Must-dos For Backpackers

By Author: Mathew Sabri
Total Articles: 33
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Sky-Diving You haven't fully grasped the whole backpacker experience if you haven't thrown yourself out of a plane from at least 10,000ft after a trip to Australia or New Zealand.

Both countries have more than their fare share of places to ‘get extreme' but one of the most picturesque is Airlie Beach in Queensland, Australia. Although you can only jump from 10,000 ft, which is lower than many other places, this is a small price to pay when you see the views of the Great Barrier Reef and the Whitsunday Islands on your way back to earth.

Bungee Jumping: The ultimate ‘thrill-seeker' destination is Land of the Long White Cloud, New Zealand. Here is where commercial bungee jumping began and in Queenstown on South Island you can do the highest permanent bungee in the world.

You'll dive out of a cable car, precariously suspended over a ravine and fall for 8.5 seconds or 138 metres, and get frighteningly close to the riverbed below, before bouncing back up to relative safety.

Shark Dive: Staying in the southern hemisphere, in South Africa you can get up close and personal with the killing machines ...
... that is the Great White Shark. Although not exactly the most moral adventure you can go on, seeing as they actively bait the sharks, put your conscience aside for one day to admire the mighty force that is the Great White.

The freezing and murky water only adds to the effect making the shark's unexpected appearance even more terrifying. You will no doubt replay the Jaws music in your head throughout the whole experience.

Machu Picchu: Scattered across its landscape, Latin America has some outstanding remains of long-gone civilization and the best way to see them is on foot. The week-long Inca trail is one of the best and despite the terrible conditions, the reward at the end makes this treacherous hike worth it. Machu Picchu is truly breathtaking and watching sunrise over the remains is a sight you'll remember for ever.

Mount Everest Base Camp: More trekking is required to get to Everest Base Camp. The landscape looks more fitted to another planet and is just as inhospitable but this place is unbelievable inspiring.

You'll walk through the Nepalese Himalayas, up mountains, through expansive valleys and across vast glaciers seeing scenery unlike anywhere else on earth. All the while Sherpa and local Nepalese villagers make it look like a walk in the park, some park!

Throwing yourself out of a plane and swimming with sharks are obviously risky activities and as backpackers have no spare money to deal with accidents let alone emergency service sea-rescues and hospital bills, you need to get the correct insurance. Don't risk your life, insure it.

Whether you are looking for backpacker insurance or winter sports insurance for an extreme sporting holiday, etravelinsurance.co.uk provides student travel insurance cover for a wide range of holidays and trips abroad.