8 White-water kayak on the Soča River, Slovenia
Slovenia’s River Soča offers the kind of white-water no artificial course can contrive - an aquamarine current, foaming waterfalls and the peaks of the Julian Alps as the spectators. Channel the spirit of Olympians as you join a two-day kayaking course from the adventure hub Bovec, learning how to navigate the rapids as you splash southward through karst landscapes towards the Adriatic. Leave at least an afternoon to dry off in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana - climb the castle hill, idle under café parasols, or cross its Triple Bridge, from which you can watch the far more serene River Ljubljanica drift on by.
• Two-day kayaking courses from £110;
raftingslovenia.com