12 Wilderness Adventures to Test Your Survival Skills
Have you ever asked yourself how you would do in the wild, without the comforts of life, and only your grit to get you through? Testing your survival skills isn’t about proving toughness, but it is about proving your ability to survive on your own, your creativity, and the untamed beauty of nature. If you’re an experienced outdoorsman or just want to see what you’re made of, these adventures will challenge you.
Whether surviving in dense forests or barren deserts worldwide, such survival tests allow the chance to reconnect with nature and forge new ways of reaching instincts buried by modern comforts. Every destination on this list is a different challenge, merging the beauty of nature with the challenge of getting there.
Surviving the Alaskan Wilderness
The rugged backcountry of Alaska isn’t for the faint-hearted. It really doesn’t get more wild than this with frigid temperatures and grizzly bear encounters. Denali’s wilderness draws adventurers looking to learn fire-starting, foraging, and shelter-building. This isn’t a postcard moment; it’s a survivalist’s dream.
Exploring Utah’s Slot Canyons
Utah’s national parks are home to the maze-like slot canyons that challenge even the most seasoned hikers. Endurance and an eye for navigating very narrow passageways are also needed, as well as a healthy respect for flash floods. Bring extra water and a map, experts say, since GPS isn’t always reliable when you’re hemmed in by towering sandstone.
Jungle Survival in Costa Rica
Rainforests in Costa Rica are teeming with biodiversity and with survival challenges. While listening to howler monkeys overhead; learn how to identify edible plants, find fresh water, and keep away from the venomous snakes. Many come home appreciating that all systems in the ecology have a delicate balance in which they have played some role.
Crossing the Sahara Desert
The Sahara desert is a hell of an environment: endless dunes, searing heat, pushing human endurance beyond its limits. Survivalists often prefer to go beyond camel treks and learn ancient Berber survival techniques. The game here is hydration — losing just 2 percent of your body’s water can affect physical performance, researchers say.
Kayaking Canada’s Yukon River
The Yukon River offers a double-edged sword; breathtaking scenery and isolation that will test your survival know-how. Paddlers learn how to paddle long stretches of water, set up camp on the fly, and be on the lookout for wildlife. As one of the adventurers put it: ‘Out here you’re reminded you’re not at the top of the food chain.’
Trekking Through Patagonia’s Ice Fields
Preparation and perseverance are key when it comes to Patagonia’s glaciers and its weather. Hikers need to know how to deal with extreme cold, construct a shelter out of snow, and navigate ever-changing terrain. You’ll be pleased to learn that survival challenges in cold climates can actually greatly enhance problem-solving skills.
Surviving on the Fish in the Florida Everglades
The Everglades aren’t just about airboats and gators, they’re a survivalist playground. If you get the right training, you can hunt for food, fish, dodge venomous snakes, and cook meals with whatever is around you. Locals also share their favorite tips, such as how to make fire with swamp wood, which is harder than it sounds.
The Scottish Highlands Scaled
The rugged highlands of Scotland are harsh and beautiful, and you’ll need to respect them. This terrain is ideal for learning orienteering and weatherproofing techniques in suddenly shifting weather and steep ascents. It’s its own reward for solitude, but it also means that you’d better know what to do in an emergency.
Australia’s Outback
The dry, arid conditions of the Australian Outback will challenge you to keep hydrated and to find food. Gathering water from tree roots is just one form of the traditional bushcraft techniques the Aboriginal guides like to teach. Bushcraft courses can boost participants’ confidence in emergency situations, which are skills worth taking home.
Surviving on an Island in the Philippines
What if you were stranded on a deserted island in the Philippines? Survival is fishing with crude tools, collecting rainfall, and creating a home from coconut palms here. It’s humbling and empowering, and the stories that come from it are worthy of a castaway movie.
Hiking the Appalachian Trail
There is no path more grueling than the Appalachian Trail is 2190+ miles of neck earned in endurance, resourcefulness, and mental grit. Although not a full-blown survival scenario, true hikers deal with food shortages, injuries, and extreme weather. It’s an outdoor enthusiast proving ground, where people can push their limits.
Braving the Arctic Circle
There is beauty in the Arctic circle and it is stark and unforgiving. Survival, here, is made up of cold weather techniques like ice fishing and building igloos. Polar explorers say adaptability is the most important skill because temperatures can plummet to life-threatening levels in minutes.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
Even if you’ve been on a safari in the past, an African photo safari is something you want to experience or at the very list add to the top of your bucket list.
But first, what is a photo safari? The phrase “photo safari” is not a common sentence structure but its meaning can be deduced easily. An African photo safari in general context means going on an adventure with the sole purpose of taking high-quality pictures.
10 Best African Photo Safaris You Must Experience
