The dream job. Does it really exist? The answer is an unequivocal yes for us adventure junkies. From travel writers to white water rafting instructors, adventure travel jobs and combining adventure travel with work is highly possible - you just need to know where to look.

The question you might ask yourself though is: will you get bored of high-octane thrills if you hit the action every day? Very unlikely! And if you do, you need your head examining.

We can't guarantee a job offer but we can give you the inspiration to dump the mundane nine- to-five and to live the dream.

Here's our guide to the top 10 adventure travel jobs.

Travel writer

The lucky people behind mags such as National Geographic Traveller and guides like the ever-dependable Rough Guides really do exist. It's not the easiest gig to get, but plenty of travel experience combined, as the name suggests, with good writing skills can help you along. But the competition is aggressively fierce.

Your best bet is, unfortunately, unpaid work experience with some of the top travel magazines or newspaper travel supplements. A degree in journalism isn't necessary, but you'll need to demonstrate a good command of English, a confident nature and the ability to hit the ground running.

TV presenter

The days of Judith Chalmers sinking into the couch on Wish You Were Here are long gone, yet the Travel Channel, BBC and various other random TV channels fill their slots with luxury adventures and thrilling adventure programmes, from Simon Reeve's Indian Ocean to the World's Greatest Motorcycle Rides with Henry Cole.

It may be one of the hardest jobs to find in travel, but worth the hard slog nonetheless.

Chalet girl

If you've a fondness for the wonderful white stuff and want to swap the grotty grey British skies for the beauty of an Alpine winter, head south to any one of the French or Swiss ski resorts.

You might lack the skills to set yourself up as a ski instructor, but spend a season cooking and cleaning a chalet and you can indulge in endless cheese eating, days brushing up on your moves down the slopes, and plenty of apres ski.

Coasteering guide

If you've a passion for throwing yourself off rocks into limpid waters before scrabbling up cliffs and swimming in and around sea caves, this could be the job for you. Coasteering is the new adventure sport that's taken the UK by storm, thanks to its high-adrenalin impact.

One of the best places to experience the exhilaration of sea level traversing is the Pembrokeshire Coast, from its rugged sea cliffs to its hidden coves. You'll need to take a course with the British Coasteering Federation, but that in itself will be filled with frenzied fun. www.britishcoasteeringfederation.co.uk

Product manager for tour operator

At the end of the day, tour operators need to know exactly what they're offering. How can they champion a holiday with little knowledge about the actual experience?

The job of a product manager is to design the best itineraries for demanding travellers, from planning a cycling route in Cuba to establishing a decent hike across Croatia's hinterland. And while you won't be travelling, day in day out, there's plenty of scope for trips abroad to test out your latest adventure holiday and new ideas.

Skipper

Abandon the misery of recession-ridden Britain for a life on the water. Fancy cruising the turquoise waters of the Greek Islands? Or perhaps the crystalline seas of the Caribbean?

It's an idealistic life if you can get it - but it's not a walk in the park.

It's one thing learning to sail, but to qualify as an all singing all dancing skipper, in charge of your own vessel, takes plenty of time and money.

You'll need to take the costal skipper course from the RYA, where you'll learn everything from pilotage by day and night to boat handling and emergency situations, in an intensive week. www.rya.org.uk

Mountain biking guide

A two-wheeled tour of a destination is undoubtedly one of the best ways to travel, taking you into the heart of the action, while making you work for your thrills. And unlike many guiding jobs, when it comes to cycling, there's no difficult license to gain or expensive test to take.

Once you can ride, you can ride. Whether you want to guide a small group of adventurers across Tanzania's Usambara Mountains or coast-to-coast in Costa Rica, it's adventure travel at its greatest.

White water rafting instructor

The adrenalin-inducing impact of negotiating canyons of white water is world-class and for many, a favourite adventure sport.

Traversing a river's mighty torrent takes you far beyond civilisation and towards untouched shores and forgotten beaches, all while giving your guests the ultimate exhilarating thrill. There are numerous outfitters across the country, qualified to teach you the ropes. Visit www.ukrafting.co.uk

Explorer

Ok, so the chances of you becoming the next Si Ranulph Fiennes are very slim, and while tourists are invading most corners of the world, a few final frontiers do remain.

There are numerous places, from jungle to desert, barely touched by man - if you're the first one to write about it or take a photograph of it, that's exploration.

Adventure tourism has opened all kinds of possibilities. Ask your guides, “has anyone climbed that volcano or dived in that cave?” And you could be on your way to becoming a pro explorer.

Divemaster

If you're an aqua addict who can't get enough of exploring life below the surface, you've every chance of pursuing a career in diving. From the frothy waters of Madeira to the kaleidoscopic wonders off the coast of Thailand, you'd be hard pressed to have your fill of the underwater world, and when the diving bug bites, it bites hard.

Not only do you get paid to scuba dive, it also opens up a whole world of travel, from Egypt's Red Sea to Lombok's Gili Islands. But wherever you are in the world, stick to a PADI-certified outfitter and go for the longer Divemaster courses rather than an intense version.