Top 5 Bear Grylls-inspired destinations

Our favourite adventurer, explorer and survival expert Bear Grylls has taken us on a journey through inhospitable deserts, wild jungles and frozen landscapes in his series Born Survivor. If you want to follow in his footsteps, here’s our pick of the best adventure destinations that have featured in the series (drinking your own urine is optional...).

Iceland
A raw dramatic landscape, Iceland boasts some of Mother Nature’s most inspired scenery: steaming lagoons, roaring waterfalls, vast empty plains and blue-tinged glaciers. Adventurer Bear Grylls showed us how to survive in Iceland's Arctic conditions in Born Survivor’s first series, including making a snow cave, finding water in deep tunnels and avoiding frostbite. However, if you don’t want to go to quite those extremes, Iceland is a haven for adventure activities including ice climbing, cave exploring, river rafting and kayaking. Visit the tourist board website for more information.

Panama
In Series Two, Bear Grylls set his sights on Panama where he tackled deadly mangroves, parachuted into crocodile and shark infested waters and sampled longhorn beetles to gain some much-needed nourishment (how ‘Bear’!). You don’t have to dodge sharks to get the adrenaline pumping however as Panama is also a great destination for zip-lining, paragliding, white-water rafting and surfing. Visit the tourist board website for more information.

Vietnam
Bear Grylls ventured deep into the heart of the Vietnamese jungle in this Series Four episode where he tangled with a deadly spitting cobra, braved a raging jungle river and encountered blood-sucking leeches. Vietnam is the ideal location for outdoorsy-types who want to get off the beaten track. Exploring by bike is a great way to enjoy the many paddy fields, nature reserves and national parks. Or, if you want to take to the waters, kayak in the famous Halong Bay. Visit the tourist board website for more information! 

(photo: Corey Rich/Discovery Channel)  

Patagonia
After parachuting on to a treacherous ice field in Southern Patagonia, Bear Grylls navigated his way through the challenging terrain of the Patagonian tundra, tackled frozen bogs and sailed across an icy lake in a makeshift raft – making for one of Bear’s most treacherous journeys yet. A region shared by Argentina and Chile, Patagonia undoubtedly is one of the most challenging – and spectacular – landscapes on earth. The Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina, is where you’ll find the mighty Perito Moreno Glacier at 30 km in length; an ice field which is the world's third largest reserve of fresh water. The Torres del Paine National Park (situated in the Magallanes 12th region in Chile) is another ‘must-see’ destination and is internationally recognised as one of the most beautiful, unique and uncontaminated places on the planet – perfect for adventure-seekers and hikers. 

Montana
In Series Four, Bear Grylls travelled to Big Sky Country – Montana – one of the last untouched and remote areas in the United States. Bear began his journey by paragliding 12,000 feet above the Rockies before having to negotiate huge waterfalls and traverse vast gullies. Between the hikers’ haven of Yellowstone National Park and the breathtaking Glacier National Park – a rugged section of the northern Rockies – there’s more than enough to keep adventurers occupied in the country that’s proud to be wild. And that’s not even touching on the possibilities winter brings when the whole state gets blanketed in pure, white snow – a winter sports enthusiast dream. Visit the tourist board website for more information! 

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