5 OUT OF THE ORDINARY VACATIONS FOR THE ADVENTURE SEEKING GENT

One of the most difficult annual decisions is the destination of this year’s vacation. Do you make the most of your time away from the office and simply laze about on a beach? Do you tire yourself out on an exciting city break? Or do you do something completely out of the ordinary?

With out of the ordinary in mind, here are our five vacation choices for the adventure seeking gent, with the possibility of some relaxation thrown in there too.

1. Visiting the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)

The Northern Lights should be a must-see on anyone’s bucket list. The aurora is most likely to appear between November to March and is visible from many locations in the northern hemisphere. However, there are a few locations that stand out from the crowd when it comes to their viewing experience.
For the best view of the Northern Lights visit Svalbard in Norway. This island is one of the world’s northernmost destinations, which usually means your chances of seeing the aurora are better. Visiting through the winter means you are also likely to experience the ‘Polar Night’, which is the time of year when the sun never rises.

2. Staying in the ICEHOTEL

If you’re looking for unusual accommodation then staying in a hotel made entirely of ice is about as unusual as it gets. The ICEHOTEL is located in the Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi and is the world’s first ice hotel, founded in 1989.
Originally the ICEHOTEL was rebuilt every year after melting, however as of 2017, the hotel will be available to stay in for 365 days of the year. The team behind ICEHOTEL recommend you stay in a cold room for one night for the experience and then stay in their luxury heated rooms for the remainder of your stay.

As the cold room temperatures hover between -5°C and -7°C, be sure to pack appropriate clothing like thermals, hats, scarves and jumpers.

ICEHOTEL will provide you with an expedition style sleeping bag which has been tested for extreme temperatures.

3. Snowmobiling and Sledding in Alaska

Alaska is far from the frozen wasteland that you likely imagine in your head. In fact, Alaska is an excellent choice for an exciting, luxury adventure. You will experience gorgeous, picturesque landscapes like no-where else in the world. The Northern Lights can also be seen from here which means you can knock two of our extraordinary holiday ideas off your list in one go.

The highlight of any Alaskan adventure however, is snowmobiling and traditional dogsledding, allowing you to experience the Alaskan wilderness first hand.

4. Staying in a Cave House

Cave houses may be quite common on the Greek island of Santorini, but for everyone else, this certainly makes for an unusual vacation. Although this is probably not the vacation of choice for a thrill seeker, it’s perfect if you’re looking to combine tranquility and relaxation with a little adventure. As well as staying in a traditional cave house built into Santorini’s cliffs, consider hiking the challenging trail to Oia, taking a sunset boat trip around the island and take a dip in Amoudi Bay.

5. Visit a Volcano

Not many people can say they’ve experienced the raw power of a volcano up close. For those of you brave enough, the Ultimate Volcano Adventure is an experience you can’t miss. You’ll be visiting Iceland to see the Þríhnúkagigur Volcano up close and personal.

Scientists in the area have recently opened up an open-air lift that will take you 120 meters under the surface of the ground into the dormant volcanoes magma chamber. Another stop on the vacation will be the Silfra fissure, where the European and American tectonic plates meet. Here you will be able to dive in arguably the clearest water on earth.