3. Alaska, US

Denali aka Mount McKinley, Alaska credit: Flickr

The highest mountain in North America, Denali aka Mount McKinley is only tackled by the most ambitious high-altitude climbers.

Its location near the Arctic Circle means it has some of the most ferocious weather in the world (the coldest recorded temperature here was -73°C).

Want to take it on? You’ll need to start saving. Alpine Ascents run three-week treks that cost a wallet-worrying $7,900pp.

alpineascents.com

4. Mongolia

Mongol Shamanic Temple, Mongolia credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Winter conditions in Outer Mongolia are brutal, with average winter temperatures dropping to a bitterly cold -20°C, and even lower.

The way to stay warm is to sleep in a ger, which is a large, circular tent covered in felt and cotton and strapped with ropes.

Inside, a hot stove and lots of heavy blankets keeps it surprisingly warm, even when there’s deep snow on the ground.

You can test them out for yourself from £24 with Mongolia Ger Camps.

mongoliagercamps.net

5. East Antarctica

Mount Erebus, Antarctica credit: wikimedia commons

East Antarctica isn’t human-friendly. The coldest place on Earth, at around -60°C during the chilliest months, it’s almost entirely covered in thick, permanent ice. But you should still go.

Apart from the bragging rights of having braved such a climate, other perks of a trip include seeing the Emperor penguins which breed in the coldest months, huge icebergs off the continent’s coast and the impressive Mount Erebus.

Quark Expeditions run tours starting from $5,595.

quarkexpeditions.com