Extreme or so-called action sports include a variety of activities with high levels of adrenaline that appeal to adventure lovers. We brought together all the necessary and practical information for you to discover the details of your favorite type of extreme sport. You can also find out about the best spots to engage in your preferred extreme sport in Turkey as well as all around the world. 

What is an Extreme Sport?

Extreme sports is a broad term to describe any action or adventure sports that include a high dosage of risk, height, speed, natural challenges, and physical struggle. Most extreme sports are considered as an alternative to mainstream sports with their adrenaline-rushing thrills. Extreme sports are popularized in the 1990s with lots of TV coverage and they keep on increasing their popularity every year. 

Most Popular Extreme Sports

Bungee Jumping

Bungee Jumping is a simple yet thrilling recreational activity that involves head-first jumping from a tall structure with an elastic cord. Bungee jump as we know it was first practiced in 1979 but its different forms used to be a tribal coming-of-age ritual in many cultures. Now, bungee jumping is one of the most popular and available extreme sports in the world.

Paragliding

Paragliding is an aerial extreme sport that involves gliding through the air with a parachute that is attached into your body. Participants descend from high altitudes such as a mountain, cliff or an aircraft. Modern paragliding is being practiced since the late 18th century. 

Windsurfing

Windsurfing is essentially a water sport that combines the main aspects of sailing and surfing into one worldly-appreciated sport. Windsurfing is a one-person sport and is practiced with a special piece of equipment called sailboard. The windsurfing has been around since the mid-20th century. 

Skateboarding

Skateboarding is an action-filled recreational activity and a professional sport that involves performing tricks on a skateboard. Skateboarding is invented in California during the 1940s as an alternative to surfing and gradually evolved into a widely popular recreational activity, especially among youth. Skateboarding is also created its own subculture from its slang to music.  

Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is the most practiced form of underwater diving where the diver uses an underwater breathing apparatus to breathe independently underwater. Scuba diving is all about discovering the beauties of the underwater life and its wonders. 

Extreme Sports for Every Season

Extreme Sports to Do in Spring

Abseiling

Abseiling is a recreational activity that involves sliding down through a rope in controlled conditions from a mountain, cliff or a man-made structure. In spring the weather is more welcoming and warm for abseiling and since the sport is mostly taking place in nature; spring is the most convenient season for it.

Mountain Biking

Mountain biking is an off-road bicycle racing sport that is set on rough terrain like a mountain, desert, or rocks with specially designed mountain bikes. Most mountain bikers like to ride on a dry terrain without snow or rain.

Zip Lining

Ziplining is a recreational activity that involves riding a steel cable on a protective seat or belt between two points, generally on a valley, mountain or river that exhibits spectacular sceneries. Ziplining is not just about being fast or high, it is about exploring the natural environment from an unusual perspective and nature is in its most beautiful state in spring.

Extreme Sports to Do in Summer

Scuba Diving

Scuba diving is a summer sport that mostly involves discovering the underwater world while getting pretty wet. 

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing is riding and gliding across the water while holding onto a large hand-controlled kite that is powered by the wind. You are most likely not going to enjoy kitesurfing in cold water or during rain. 

Skateboarding

Performing tricks on a skateboard is already risky and you want to perform them on a dry surface to prevent injuries.

Extreme Sports to Do in Autumn

Land sailing

Land sailing vehicles require high amounts of wind to work and generally autumn is the season with most windy days.

Canyoning

Canyoning includes hiking, climbing, abseiling, swimming and even cliff jumping set in a natural landscape and is a very demanding sport. It is better to go canyoning in cooler weather than a hot one.

Trekking

Trekking is the best way to explore your natural surroundings, and fall is the perfect time as the temperatures are on most welcoming levels.

Extreme Sports to Do in Winter

Skiing

Skiing on proper snowy terrain is much better since; when the snow is too wet it creates a vacuum between the ski and the snow, making sliding much harder.  

Snocross

Snocross is a racing sport with high-performance snowmobiles and requires high amounts of snow on the surface.

Ice Climbing

Ice climbing is a very demanding yet satisfying extreme sport that requires below zero temperatures.

Best Spots for Extreme Sports in Turkey

Paragliding, Ölüdeniz / Fethiye

Ölüdeniz is an amazing tourism destination in Fethiye district with its sunny beaches, clear bays and mountains. Paragliding in Ölüdeniz is the ultimate paragliding experience that will never cease to amaze you. It is possible to see spectacular blue lagoons beneath you after taking off from Mount Babadag which has an altitude of more than 2000 meters. 

Scuba diving, Kalkan / Antalya

Kalkan district is famous for clear waters and colorful underwater life. There are many world-class scuba diving centers in the district and they offer an unforgettable journey that includes cave exploring and swimming with hundreds of fish.

Windsurfing, Alaçatı / İzmir

Alaçatı is a worldly known center for windsurfing and is especially good for beginners since the water is shallow and flat. Every August, Alaçatı hosts a windsurfing world cup that lasts six days. 

Canyoning, Göynük / Antalya

Göynük Canyon is one of the best canyoning routes of the Mediterranean region. Göynük Canyon is an amazing natural attraction of Antalya that involves many other outdoor activities such as zip lining, cave exploring or even swimming. 

Skiing, Erciyes / Kayseri

Erciyes is one of the best places you can enjoy skiing in Turkey with its ever-snowing peak. The skiing area in Erciyes is between 2000-3000 meters altitude and the total length is 12 kilometers. There are many traditional shops around the ski center where you can buy traditional Kayseri delicacies such as “sucuk” or try the Turkish dish mantı. 

Extreme Sports Tours

There are many extreme sport tours are organized by many travel agencies in various parts of Turkey. You don’t need to worry about equipment, transportation, and attractions you might miss. 

Best Spots for Extreme Sports in the World

Skateboarding

London, Barcelona, and Berlin are amazing cities for skateboarding with hundreds of skateparks.

Paragliding

Switzerland (Interlaken) and Barcelona are great places to do paragliding. 

Windsurfing

Nice and Abu Dhabi are two of the best cities in the world for windsurfing. 

Bungee Jumping

Dubai and Belgrade are some of the best cities to enjoy bungee jumping.

Scuba Diving

Hurghada and Cyprus are some of the best spots in the world for scuba diving. 

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List of Extreme Sports