The Craziest Winter Adventures Around The World

Winter is all about skiing and snowboarding. Don't limit yourself to tradition when you can test your physical limits, conquer your fears and stimulate your imagination with what will certainly be one unforgettable experience. Exhilarating and very unusual sports are organized all of the time, but some take the concept of thrill-seeing to a whole new level.

Snow sailing includes sailing, skating, skiing and snowboarding. You just do them directly on ice or on ice covered with snow. You can do it anywhere where the wind is strong enough, and Michigan is an ideal location for the sport where winters are sufficiently cold.

Ski and snowboard enthusiasts dream of completing the ultimate test of heli skiing as part of their mission to conquer mountains. Ungroomed terrain, no crowds and unpredictable snow elevate this extreme winter sport to a whole new level. Some of the best places for heli skiing are the Mazama in Washington, Riksgransen in Sweden, and almost anywhere in the Canadian Rockies.

You already have skis so now all you need is a horse, dog or car and the proper towing apparatus. Skijoring is an actual sport with real competitions and, with a bit of training, it's a sport that the average person can do. If you'd like to watch the pros, equestrian skijoring races are popular out west—Whitefish, Montana hosts the World Skijoring Championships each year.

This is really a reindeer sleigh ride, but it is every bit as exciting as you imagined it when you were a child. Follow in the footsteps of the Sami people as you travel in the age old way. Traveling like that is the most traditional way to move through the quaint Lappish nature. Visit Santa Claus Village while you're at it.

This is a truly unique experience that only few people can say they have enjoyed. And it will cost you $4.8 million. You and your fellow-passengers will rise well beyond 30,000 feet and get awe-inspiring views of Everest and the Himalayas.

Imagine climbing aboard a train in Vancouver and being soothed to sleep by the train moving while snow falls outside. Then awaken in a Rockies winter wonderland to spend a few days playing outside. This is what the Canadian Train Vacations offer. You will spend one night in Vancouver, one night via rail, two nights in Jasper, one in Lake Louise, and two more in Banff.

The fat bike phenomenon has taken hold in the past few years, prompting seasonal cyclists to make the switch and ride year-round. The Wyoming wilderness offers some of the best opportunities for the adventurous sport. Roll the big wheels on the trails around Turpin Meadow Ranch in Moran and on the snow-covered roads of Grand Teton National Park.

Becoming part of the elite mountaineers who have conquered the so called eight-thousandars – a total of 14 independent mountains that are more than 8,000 meters (26,247 feet) high above sea level – is one of the great challenges life could ever offer. Nepal has eight of those 14 giants.

Ice climbing is one of the most dangerous recreational activities ever and is no longer just a subset of mountaineering. More and more adrenaline seekers climb frozen waterfalls and steep ice since the equipment for this high-risk sport has gotten better and better. Some of the best places for the adventure are in Mount Washington in New Hampshire, Kandersteg in Switzerland and in British Columbia. 

The Antarctica Ice Marathon has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the Southernmost Marathon on Earth. One thing that is very intriguing is the fact that it's impossible to predict winning times because weather conditions and terrain change from year to year.

Get there by train for a truly unique adventure. The ice fishing trip will have you fish the morning from the sunrise to lunch for the best bites, and then in the evening after sunset. Don't worry – you'll be staying in a warm tent with a stove. Be mindful of the fact that temps can easily drop to -50C (-67F). This will truly be the ultimate fishing experience.

Drive your own squad of Alaskan huskies on this magnificent sledding expedition. The village of Jukkasjärvi boasts the world's first ice hotel and is one of the best regions to view the Northern Lights. You can get closer to them and watch them through an airplane window.

Described as "sledding on steroids," snow kayaking is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of storing kayaks away for the winter, the sport involves racing the freshly-waxed boats over snow and down mountains. With the help of a paddle to steer and a helmet in the event of a crash, you will fly down slopes.

In many countries plunging into ice cold water on January 1 (or a few days before or after) has been a tradition for more than a century. Judging by the numbers, swimming in icy waters is more popular in Europe than in North America. The largest polar bear swim in the U.S. is in Sandy Point State Park in Maryland – the Plungapalooza. The biggest swim was in 2008 when 12,000 people showed up.

Few unique lodgings will make an adventure more thrilling than staying in an igloo surrounded by snow and ice. Travel to Iglu Village in Kühtai, Austria to see what it's like. The complex is made entirely of snow and has a dining room, ice bar and custom-cut ice sculptures, according to Lonely Planet.

How would you like to go scuba diving with ice above you and no clear way out? Underwater you will enter a new world even more unlike anything you have ever seen. Some of the trip's highlights include diving in pack ice, cracks, Arctic sea floor and seeing vast array of wildlife at the floe edge of the island.