Once upon a time, thrill-seeking Brits would have regarded a camel-train around the Pyramids as the height of holiday adventure.
Today's adventurous tourists don't regard their holiday as complete unless it includes cliff-diving, microlighting, paragliding and white water canoeing.
None of these activities are, however, covered by standard travel insurance. End up in hospital and you will face a bill for thousands of pounds. One solution is to take out a dangerous sports policy, but even this won't cover bungee jumping.
You don't have to forego those heart-racing holiday moments, though: just be prepared to find a specialist policy and pay extra - and double-check the small print.
For example, say you want to go scuba diving. A standard travel policy is likely to cover you for diving to 15m. But, as Axa Insurance manager Steve Wilcox says: "If you want to go down to 30m, we'll cover you for an extra premium. You will also have to be certified."
How much extra will you have to pay? Mr Wilcox says adding diving cover will double the cost of a typical two-week policy.
There is a distinct level of risk with each sport. American Express says while white water rafting will be covered by most standard policies, white water canoeing is not.
If you could injure someone else while enjoying your preferred sport, you'll need liability insurance. Jet skiing is a particular problem. "We will insure people for jet skiing but we don't include liability insurance," says Axa.
But even if you are insured, it doesn't mean that the insurance company will pay up.
Malcolm Tarling of the Association of British Insurers says holidaymakers deemed to have taken unnecessary risks, for example drinking beforehand, may find their insurance policy negated.
Mr Tarling said one craze in particular is worrying insurers. This is holidaymakers emulating wildlife TV presenters who get up close and personal to dangerous animals.
"We have had people who have been bitten while trying to copy these guys by sticking their hand through the cage of a known dangerous animal. They could be said to have put their life at peril," he says.
Frankie Nicholson, marketing manager at insurer Norwich Union, advises particularly adventurous travellers to consider going to a specialist broker.
Harrison Beaumont, a specialist travel sports insurer based in Witney, Oxfordshire, claims to cover nearly all activities. Director Robin Williams says the annual premium on a policy covering abseiling and bungee jumping would be around £100, or about £40 more than the cheapest policies on the market.
