Chills and Thrills: Extreme Winter Sports

Adrenaline junkies can rejoice in knowing that the upcoming winter season will provide plenty of opportunities for challenging chills, hot thrills and adventures to remember for a lifetime. Including outdoor and winter sports can make any trip memorable as you get your blood pumping and really delve into nature's remarkable beauty. Ice and snow can add a dynamic challenge to any outdoor activity, so if you are seeking unique thrills, we recommend these incredible locales:

Our Favorite Winter Sports Destinations

Toboggan in Grindelwald, Switzerland: Imagine swiftly flying down a seemingly endless trek amidst a palatial mountainous backdrop. If you love sledding, you should make your way to Grindlewald, Switzerland where a two-hour hike takes you to the summit of the Falhorn.

From there, you can hop on your toboggan and go. While sledding itself doesn't seem particularly extreme, the impressive 10-mile length and 4,000-foot descent of the Big Pintenfritz run puts it in a class by itself. With a plethora of outdoor sports and gorgeous Chalets, this charming alpine town contains all the amenities you need for a memorable winter vacation and is a mere hour drive from Bern with a rental car!

Ice Climbing in Chamonix, France: The winter paradise of Chamonix is the place to go for an ice climbing adventure of a lifetime. The beautiful winter resort town is the epicenter of all classic outdoor winter stand-bys like skiing and snowboarding, but for a more introspective challenge, you should strap on a harness and hit the Argentiere glacier. Ice climbing itself is conceptually simple: take the challenges and rewards of rock climbing and then add glistening frozen waterfalls, sheer ice cliffs and breathtaking glacial summits. While you are trying new extreme sports in Chamonix, France, you may also consider kite skiing, which is a form of wintertime wind-surfing.

Heliskiing in Gressoney, Italy: You can fly into the airports of either Milan or Turin and then make your way to Gressoney, Italy in a comfortable rental car. This stunning town is incredibly popular for skiing, with swift lifts, steep runs and plentiful amenities for warming up with a hot meal and a strong drink.

However, you can pull away from the crowds and enjoy ski runs that are quite literally set apart from the rest. With heliskiing, you can avoid crowds and lift lines when you are dropped from a helicopter onto a fresh slope of untouched powder. The average descent from such a drop is well over 10,000 feet, providing rewarding runs for even the most experienced skiers.

Reindeer Racing in Kautokeino, Norway: With easy reach from Alta in a rental car, the Sami Easter Festival in Kautokeino, Norway has something for everyone. Visitors can enjoy rich array of musical performances, a film festival in a real ice cinema and the annual Reindeer Racing World Cup. This incredible challenge is truly a sight to behold: harnessed skiers are pulled deftly by incredible northern beasts bred specifically for speed.

The daring of heart may choose to compete in the tourist division, but those who would like the unique experience of a reindeer ride without the extreme thrill, reindeer sleigh rides are available. You can also see an organized competition for reindeer lassoing, certainly something you don't see every day!

You can get off the beaten path and find true adventure with a rental car from Auto Europe. With over 20,000 offices worldwide, you will be able to personalize your trip to include any chilling activity you choose! We've got a number of travel resources to help you plan your next trip. Our helpful travel experts are available 24/7 to help you plan your travels. Call us today at 1-888-223-5555.