Heli-adventures were pioneered in rugged British Columbia. Pick one of Canadian Mountain Holidays' six wilderness mountain lodges. After a hearty breakfast, each day's activities begin with a chopper ride to a different landing point, followed by morning and afternoon hikes. When you're done in one place, the guide will call a chopper to take you to another hiking site, or back to the lodge. If you need a bigger challenge, sign up in advance for a guided climb or a shot at the new Adventure Trail. Technical equipment (mountain boots, trekking poles, gaiters, ropes and harnesses) is provided.

For more information: Canadian Mountain Holidays'

Helicopters offer access to the Chugach Mountains, where annual snowfall averages between 600 and 900 inches a year, and the heli-skiing and snowboarding is legendary. Skiers and boarders should at a minimum be intermediate-level. If you can handle six runs and up to 20,000 vertical feet a day, check out H2O Guides, which offers all inclusive packages with lodging right on Prince William Sound.

For more information: Valdez, Alaska and H2O Guides

Hunters in the Southern Alps of New Zealand's South Island set their sights on red deer, Alpine chamois and the maned tahr (a kind of wild goat). All three are introduced game species, and hunting them is regulated by the Department of Conservation; permits are required. Other quarry might include wild boar, pheasant, quail, hare, and Canadian geese. The Silverpine Lodge near Wanaka on New Zealand's South Island offers luxury lodging, heli-hunting, heli-skiing, fishing, and more. Bring good rain gear: This region boasts some of the wettest microclimates in the world.

For more information: Silverpine Lodge

What golfer hasn't dreamed of playing the famous courses of golf's birthplace? Whether you're playing a course with the legendary stature of St. Andrews or another of Scotland's 500 choices, you'll be walking in the footsteps of the masters of the game. To maximize your time on the links and minimize time spent shuttling between them, choose a luxury heli-golf packager, which includes helicopter transport, greens fees, caddies, refreshments, and all the other details. You can choose a fixed itinerary, or have a tour customized to your preferences so that you can play the courses you want, whether they are close to your hotel or clear across the country.

For more information: Bonnie Wee Golf

Clean mountain waters, remote unpeopled valleys, streams and rivers teeming with trout and Coho salmon: British Columbia is one of the worlds great fly-fishing destinations. And getting from lodge to fishing hole via helicopter is the best way to maximize your casting time. A number of lodges cater to all budgets and expectations, but a high-end favorite is King Pacific Lodge, a fairy-tale floating luxury lodge in the shelter of Barnard Harbour on Princess Royal Island. The lodge offers a wide selection of adventure programs: in addition to helicopter-assisted catch-and-release fly-fishing, there's heli-hiking, kayaking, ocean fishing, and wildlife tours.

For more information: King Pacific Lodge

Any skier worth his lift ticket has got to spend at least some time in skiing's homeland. Helicopter skiing in Switzerland combines classic Alpine accommodations with big terrain and huge vertical drops. But you don't need to be an expert skier: Strong intermediates will do just fine, especially if you go with one of the companies that cater to non-experts. You will, however, need to be in shape to handle up to 2,500 meters (That's 8,200 feet!) of vertical descent at a time, not to mention several runs a day. The typical Swiss heli-ski day starts in your village, and depending on the outfitter and the destination, may include ski lifts and possibly a train ride in addition to helicopter transportation.

For more information: White Tracks

What's a little ocean between golf courses? Hawaii boasts championships courses in settings that rival one other for scenery, originality, and challenge, and there's no reason to limit yourself to one island. How to pick? With a heli-tour, you don't have to. Heli-golf gets you from one course to another, so you can explore courses on the Big Island, Oahua, Lanai, and Maui, without having to change hotels (never mind that there's a bit of ocean in between) . You can stay at your pick of lodgings, but if you base at the Maui Ritz-Carlton or the Hyatt, you can arrange for pick-up on the hotel grounds.

For more information: Heli-golf, Hawaii

Just an hour from Anchorage, Alyeska is one of Alaska's premier destination ski areas with an AAA five-diamond resort, 1,400 acres of skiable terrain (and that's not counting the backcountry), and 2,500 feet of vertical drop. It also boasts snow: lots and lots of snow. In fact, 631 inches fall in an average year, and the total can tally up to four digits. Heli-skiing here offers one huge advantage: If bad weather makes helicopter transport impossible, you can always take a snow-cat into the backcountry. And if even the snow-cats aren't running, there's still the whole ski area, with one entire side of the mountain devoted to black and double-black terrain. In other words, if the weather is in any way skiable, you can be skiing.

For more information: Alyeska Resort

Looking for a chopper to drop you off someplace hard to get to, so you can make your way back on your own? On the northwest coast of New Zealand's South Island, you'll find a Mediterranean climate, palm trees, tussock grasses, sweeping ocean views, and one of New Zealand's famed "great walks." A helicopter will drop you off on the Heaphy Track in Kahurangi National Park for a five-hour day hike. If you want to tackle the entire 82-kilometer trail (it takes most people about four days), the chopper will take you to the start, then ferry your gear to the first hut. After that, you're on your own.

For more information: Charter Karamea

South Africa's Eastern Cape Province boasts everything from temperate rain forest to game reserves to the remote and rocky "Wild Coast." Distinctive Africa's helicopter safari makes the California-sized region more manageable. Addo Elephant National Park, near Port Elizabeth, is a must-see, with the densest population of African elephants on earth and large extended pachyderm families going about their daily business. You can view them from the traditional four-wheel drive game tour, or opt for a safari on foot or horseback. At the Kwande Private Game Reserve, you might spot some (or all) of the other "Big Five:" Cape buffalo, lion, leopard, and rhinoceros.

or more information: Distinctive Africa