SYDNEY, May 2 (Reuters Life!) - If two weeks by a pool with a margarita is your idea of the vacation from hell, you may prefer something more challenging with men's portal AskMen.com coming up with a list of the top 10 exclusive adventures.
This list was compiled by AskMen (http://www.askmen.com) and is not endorsed by Reuters:
1. Arctic Expedition - Arctic Circle, Sweden
The polar opposite, literally, of beach holidays. Responsible Travel's Arctic expedition will see you sledding across frozen lakes, forests and tundra and staying in a different wooden cabin every night with a visit to the world-famous Ice Hotel.
2. Desert Storm - Marrakech, Morocco
A seven-day desert exclusive adventure from Responsible Travel riding a camel in the Sahara Desert, stopping at night to sleep in traditional nomad tents by dried-up oases and shifting sand dunes before finishing in Marrakech.
3. Raging Rapids - Peru, South America
An eight-day white water rafting adventure with Andean Trails takes you on a journey through the upper and lower Tambopata, from the shores of Lake Titicaca to the heart of the Amazon rain forest, ending up on a train journey to the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu.
4.Pirate's Life - Grenadine Islands, Caribbean
On board the Royal Clipper, the largest full-rigged sailing ship in the world, complete with towering mast and billowing sails, you can tour the Grenadine Islands from Barbados to seven or more lush islands and enjoy diving among age-old coral reef. The ship carries 227 guests and has three swimming pools.
5.Driving Wild - London, England
Live out your own supercar fantasy by contacting Prestige Car Hire and selecting from a portfolio of high-end motors, including the Bentley Continental GTC, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, the Maserati GranTurismo and the Lamborghini Gallardo Spider. Staying at the Dorchester Hotel you'll have the keys for three days.
6.Hunting Ground - Tanzania, East Africa
Organized by Legendary Adventures and either of its two outfitters, Tanzania Game Tracker Safaris or Wengert Windrose Safaris, you can go out in search of big game and horned ungulates. Your experienced professional hunter will tell you how to load a rifle, aim and fire.
7.Easy Rider - Arganil, Portugal
Explore Portugal by bike, booking a tour through Motorcycle Holiday and burning rubber on a BMW 650 Dakar, going off-road in Arganil, central Portugal, on carefully selected trails. By night, rest at a luxury villa with salt-water pool and jacuzzi.
8. Into the Blue - Beqa Island, Fiji
This isle in the South Pacific is a mecca for surfers, divers and boaters. Book your island adventure with Scuba Safaris and check in at Beqa Lagoon Resort, which usually includes no less than 10 dives in its package deal. For the more adventurous, organize a cage dive to get up close with some sharks.
9. Ski 'n Snow - Chamonix, France
The plush French resort of Chamonix is one of the best places for extreme sports. Tour operator Azzure will set you up with a James Bond-style chalet and by day get the blood flowing by going paragliding or parachuting above the soaring peaks.
10. Gorillas in the Mist - Uganda, East Africa
Offering an 11-day itinerary, the Adventure Company tour starts by tracking chimpanzees in the Kibale Forest before moving on to the Queen Elizabeth II National Park to watch antelopes, elephants, hyenas, and baboons in their natural habitat. Board a boat and sail down the Kazinga Channel for a spot of hippo- and bird-watching before heading to the Bwindi National Park where half the world's population of mountain gorillas.
(Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)
