An outdoorsy Christmas gift guide for your adventurous loved ones

In my part of the world, things are finally starting to open up again after many months of being stuck at home, unable to travel outside my 5-kilometre radius. We’ve done our best to minimise the Groundhog Day feelings during this time but there’s only so much you can do.

I don’t know about you, but I’m well overdue for an adventure. I feel like I need a challenge – to do something amazing and memorable with my time, and to reconnect with nature and with myself.

If you have a loved one who you think might be feeling the same way, maybe skip buying them ‘stuff’ this Christmas and buy them an experience instead. Adrenaline is just the place to find a gift like this. They’ve got something for every type of loved one. Let’s see if we can help you find the perfect gift and if you’re still stuck or want to let them choose their own adventure, you can always opt for an Adrenaline gift voucher.

Do they like their adventure without too much work (maybe even with a bit of luxury)?

Send them on a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. Apart from the whole getting up early factor, this is a pretty luxurious experience. Depending on the location of their tour, they can slowly float above mountains and valleys or even city skylines. On some tours, they’ll even be offered a champagne breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, I like roughing it as much as the next adventurer, but this sounds equally great to me.

Are they someone whose idea of adventure is feeling like they’re risking life and limb?

If you think they might want the same sensation without the risk, maybe you think they’d be better trying indoor skydiving.

Would you consider them an aquaphile?

Maybe a kayaking trip would be their jam. You could send them paddling, either on calm bay waters, along rugged coastlines, or even on river rapids. Some tours offer two-seater kayaks, so they’ll be able to paddle with a friend. If they’re the wildlife spotting type, they might like to paddle with dolphins or in a glass-bottomed kayak.

Got that one friend who’s the tree-hugging type?

One of the many treetop adventures on offer around Australia might be just the experience that gets them out of their COVID funk. High ropes courses are an awesome adventure for all ages and usually have varying levels of difficulty that will test even the most thrill-seeking adult. Depending on which part of the country you’re in, there are some treetop adventures that are more zipline or flying-fox focused, just to add another element of thrill to the options. My kids and I absolutely loved the one at the Mornington Peninsula’s Enchanted Adventure Garden in Victoria.

Are they a hiker who wants to take their love for the bush a step further?

Know someone who isn’t scared of sharks?

Or maybe even someone who wants to face their fear? Either way, diving with sharks is sure to be an experience they’ll never forget. Okay so these tours don’t really make for the most outdoorsy adventure since they’re hosted in aquariums, but once someone is scuba diving up close and personal with all kinds of sharks and rays they’ll likely forget about that pretty quickly.

Not sure which gift your loved one would be most interested in?

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by The Bushwalking Blog and Adrenaline. This has no influence over the opinions presented in the article.

Which tour would you rather receive this Christmas? If you have any stories, updates or corrections, please let us know by commenting below.