The 10 most extreme sports in the world, RANKED

Think you want a dose of adrenaline? Well, look no further! These are the ten most extreme sports in the world.

While many people enjoy the odd dash of excitement to spice up their lives, some simply live for it. From hair-raising adventures and sky-high pursuits to experiencing nature in its most intense moments; these are the most extreme sports in the world. 

If you’re planning on adding a little adrenaline to your every day, these most extreme sports in the world are certain to do the trick.

10. Ice Climbing – the winter sport winner

For those of you who love frozen ice worlds and winter sports, this one is for you. Requiring a delicate combination of agility, strength, balance and stamina, ice-climbing is certainly not for the faint of heart.

This extreme sport involves climbers tackling frozen landscapes and battling the odds of avalanches, as well as falling ice and rocks.

9. Volcano Boarding – for the natural disaster buff

While we’ve all seen a natural disaster film or two, we, as humans, generally don’t like to test fate. For some, however, boarding down an active volcano seems like an ideal day out.

If you’re the kind of soul that likes to dance with death, this is one of the most extreme sports in the world you will find.

8. Heli-Skiing – the two-for-one

If jumping out of a helicopter or skiing deadly, isolated mountain slopes wasn’t exciting enough, why not pair them together and try heli-skiing.

This sport involves skiers being dropped from helicopters on some of the world’s most challenging and remote slopes. Without a doubt, this concoction of pure adrenaline earns heli-skiing a spot on our list of the most extreme sports in the world.

7. Crocodile Bungee Jumping – the jump to crocodile-infested waters

Bungee jumping made its debut onto the extreme sports scene in 1979 and has been attracting adrenaline junkies since its inception. 

As if it weren’t hair raising enough, how about jumping over crocodile-infested waters? This unusual sport is popular in Australia and Africa and has had its share of tragedies to date.

6. Limbo Skating – for only the most flexible

Hugely popular in India, this is one of the entries on our list of extreme sports that if you haven’t checked out before, now is the time.

This sport involves roller skating in a splits position and passing underneath cars or low bars. The longest limbo-skating stint achieved under bars was 603.67 feet (184 metres) by G. Devisri Prasad in India in 2017.

5. Base Jumping – the successor of parachuting

For those of you who tried parachuting and decided it was simply too boring, there’s always this unusual sport which may just do the trick. Base jumping involves jumping off tall structures, such as bridges, cliffs or buildings. 

Taking into consideration all of the unforeseen variables, such as wind change, base jumping has a huge mortality rate that is 43% higher than its predecessor: parachuting.

4. Wing Walking – one of the most extreme sports in the world

Wing walking is yet another extreme sport that takes something already hair-raising and takes it up a notch. 

This activity earns its way onto our list of extreme sports due to the sheer insanity of it. Wing walking involves someone standing on top of a fast-moving small plane (300 km/200 mph to be specific), as it performs turns and tricks. 

3. Big Wave Surfing – for the ultimate surfer

Surfing is a challenging sport, for even the most confident and athletic people. But, as in the world of extreme sports, everything has to be the biggest, the best, the most exhilarating. Big wave surfing does exactly what it says on the tin, and involves surfers taking on very large waves. 

To make matters even more intense, this sport commonly takes place in the Dungeon’s in South Africa – the breeding grounds of Great White Sharks – on 1,000 foot (304 metres) waves, making this sport life-threatening in more ways than one. 

If you have any wave catchers in your life, here are some great gifts for surfers.

2. Free Solo Climbing – for the absolute risk taker

Practised worldwide, free solo climbing involves rock climbers tackling challenging summits without the assistance of any safety equipment. Should they fall, death is the only plausible outcome.

Free solo climbing is most popular in natural surroundings, such as mountain ranges and national parks, although it is becoming increasingly common in urban settings.

1. Highlining – for the classic daredevil

Highlining is an extreme sport that includes a daredevil tightrope walking a thin line between two mountains, buildings or fixed points. Only one-inch in width, the tightrope is usually suspended around 1,000 foot (304 metres) above safe ground. 

Although many highliners wear a safety harness, should they slip, the strength to get ones-self back standing is beyond your wildest imagination. 

Of course, the most famous highliners go it alone, with no safety equipment, possessing only their agility and balance to save them from a fall to death. The most famous of these is world record-holder Dean Potter.