New Zealand is the perfect destination for adrenaline junkies looking for their next fix. On a recent trip I crawled around darkened caves lit only by fluorescent worms, jumped 15,000 feet out of a plane and swam around the Marlborough Sounds with dolphins in the wild.

If you are looking for thrills and spills on your trip to New Zealand, I would recommend checking out the following:

www.nzone.biz - For a first-class tandem skydiving experience in Rotorua and Queenstown.

www.zorb.com – Rolling down a hill in a giant plastic ball…only the Kiwis could come up with something this bizarre.

www.fcr.co.nz –Take the Formula Challenge and drive a real race car.

www.rapidsjet.com - Beautiful scenery at insanely high speeds.

www.taupobungy.com – If you ever wanted to bungee this is the place to do it, although I have to admit I needed to hit the spa after!

http://www.waitomo.com – This area of New Zealand has so many holes in the ground, locals compare it to Swiss cheese. It is one of two places in the world where you can see the fascinating glowworm caves.

http://www.destinationmarlborough.com – At the northern tip of the South Island, this a fantastic place for sea kayaking and swimming with pods of wild dolphins.

A few things to bear in mind if you are anxious for adventure on your next

vacation:

  • be realistic about your fitness level.
  • stay in your comfort zone – push yourself but don't freak yourself out!
  • be flexible – hard to plan every detail in adventure travel so expect the unexpected, especially when it comes to things like weather.
  • Read the waivers you sign and ensure you are properly protected.
  • Always go with trained and properly certified professionals. Look for a professional endorsement on the company's website.

Looking for something closer to home?…here are some websites to check out for some adventures here in Canada:

http://www.goskydive.ca - The Gatineau Ottawa Skydive will take you to an altitude of 12,500 feet. During the 7 minute jump, you will have an unmatched view of the cities of Gatineau and Ottawa, the Gatineau Park and the Ottawa River.

www.bungee.ca - The highest jumping platform in North America. Located on a quarry filled with water, it is just 20 minutes from Gatineau in Wakefield, Quebec.

www.openskyadventures.com - A face-forward rappel down a 135 foot rock wall in New Brunswick's Grand Falls Gorge.

www.paraglidecanada.com – Go sky high in Vernon, British Columbia.

www.adrenalinezip.com - Once a month during the summer season soar through the trees under the moonlight on a zip line. Located 45 minutes west of Victoria. 

www.legendaryex.com - Expedition kayaking and trekking on Baffin and Ellesmere Islands

www.adventureseekertours.com – Hot Air Balloon tours in Ontario

Loren Christie appears regularly on Canada AM. If you have a travel question, email us at traveltips@ctv.ca.