Off-Season Adventures To Add To Your Bucket List

Most people visit this incredible national park in the summer. Avoid the crowds and nicer weather this time of year. Hike the Bright Angel Trail; it will take you from the south rim down to the Colorado River, over the course of 9.5 miles. Visit the Grand Canyon Village for some of the best lodging options, historical sights. And, of course, raft the Colorado River. It offers waters ranging from class I to class V rapids and some incredible places to stop off. Rafting trips range from six to more than 20 days—either way the views and the experience as a whole is said to be magical.

Photos don't do them justice. There is no natural phenomenon like the colorful displays of the Aurora Borealis. Most of the perfect locations for nature's most extraordinary light show are in the snowy Arctic wilderness. In Lapland, Finland, for example, the Norther Lights appear in the sky around 200 times per year. You can stay in glass igloos and log cabins with extraordinary views. 

Take any trek along the Inca Trail and finish at Machu Picchu. The Inca Trail in Peru is by far one of most famous hikes in the world, and it practically has no peak season. Adventurers hike 26 miles in about 4-5 days, conquering taxing ascends and descends. The rewards come in the form of getting close to ancient ruins, exploring the jungle, being inspired by gorgeous mountain scenery.

Most people go to Hawaii in the winter to escape the freezing temperatures on the mainland. But the 17 miles of ocean shores are magnificent year-round. One of the top lures for tourists on the island of Kauai, are the 4,000-foot tall cliffs, which are some of the most dramatic in the world. They bring sightseers, hikers and paddlers from all over. Take the full-day paddle between Heana Beach Park and Polihale State Park to see amazing marine life like dolphins, sea turtles and seals, in addition to some of the most remarkable natural features Hawaii has to offer.

Iguazu Falls is not like any waterfall you can imagine. Spanning 1.6 miles, it is made of 275 waterfalls or cataracts. Exploring them by foot or hopping on a boat to experience Iguazu by water is an absolute thrill. You can actually get very close to the waterfall. Walk over the many wooden footbridges that are elevated over the Iguazu River to see amazing falls, magnificent panoramas and even a rainbow.

Hiking, biking, rafting, and kayaking are often involved. You'll get to see where Genghis Khan set out to conquer the world. You'll live in a Nomad's ger, and ride horses while learning archery and garment-making skills. You may have to get up early to help your hosts with chores like milking the cows and making your own dairy products for breakfast.  Try the Wild Mongolia trip. Hike to the peak of a volcano, visit Khovsgol Lake, explore the palaces, watch cultural performances, and relax in Tsenkher hot springs.

Running waterfalls is an adventure on a whole new level. This video shows Tyler Bradt completing the World Record Waterfall Descent – 189 feet. The previously held record for kayak descents, set only weeks earlier, had been off a 127-foot fall in the Amazon, according to National Geographic. You, of course, don't have to go to such extremes.

Travel to Siberia by train along the longest continuous railway in the world. This is an amazing trip adventure that is about 6,000 miles and will take a week, if not longer. Stop in several cities such as the beautiful 1,000-year-old city of Kazan or Irkutsk to see Lake Baikal, the deepest lake in the world.  Outdoor adventures in Siberia include volcano and wildlife spotting and trekking. Some people choose to take the trip in the winter.

Contrary to popular belief, sharks are generally not a threat to people. Resorts and tour agencies offer the experience of being very close to the ocean's most terrifying creature. If you're curious but not quite ready to get that friendly with these large sea species, a cage dive will likely better suit your appetite for a shark-viewing adventure.  Some of the best places for such experience are Tiger Beach in the Bahamas, Ambergris Caye in Belize, and Cocos Island in Costa Rica.

Churchill, a town in the province of Manitoba, is one of the few human settlements where polar bears can be observed in the wild. Most people go to see them in October and November when they begin their move from their summer habitat, but you can also see bears during summer and winter. Go on a tour with an Inuit guide who will bring you face-to-face 10-foot polar bears in the frozen tundra.

Bolivia's Old Yungas Road is a zigzagging, 40-mile-long stretch that links the high Andean capital city of La Paz to Coroico, below in the Amazon basin. It steep hills have become a tourist attraction for adventurous mountain bikers. The ride begins at about 11,000 feet. When cyclists hit the 2,300-feet mark, the road thins out to only about 9 feet. This is by far the most dangerous part of the adventure because you're also likely to have on-coming traffic gets in your way.

See this amazing natural wonder while you still can. Diving in one of the most colorful places on Earth is experience like no other.  Just get in the water and you'll be among ridges overrun with 900 different species of sea life, including parrotfish, giant turtles, surgeonfish, sea cucumber, and starfish.

But you have to do it in their classic old-school car. Go on adventures that will show you not just the people and the architecture, but also the history, culture and wild side of the country. You can't dive and explore the depths of a cave that reaches 70-feet deep in many places; climb some very strange rock formations; zip line though Cuba's Las Terrazas Biosphere Reserve; and, of course, run the iconic Malecon.

Who says you have to be a very courageous person to experience one of the most iconic volcanoes in the world? Thrihnukagigur in Iceland is a lot more accessible than you think. A tour offers you the chance to descend 400 feet to the bottom of the volcano's magma chamber in an open cable lift. All you are required to do is walk about two miles each way, with a guide.

Hiking is already an unforgettable adventure because of the uncertainty it offers. As is the case with most thrilling experiences, people want more. Hiking a dangerous and active volcano is an exhilarating way to explore otherworldly terrain, steep slopes, lava flows, and hot springs all in one trip. Some of the most awesome active volcanoes to hike are Cotopaxi in Ecuador, Kilauea in Hawaii, Mt. Etna in Sicily, Arenal in Costa Rica, and Pacaya in Guatemala.