasters on the route, poor technical condition of facilities, low level of training of service personnel, instructors, insufficient information support on the route.

Control over compliance with the safety requirements of extreme tourism should be carried out before the start of the tourist season and during ongoing inspections by authorized state bodies in accordance with their competence.

Security questions for chapter 11

1. Tell us about the features of extreme tourism.
2. What is the classification of extreme tourism by type?
3. What are the motives and goals of extreme tour participants?
4. Describe the main types of extreme air tourism.
5. What are the main types of extreme water tourism?
6. What are the risk factors and classification of dangers in extreme tourism?
7. Describe the security measures for participants in extreme tours.

Literature for Chapter 11

1. Aleksandrova A.Yu. Economics and territorial organization of international tourism. - M., 1996.