famous travellers and explorers

10 Famous Explorers Whose Discoveries Connected the World

From Christopher Columbus to Marco Polo, these celebrated—and controversial—explorers made groundbreaking journeys across the globe.

Some of these explorers, like Christopher Columbus , are both celebrated and vilified today. Others, like Ferdinand Magellan and Francisco Pizarro , were met with violent and untimely deaths. And some, like Marco Polo , failed to received recognition in their lifetime, only to have their discoveries confirmed centuries later.

Learn more about some of the history’s most famous explorers and what they are remembered for today.

Time Period: Late 13 th century Destination: Asia

Marco Polo was a Venetian explorer known for the book The Travels of Marco Polo , which describes his voyage to and experiences in Asia. Polo traveled extensively with his family, journeying from Europe to Asia from 1271 to 1295, remaining in China for 17 of those years. As the years wore on, Polo rose through the ranks, serving as governor of a Chinese city. Later, Kublai Khan appointed him as an official of the Privy Council. At one point, he was the tax inspector in the city of Yanzhou.

Around 1292, he left China, acting as consort along the way to a Mongol princess who was being sent to Persia. In the centuries since his death, Polo has received the recognition that failed to come his way during his lifetime. So much of what he claimed to have seen has been verified by researchers, academics, and other explorers. Even if his accounts came from other travelers he met along the way, Polo’s story has inspired countless other adventurers to set off and see the world.

Christopher Columbus

Time Period: Turn of the 16 th century Destination: Caribbean and South America

Christopher Columbus was an Italian explorer and navigator. Columbus first went to sea as a teenager, participating in several trading voyages in the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. One such voyage, to the island of Khios, in modern-day Greece, brought him the closest he would ever come to Asia.

In 1492, he sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain in the Santa Maria , with the Pinta and the Niña ships alongside, hoping to find a new route to India. Between that year and 1504, he made a total of four voyages to the Caribbean and South America and has been credited—and blamed —for opening up the Americas to European colonization. Columbus died in May 1506, probably from severe arthritis following an infection, still believing he had discovered a shorter route to Asia.

More about Christopher Columbus

Amerigo Vespucci

Time period: turn of the 16 th century destination: south america.

America was named after Amerigo Vespucci , a Florentine navigator and explorer who played a prominent role in exploring the New World.

On May 10, 1497, Vespucci embarked on his first voyage, departing from Cadiz with a fleet of Spanish ships. In May 1499, sailing under the Spanish flag, Vespucci embarked on his next expedition, as a navigator under the command of Alonzo de Ojeda. Crossing the equator, they traveled to the coast of what is now Guyana, where it’s believed that Vespucci left Ojeda and went on to explore the coast of Brazil. During this journey, Vespucci is said to have discovered the Amazon River and Cape St. Augustine.

On his third and most successful voyage, he discovered present-day Rio de Janeiro and Rio de la Plata. Believing he had discovered a new continent, he called South America the New World. In 1507, America was named after him . He died of malaria in Seville, Spain, in February 1512.

More about Amerigo Vespucci

Time Period: Late 15 th century Destination: Canada

John Cabot was a Venetian explorer and navigator known for his 1497 voyage to North America, where he made a British claim to land in Canada, mistaking it for Asia . The precise location of Cabot’s landing is subject to controversy. Some historians believe that Cabot landed at Cape Breton Island or mainland Nova Scotia. Others believe he might have landed at Newfoundland, Labrador, or even Maine.

In February 1498, Cabot was given permission to make a new voyage to North America. The May, he departed from Bristol, England, with five ships and a crew of 300 men. En route, one ship became disabled and sailed to Ireland, while the other four ships continued on. On the journey, Cabot disappeared, and his final days remain a mystery. It’s believed Cabot died sometime in 1499 or 1500, but his fate remains a mystery.

More about John Cabot

Ferdinand Magellan

Time Period: Early 16 th century Destination: Global circumnavigation

While in the service of Spain, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan led the first European voyage of discovery to circumnavigate the globe. As a boy, Magellan studied mapmaking and navigation. In 1505, when Magellan was in his mid-20s, he joined a Portuguese fleet that was sailing to East Africa. By 1509, he found himself at the Battle of Diu, in which the Portuguese destroyed Egyptian ships in the Arabian Sea. Two years later, he explored Malacca, located in present-day Malaysia, and participated in the conquest of Malacca’s port.

In 1519, with the support of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (also known as Spain’s King Charles I), Magellan set out to find a better route to the Spice Islands. In March 1521, Magellan’s fleet reached Homonhom Island on the edge of the Philippines with less than 150 of the 270 men who started the expedition. Magellan traded with the island’s king Rajah Humabon, and their bond quickly formed. The Spanish crew soon became involved in a war between Humabon and another rival leader, and Magellan was killed in battle in April 1521.

More about Ferdinand Magellan

Hernán Cortés

Time period: 16 th century destination: central america.

Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who explored Central America, overthrew Montezuma and his vast Aztec empire, and won Mexico for the crown of Spain. He first set sail to the New World at the age of 19. Cortés later joined an expedition to Cuba.

In 1518, he set off to explore Mexico. Cortés became allies with some of the Indigenous peoples he encountered there, but with others, he used deadly force to conquer Mexico . He fought Tlaxacan and Cholula warriors and then set his sights on taking over the Aztec empire. In their bloody battles for domination over the Aztecs, Cortés and his men are estimated to have killed as many as 100,000 Indigenous peoples. In his role as the Spanish king, Emperor Charles V appointed him the governor of New Spain in 1522.

More about Hernán Cortés

Sir Francis Drake

Time period: late 16 th century destination: global circumnavigation.

English admiral Sir Francis Drake was the second person to circumnavigated the globe and was the most renowned seaman of the Elizabethan era. In 1577, Drake was chosen as the leader of an expedition intended to pass around South America, through the Strait of Magellan, and explore the coast that lay beyond. Drake successfully completed the journey and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I upon his triumphant return in 1580.

In 1588, Drake saw action in the English defeat of the Spanish Armada , though he died in 1596 from dysentery after undertaking an unsuccessful raiding mission.

More about Francis Drake

Sir Walter Raleigh

Time Period: Late 16 th century Destination: United States

Sir Walter Raleigh was an English explorer, soldier, and writer. At age 17, he fought with the French Huguenots and later studied at Oxford. He became a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I after serving in her army in Ireland. He was knighted in 1585 and, within two years, became captain of the Queen’s Guard.

An early supporter of colonizing North America, Raleigh sought to establish a colony, but the queen initially forbade him to leave her service. Between 1585 to 1588, he invested in a number of expeditions across the Atlantic, attempting to establish a colony near Roanoke, on the coast of what is now North Carolina, and name it “Virginia” in honor of the virgin queen, Elizabeth. Accused of treason by King James I, Raleigh was imprisoned and eventually put to death.

More about Walter Raleigh

Time Period: Late 18 th century Destination: New Zealand and Australia

James Cook was a naval captain, navigator, and explorer. After serving as an apprentice, Cook eventually joined the British Navy and, at age 29, was promoted to ship’s master. During the Seven Years War that began in 1756, he commanded a captured ship for the Royal Navy. Then, in 1768, he took command of the first scientific expedition to the Pacific.

In 1770, on his ship the HMB Endeavour , Cook charted New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. This area has since been credited as one of the world’s most dangerous areas to navigate . He later disproved the existence of Terra Australis, a fabled southern continent. Cook’s voyages helped guide generations of explorers and provided the first accurate map of the Pacific.

More about James Cook

Francisco Pizarro

Time period: early 16 th century destination: central and south america.

In 1513, Spanish explorer and conquistador Francisco Pizarro joined Vasco Núñez de Balboa in his march to the “South Sea,” across the Isthmus of Panama. During their journey, Balboa and Pizarro discovered what is now known as the Pacific Ocean, though Balboa allegedly spied it first and was therefore credited with the ocean’s first European discovery.

In 1528, Pizarro went back to Spain and managed to procure a commission from Emperor Charles V. Pizarro was to conquer the southern territory and establish a new Spanish province there. In 1532, accompanied by his brothers, Pizarro overthrew the Inca leader Atahualpa and conquered Peru. Three years later, he founded the new capital city of Lima. Over time, tensions increasingly built up between the conquistadors who had originally conquered Peru and those who arrived later to stake some claim in the new Spanish province. This conflict eventually led to Pizarro’s assassination in 1541.

More about Francisco Pizarro

European Explorers

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo

Leif Eriksson

Vasco da Gama

Bartolomeu Dias

Giovanni da Verrazzano

Jacques Marquette

René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle

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The History Hit Miscellany of Facts, Figures and Fascinating Finds

• Early Modern

15 Famous Explorers Who Changed the World

The age of exploration, or age of discovery, saw a huge increase in human discovery, and marked the beginning of globalisation. it also saw the rise of some of the most famous explorers in history..

Léonie Chao-Fong

03 mar 2023.

Beginning from the early 15th century until the middle of the 17th century, European explorers took to the seas in search of trade, knowledge, and power.

The story of human exploration is as old as the story of civilisation, and many of the stories of these explorers have become legends over the centuries.

Here are 15 of the most famous explorers during the Age of Exploration, before and after.

1. Marco Polo (1254-1324)

A Venetian merchant and adventurer, Marco Polo travelled along the Silk Road from Europe to Asia between 1271 and 1295.

Originally invited to the court of Kublai Khan (1215-1294) with his father and uncle, he remained in China for 17 years where the Mongol ruler sent him on fact-finding missions to distant parts of the empire.

Polo wearing a Tartar outfit, print from the 18th century

Image Credit: Grevembrock, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Upon his return to Venice, Polo was imprisoned in Genoa alongside the writer Rustichello da Pisa. The result of their encounter was Il milione (“The Million”) or ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’, which described his voyage to and experiences in Asia.

Polo was not the first European to reach China, but his travelogue inspired many explorers – among them, Christopher Columbus.

His writings also had a significant influence on European cartography, ultimately leading to the Age of Discovery a century later.

2. Zheng He (c. 1371-1433)

Known as the Three-Jewel Eunuch Admiral, Zheng He was China’s greatest explorer.

Commanding the world’s mightiest fleet of 300 ships and as many as 30,000 troops, Admiral Zheng made 7 epic voyages to southeast Asia, south Asia, the Middle East and Africa between 1405 and 1433.

Setting sail aboard his “treasure ships”, he would exchange valuable goods such as gold, porcelain and silk for ivory, myrrh and even China’s first giraffe.

Despite being instrumental in extending the influence and power of the Ming dynasty China, Zheng’s legacy went overlooked after China entered a long period of isolation.

3. Henry the Navigator (1394-1460)

The Portuguese prince has a legendary status in the early stages of European exploration – despite never having embarked on an exploratory voyage himself.

His patronage of Portuguese exploration led to expeditions across the Atlantic Ocean and along the western coast of Africa, and the colonising of the Azores and Madeira islands.

Although he did not earn the title ‘”the Navigator” until three centuries after his death, Henry was considered the main initiator of the Age of Discovery and the Atlantic slave trade.

4. Christopher Columbus (1451-1506)

Often called the “discoverer” of the New World, Christopher Columbus embarked on 4 voyages across the Atlantic Ocean between 1492 and 1504.

Under the sponsorship of Ferdinand II and Isabella I of Spain, he had originally set sail hoping to find a westward route to the Far East.

Posthumous portrait of Columbus by Sebastiano del Piombo, 1519. There are no known authentic portraits of Columbus

Image Credit: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Instead, the Italian navigator found himself on an island that later became known as the Bahamas. Believing he had reached the Indies, he dubbed the natives there “Indians”.

Columbus’ voyages were the first European expeditions to the Caribbean, Central America and South America, and opened the way for the European exploration and permanent colonisation of the Americas.

5. Vasco da Gama (c. 1460-1524)

In 1497, the Portuguese explorer set sail from Lisbon towards India. His voyage made him the first European to reach India by sea, and opened up the first sea route connecting Europe to Asia.

Da Gama’s discovery of the Cape Route opened the way for an age of Portuguese exploration and colonialism in Asia.

It would take another century for other European powers to challenge Portugal’s naval supremacy and commercial monopoly of commodities such as pepper and cinnamon.

The Portuguese national epic poem, Os Lusiadas (“The Lusiads”), was written in his honour by Luís Vaz de Camões (c. 1524-1580), Portugal’s greatest ever poet.

6. John Cabot (c. 1450-1498)

Born Giovanni Caboto, the Venetian explorer became known for his 1497 voyage to North America under the commission of Henry VII of England.

Upon landing in what he called “New-found-land” in present-day Canada – which he mistook for being Asia – Cabot claimed land for England.

Cabot’s expedition was the first European exploration of coastal North America since the 11th century , making him the first early modern European to “discover” North America.

It is not known if he died in a storm during his final voyage in 1498, or if he returned safely to London and died shortly after.

7. Pedro Álvares Cabral (c. 1467-1520)

Regarded as the “discoverer” of Brazil, the Portuguese navigator was the first European to reach the Brazilian coast, in 1500.

While on a voyage to India Cabral accidentally sailed too far south west, and found himself at present-day Porto Seguro on the coast of Bahia.

After staying mere days, Cabral sailed back across the Atlantic, leaving two degredados , exiled criminals, who would father the first of Brazil’s mestizo population. Several years after, the Portuguese began colonising the area.

The name “Brazil” originated from the brazilwood tree, which the settlers made great profit from. Today, with over 200 million people, Brazil is the world’s largest Portuguese-speaking nation.

8. Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512)

Around 1501-1502, the Florentine navigator Amerigo Vespucci embarked on a follow-up expedition to Cabral’s, exploring the Brazilian coast.

‘Allegory of the New World’ by Stradanus, depicting Vespucci that awakens the sleeping America (cropped)

Image Credit: Stradanus, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As a result of this voyage, Vespucci demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies were not the eastern outskirts of Asia – as Columbus had thought – but a separate continent, which became described as the “New World”.

The German geographer Martin Waldseemüller was so impressed that he coined the name “America”, after the Latin version of Vespucci’s first name, in a 1507 map.

Waldseemüller later changed his mind and removed the name in 1513, believing that it was Columbus who discovered the New World. However it was too late, and the name stuck.

9. Ferdinand Magellan (1480-1521)

The Portuguese explorer was the first European to cross the Pacific Ocean, and organised the Spanish expedition to the East Indies from 1519 to 1522.

Despite rough weather, and a mutinous and starving crew riddled with scurvy, Magellan and his ships managed to reach an island – probably Guam – in the western Pacific.

In 1521, Magellan was killed after reaching the Philippines, when he was caught in a battle between two rival chieftains.

The expedition, begun by Magellan but completed by Juan Sebastián Elcano, resulted in the first circumnavigation of the earth.

10. Juan Sebastián Elcano (c. 1476-1526)

Following Magellan’s death, the Basque explorer Juan Sebastián Elcano took command of the expedition.

His ship ‘the Victoria’ reached Spanish shores in September 1522, completing the navigation. Of the 270 men who left with the Mangellan-Elcano expedition, only 18 Europeans returned alive.

Magellan has historically received more credit than Elcano for commanding the world’s first circumnavigation.

This was in part because Portugal wanted to recognise a Portuguese explorer, and because of Spanish fears of Basque nationalism.

11. Hernán Cortés (1485-1547)

A Spanish conquistador (soldier and explorer), Hernán Cortés was best known for leading an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in 1521 and for winning Mexico for the Spanish crown.

Upon landing in the southeastern Mexican coast in 1519, Cortés did what no explorer had done – he disciplined his army and trained them to act as a cohesive force.

He then set out for the Mexican interior, heading for the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan where he took hostage its ruler: Montezuma II.

Having captured the capital and subdued neighbouring territories, Cortés became the absolute ruler of a territory extending from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean.

In 1521, a new settlement – Mexico City – was built on Tenochtitlan and became the centre of Spanish America. During his rule, Cortés inflicted great cruelty on the indigenous population.

12. Sir Francis Drake (c.1540-1596)

Drake was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe in a single expedition from 1577 to 1580.

In his youth, he commanded a ship as part of a fleet bringing African slaves to the “New World”, making one of the first English slaving voyages.

Portrait by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, 1591

Image Credit: Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Later, he was secretly commissioned by Elizabeth I to set off an expedition against the colonies of the Spanish empire – the most powerful in the world at the time.

Aboard his flagship ‘the Pelican’ – later renamed ‘the Golden Hind’ – Drake made his way into the Pacific, up the coast of South America, across the Indian Ocean and back into the Atlantic.

After two years of plundering, pirating and adventuring, he sailed his ship into Plymouth Harbour on 26 September 1580. He was knighted by the Queen personally aboard his ship 7 months later.

13. Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618)

A key figure of the Elizabethan era, Sir Walter Raleigh carried out several expeditions to the Americas between 1578 and 1618.

He was instrumental in the English colonisation of North America, having been granted a royal charter that allowed him to organise the first English colonies in Virginia.

Although these colonial experiments were a disaster, resulting in the so-called “Lost Colony” of Roanoke Island , it paved the way for future English settlements.

A former favourite of Elizabeth I, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after she discovered his secret marriage to Elizabeth Throckmorton, her maid of honour.

Upon his release, Raleigh set off on two unsuccessful expeditions in search of the legendary “ El Dorado “, or “City of Gold”. He was executed on his return to England for treason by James I.

14. James Cook (1728-1779)

A British Royal Navy captain, James Cook embarked on ground-breaking expeditions that helped map the Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.

In 1770, he made the first European contact with the eastern coast of Australia, and chartered several islands in the Pacific.

Using a combination of seamanship, navigation and cartographic skills, Cook radically expanded and changed European perceptions of world geography.

15. Roald Amundsen (1872-1928)

The Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole, during an Antarctic expedition of 1910-1912.

He was also the first to sail through the Arctic’s treacherous Northwest Passage, from 1903 to 1906.

Amundsen c. 1923

Amundsen had planned to be the first man to the North Pole. On hearing that the American Robert Peary had achieved the feat, Amundsen decided to change course and instead set sail for Antarctica.

On 14 December 1911 and with the help of sleigh dogs, Amundsen reached the South Pole, beating his British rival Robert Falcon Scott.

In 1926, he led the first flight over the North Pole in a dirigible. He died two years later trying to rescue a fellow explorer who had crashed at sea near Spitsbergen, Norway.

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20 Most Famous Travellers In History

• by Jonny Duncan
• February 17, 2024 February 18, 2024

These famous travellers, driven by curiosity, ambition, or a quest for knowledge, embarked on epic expeditions that expanded the boundaries of geographical understanding.

Famous Travellers

Throughout history, the world has been shaped by the journeys of these famous travellers, intrepid explorers and adventurers who dared to traverse distant lands, cross treacherous seas, and delve into uncharted territories.

From the ancient Silk Road wanderers to the modern-day spacefarers, their stories inspire awe and wonder, reminding us of the boundless spirit of exploration that resides within the human soul.

These are some detailed accounts of the lives of these famous travellers and explorers.

Marco Polo is one of the most famous travellers in history whom you have most likely heard of already. He was a Venetian merchant, explorer, and writer who travelled extensively throughout Asia along the Silk Road.

Born in Venice in 1254, Marco Polo embarked on a journey to the East with his father Niccolò and uncle Maffeo in 1271, when he was only 17 years old. They travelled through Central Asia, reaching the court of Kublai Khan, the Mongol ruler of the Yuan Dynasty in China.

Marco Polo served as an emissary and official in the court of Kublai Khan for approximately 17 years, during which he travelled extensively throughout China, Mongolia, and other parts of Asia. He documented his travels and experiences in a book titled “Il Milione” or “The Travels of Marco Polo,” which became one of the most famous travelogues in history.

In his book, Marco Polo described the geography, culture, and customs of the regions he visited, introducing Europeans to many aspects of Asian life for the first time. His accounts of the riches of the East, including spices, silks, and other exotic goods, fueled European interest in trade and exploration with Asia.

He died in 1324 in Venice, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of history’s most famous travellers.

Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta , fully known as Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Battuta, was a Moroccan scholar and explorer born in Tangier in 1304. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest travellers in history, known for his extensive journeys across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe during the 14th century.

In 1325, at the age of 21, Ibn Battuta embarked on his first major journey, which would span nearly 30 years and cover over 75,000 miles. He initially set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), a religious obligation for Muslims, but his travels went far beyond this initial goal.

Throughout his travels, Ibn Battuta visited places such as Egypt, the Arabian Peninsula, Persia (modern-day Iran), Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. He served as a judge, diplomat, and advisor in various courts along the way, gaining insights into the cultures, societies, and politics of the regions he visited.

Ibn Battuta documented his experiences in a travelogue called “Rihla” (The Journey), which provides valuable insights into the medieval world and remains an important historical source. His writings offer vivid descriptions of the places he visited, including cities, landmarks, people, customs, and traditions.

Ibn Battuta’s travels were remarkable not only for their extent but also for the diversity of the regions he explored and the challenges he overcame. His adventures have left an enduring legacy, contributing to our understanding of medieval geography, cultures, and interactions.

Charles Darwin 

Charles Darwin was a renowned traveller. His most famous voyage was aboard the HMS Beagle, a British naval vessel that embarked on a five-year expedition around the world from 1831 to 1836. Darwin was originally intended to be the ship’s naturalist, but his observations and discoveries during this voyage ultimately led to his groundbreaking work in evolutionary biology.

During the voyage, Darwin visited various locations, including the Galápagos Islands, where he made significant observations of the unique flora and fauna that would later inform his theory of natural selection. His travels also took him to South America, the Pacific Islands, Australia, and other parts of the world.

Darwin meticulously documented his observations in journals and collected specimens that contributed to his later scientific investigations and publications, most notably his seminal work “ On the Origin of Species ,” published in 1859.

Wilfred Thesiger

Wilfred Thesiger, born on June 3, 1910, was a British explorer, travel writer, and photographer known for his extensive travels in the deserts of Africa and the Middle East. He is renowned for his profound respect for traditional cultures and his vivid descriptions of the landscapes and people he encountered.

Thesiger’s most famous journeys took place in the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. He first travelled to the region in the 1940s, where he lived among the Bedouin tribes of southern Arabia, including the Marsh Arabs of Iraq and the nomadic tribes of the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali). Thesiger’s experiences during these journeys were documented in his classic books “Arabian Sands” (1959) and “The Marsh Arabs” (1964).

Backpackingman note: Arabian Sands is one of my favourite travel memoirs that I have read.

Thesiger’s writings reflect his deep admiration for the harsh beauty of the desert and his respect for the traditional way of life practised by the nomadic peoples who inhabit these regions. He was critical of the modernization and development that threatened to erode the ancient cultures and landscapes he cherished.

In addition to his writings, Thesiger was also an accomplished photographer, capturing stunning images of the landscapes, peoples, and cultures of the regions he explored. His photographs provide a visual record of a way of life that has since undergone significant changes.

Thesiger’s legacy continues to inspire adventurers, travellers, and writers today, as his works remain celebrated for their insight, empathy, and evocative prose. He passed away on August 24, 2003, at the age of 93.

Fridtjof Nansen

Fridtjof Nansen was a Norwegian explorer, scientist, diplomat, and humanitarian who lived from 1861 to 1930. He is best known for his groundbreaking explorations of the Arctic region and his innovative work in oceanography. Nansen’s achievements earned him international acclaim and left a lasting legacy in multiple fields.

Nansen gained fame for his daring expedition aboard the ship Fram (meaning “Forward”) in 1893-1896. His goal was to reach the North Pole by allowing the ship to become frozen in the Arctic ice and drift with the currents.

Although the expedition did not reach the pole, it set a record for the farthest north latitude attained at that time and provided valuable scientific data about the Arctic Ocean.

Freya Stark

Freya Stark was a British explorer, travel writer, and cartographer known for her extensive travels in the Middle East and her vivid writings about the region. She was born on January 31, 1893, in Paris, France, and grew up in England.

Stark began her travels in the Middle East in the 1920s and 1930s, at a time when few Westerners, especially women, ventured into the region. She explored remote and challenging areas of the Middle East, including parts of Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

Stark was known for her adventurous spirit, intelligence, and ability to connect with people from different cultures. She learned several languages, including Arabic and Persian, which allowed her to communicate with local inhabitants and gain insights into their lives and customs.

Throughout her travels, Stark produced numerous books, articles, and photographs documenting her experiences and observations. Her writings are celebrated for their lyrical prose, keen observations, and deep appreciation for the landscapes, cultures, and history of the Middle East.

Some of Stark’s most famous works include “The Valleys of the Assassins” (1934), “A Winter in Arabia” (1940), and “The Southern Gates of Arabia” (1936). Her books became bestsellers and earned her widespread acclaim as one of the most accomplished travel writers of her time.

Freya Stark continued to travel and write well into her later years, and her legacy as a pioneering explorer and cultural ambassador for the Middle East endures today. Her works remain influential and continue to inspire travellers, writers, and scholars interested in the region. She passed away on May 9, 1993, at the age of 100.

David Livingstone

David Livingstone was a Scottish physician and explorer who played a significant role in the exploration of Africa during the 19th century.

Over the course of his life, Livingstone undertook multiple expeditions across the African continent, with the primary goals of spreading Christianity, combating the slave trade, and exploring unknown regions.

Livingstone’s most famous expedition began in 1852 when he set out to explore the Zambezi River and its surrounding regions. During this journey, he became the first European to witness the majestic Victoria Falls. Livingstone’s explorations also led to significant geographic discoveries, including the identification of Lake Malawi and the exploration of the Zambezi River system.

Livingstone’s explorations and writings captured the imagination of people around the world and earned him widespread acclaim as one of the greatest explorers and famous travellers of his time. His accounts of his travels, including books such as “Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa,” inspired subsequent generations of explorers and missionaries.

Livingstone died on May 1, 1873, in what is now Zambia, while on his final expedition to explore the sources of the Nile River.

Zheng He was a Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat, and admiral during the Ming dynasty. He is best known for his extensive maritime voyages in the early 15th century, which took place decades before the famous European Age of Discovery.

Zheng He’s voyages were remarkable for their scale and reach. He led a series of expeditions from China to various parts of Asia and Africa, commanding a vast fleet of ships that included massive treasure ships, some of which were reported to be several times larger than the European ships of the time.

Zheng He’s expeditions visited countries and regions such as Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, and the east coast of Africa. These voyages facilitated cultural exchange, trade, and diplomacy, with Zheng He presenting gifts from the Ming emperor to local rulers and receiving tribute in return.

Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart was an American aviator and pioneering woman in the field of aviation. Born on July 24, 1897, in Atchison, Kansas, Earhart developed an early interest in flying and became one of the most famous female pilots and travellers of her time.

Earhart set numerous aviation records during her career. In 1928, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, accomplishing the feat in her single-engine Lockheed Vega. This flight propelled her to international fame and established her as a symbol of women’s advancement in aviation.

In 1932, Earhart made history again by becoming the first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic, replicating Charles Lindbergh’s famous feat from five years earlier. She flew from Newfoundland to Ireland in approximately 15 hours.

One of Earhart’s most ambitious goals was to circumnavigate the globe. In 1937, she embarked on an attempt to fly around the world along the equator. However, tragically, Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared somewhere over the Pacific Ocean during the final leg of their journey.

Despite extensive search efforts, their fate remains one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.

Christopher Columbus

Christopher Columbus, born in the Republic of Genoa (in present-day Italy) in 1451, was an Italian explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean paved the way for European exploration and colonization of the Americas. Columbus made his first voyage in 1492 under the sponsorship of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.

Columbus’s initial goal was to find a westward route to Asia, particularly to India and the lucrative spice trade. However, he instead encountered the islands of the Caribbean, landing on an island he named San Salvador (though the indigenous Taíno people called it Guanahani). Believing he had reached the East Indies, Columbus referred to the indigenous people he encountered as “Indians.”

Over the next several years, Columbus made three more voyages to the Caribbean and explored various islands, including Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Cuba, and Jamaica. His voyages initiated widespread European contact with the Americas and marked the beginning of the European colonization of the New World.

Columbus’s voyages had significant and far-reaching consequences, including the exchange of plants, animals, diseases, and cultures between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. While his expeditions were celebrated in Europe, they also led to the colonization, exploitation, and displacement of indigenous peoples, as well as the transatlantic slave trade.

Today, Christopher Columbus is a controversial figure, with his legacy debated in terms of his role in history and his impact on indigenous populations. While some view him as a courageous explorer who initiated global connections, others criticize him for his treatment of indigenous peoples and the lasting negative effects of European colonization in the Americas.

Ferdinand Magellan

Ferdinand Magellan was a Portuguese explorer who is best known for leading the first expedition to circumnavigate the globe. He was born around 1480 in Sabrosa, Portugal, and he served as a navigator and explorer for the Portuguese crown before offering his services to the Spanish crown.

In 1519, Magellan set sail from Spain with a fleet of five ships and around 270 men, aiming to find a western sea route to the Spice Islands (the Moluccas) in the East Indies. On September 20, 1519, they departed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain, and after a long and perilous journey across the Atlantic, they reached the coast of South America.

Magellan navigated through the treacherous waters of what is now known as the Strait of Magellan, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans at the southern tip of South America.

After passing through the strait, Magellan and his crew sailed across the vast Pacific Ocean, enduring severe hardships such as starvation, scurvy, and storms. They reached the Mariana Islands and the Philippines, where Magellan was killed in a skirmish with local inhabitants on April 27, 1521.

Magellan’s expedition was a landmark achievement in the history of exploration, proving that the Earth was indeed round and demonstrating the vast extent of the Pacific Ocean.

Ernest Shackleton

Sir Ernest Shackleton was a renowned British explorer who led several expeditions to Antarctica during the early 20th century. He is best known for his heroic leadership and remarkable survival during the ill-fated Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1917.

Born on February 15, 1874, in County Kildare, Ireland, Shackleton began his career as a seaman and later became involved in Antarctic exploration.

Shackleton’s most famous expedition, the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, aimed to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent. The expedition, launched in 1914 aboard the ship Endurance, encountered numerous hardships, including being trapped in pack ice in the Weddell Sea.

Despite the loss of their ship, Shackleton and his crew managed to survive for over a year on the ice before finally making a daring escape in small lifeboats to Elephant Island.

Realizing that rescue was unlikely on Elephant Island, Shackleton embarked on an epic voyage with a small crew in an open boat, the James Caird, across 800 miles of treacherous seas to reach South Georgia Island. After successfully reaching South Georgia, Shackleton and his companions completed a hazardous overland journey to a whaling station, eventually rescuing the remaining men on Elephant Island.

Miraculously, Shackleton’s leadership and determination ensured the survival of all the members of the expedition, despite enduring extreme cold, hunger, and danger. Their remarkable tale of endurance and perseverance has become one of the most celebrated stories in the annals of exploration.

Following his Antarctic expeditions, Shackleton continued to pursue various ventures, including further attempts at Antarctic exploration. However, he died of a heart attack on January 5, 1922, while on an expedition to Antarctica.

Xuanzang (Hsüan-tsang)

Xuanzang, also known as Hsüan-Tsang, was a Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, and traveller who lived during the Tang Dynasty. He is renowned for his legendary journey to India in the 7th century AD, during which he travelled overland across Central Asia to study Buddhism and collect Buddhist scriptures.

Born in 602 AD in what is now Henan Province, China, Xuanzang became a Buddhist monk at a young age and dedicated himself to the study of Buddhist scriptures and philosophy. Despite government restrictions on travel abroad, Xuanzang was determined to visit India, the birthplace of Buddhism, to deepen his understanding of the religion and to obtain authentic Buddhist scriptures that were not available in China.

In 629 AD, Xuanzang set out on his epic journey to India. He travelled overland through treacherous terrain, across deserts and mountains, encountering numerous hardships and dangers along the way. Despite these challenges, Xuanzang persevered, driven by his unwavering faith and determination.

During his 17-year pilgrimage, Xuanzang visited many Buddhist monasteries, universities, and sacred sites in India, studying with renowned Buddhist masters and scholars. He also collected thousands of Buddhist scriptures, which he later brought back to China.

Upon his return to China in 645 AD, Xuanzang was hailed as a hero and a scholar. He spent the rest of his life translating the scriptures he had collected into Chinese and sharing his knowledge and insights with others. His translations played a crucial role in the spread of Buddhism in China and had a profound influence on Chinese culture and philosophy.

Xuanzang’s extraordinary journey and his contributions to Buddhist scholarship have made him a legendary figure in Chinese history and in the history of Buddhism. His life and adventures have been immortalized in literature, art, and folklore, and he remains a revered figure in Buddhist tradition.

Isabella Bird

Isabella Bird was a 19th-century British explorer, writer, photographer, and naturalist. Born on October 15, 1831, in England, she defied the societal norms of her time by embarking on extensive travels, often alone, to various remote and challenging regions of the world.

Bird’s first major journey took her to North America in 1854, where she travelled extensively throughout the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. Her experiences during this trip were chronicled in her book “The Englishwoman in America,” published in 1856.

Throughout her life, Bird continued to embark on remarkable journeys. She explored the Hawaiian Islands, Canada, Japan, India, Persia (now Iran), Kurdistan, Tibet, China, and many other regions. Her travels were not only adventurous but also pioneering, as she often ventured into areas that were little known to Westerners at the time.

Bird was an avid writer, and she published numerous books and articles based on her travels. Her writings were highly acclaimed for their vivid descriptions of landscapes, cultures, and people.

Isabella Bird’s adventurous spirit, keen observations, and literary talents have earned her a lasting legacy as one of the most remarkable female explorers of the 19th century. Her works continue to inspire travellers and readers around the world, offering unique insights into the diverse cultures and landscapes of the places she visited.

Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, navigator, and cartographer who played a significant role in the early exploration of the Americas. He was born in Florence, Italy, in 1454 or 1455, and he began his career working for the prominent Medici family in Florence.

Vespucci made several voyages to the New World between 1497 and 1504, primarily under the auspices of Spain and Portugal. While the details of his early voyages are somewhat unclear, Vespucci is best known for his accounts of his voyages, particularly his claim to have reached the mainland of the Americas before Columbus’s third voyage.

The German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller is credited with naming the continent after Vespucci, as he included the name “America” on his 1507 world map, the first to depict the Americas as separate from Asia.

While Vespucci did not make any significant discoveries or advancements in navigation himself, his writings and the use of his name for the continents had a lasting impact on European perceptions of the New World and its place in the world map.

James Cook was a British explorer, navigator, and cartographer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest explorers of all time. He was born on October 27, 1728, in England. Cook made significant contributions to the exploration and mapping of the Pacific Ocean and its islands during the 18th century.

Cook began his career in the British Royal Navy, rising through the ranks as a skilled seaman and navigator. He gained recognition for his precise cartography and his ability to navigate difficult waters.

In 1768, Cook was appointed as commander of the HMS Endeavour and embarked on his first voyage, which was commissioned by the Royal Society and the British Admiralty, to observe the transit of Venus from Tahiti and to explore the South Pacific.

During this voyage, Cook and his crew made extensive explorations of the South Pacific, including the mapping of the eastern coast of Australia, which he named New South Wales. Cook’s meticulous charting and observations laid the groundwork for later British colonization of Australia. Cook’s expedition also included the first recorded European contact with the eastern coastline of New Zealand.

Cook went on to make two more major voyages of exploration in the Pacific. His second voyage, from 1772 to 1775, aimed to locate the hypothetical southern continent of Terra Australis and further explore the Pacific. During this expedition, Cook became the first person to cross the Antarctic Circle.

On his third voyage, from 1776 to 1779, Cook attempted to find a northwest passage between the Pacific and the Atlantic. Although he did not succeed in finding the passage, he made significant discoveries in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, including the Hawaiian Islands.

Nellie Bly, born on May 5, 1864, was an American journalist, writer, and pioneering investigative reporter. She is best known for her record-breaking trip around the world in 72 days.

In 1889, Bly embarked on her most famous adventure: a solo journey around the world inspired by Jules Verne’s novel “Around the World in Eighty Days.” She travelled by steamship, train, and other means of transportation, completing the journey in just 72 days, a record at the time. Her trip captivated the public’s imagination and solidified her reputation as one of the most famous travellers in history.

Throughout her career, Bly wrote about social issues, women’s rights, and travel. She worked for various newspapers and magazines and authored several books, including “Ten Days in a Madhouse” and “Around the World in Seventy-Two Days.”

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway, the acclaimed American novelist and short story writer, was also an avid traveller who drew inspiration from his journeys around the world. Throughout his life, Hemingway travelled extensively, often immersing himself in the cultures and landscapes of the places he visited.

Some of his notable travel experiences include:

• Paris, France: Hemingway spent much of the 1920s living in Paris, where he was part of the expatriate community of writers and artists known as the “Lost Generation.” His experiences in Paris, particularly in the bohemian neighbourhoods of Montparnasse and the Left Bank, would later influence his writing, including his novel “The Sun Also Rises.”
• Spain: Hemingway was deeply influenced by his experiences during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), where he worked as a war correspondent. He spent time in Madrid and other cities, witnessing the conflict firsthand and drawing inspiration for his novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” which is set during the war.
• Key West, Florida: Hemingway lived in Key West during the 1930s and 1940s, where he wrote some of his most famous works, including “A Farewell to Arms” and “To Have and Have Not.” His house in Key West, now a museum, is a popular tourist attraction.
• Africa: Hemingway embarked on several safaris in Africa during the 1930s and 1950s, where he hunted big game and drew inspiration for his short stories “The Snows of Kilimanjaro” and “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.”
• Cuba: Hemingway had a deep connection to Cuba, where he lived for many years and wrote several of his major works, including “The Old Man and the Sea.” His home in Cuba, Finca Vigia, is preserved as a museum and is a popular tourist destination.

Hemingway’s travels greatly influenced his writing, and his experiences in different parts of the world are reflected in the settings, characters, and themes of his novels and short stories. His adventurous spirit and love of travel are an integral part of his legacy as one of the greatest writers and famous travellers of the 20th century.

Ok, these last two aren’t in “history” as they’re still going even in their late age…

Ranulph Fiennes

Sir Ranulph Fiennes , born on March 7, 1944, is a British explorer, adventurer, and author known for his daring expeditions and record-breaking achievements in extreme environments around the world. He is often described as one of the greatest living explorers.

Fiennes has undertaken numerous expeditions throughout his career, often pushing the limits of human endurance and overcoming immense challenges.

In the Transglobe Expedition (1979–1982) Fiennes led the first circumnavigation of the Earth along its polar axis, traversing both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The expedition covered over 52,000 miles and took over three years to complete, making it one of the most ambitious polar expeditions in history.

First to reach both Poles by surface travel: Fiennes became the first person to reach both the North and South Poles by surface travel when he reached the South Pole in 1982 and the North Pole in 1986.

In addition to his exploration endeavours, Fiennes is also a prolific author, having written numerous books about his adventures and experiences.

Fiennes continues to be actively involved in exploration and adventure, inspiring others to push their limits and explore the unknown. His legacy as one of the world’s greatest explorers is firmly established, and his adventures continue to captivate and inspire people around the globe.

Michael Palin

I’m going to end this list with one of my favourite modern-day travellers, Michael Palin . I have loved his TV travel shows for decades now. Michael Palin is a British comedian, actor, writer, and television presenter known for his travels around the world documented in various television series and books.

Palin’s travel adventures began with the groundbreaking television series “Around the World in 80 Days,” which aired in 1989. In this series, Palin attempted to circumnavigate the globe without flying, following in the footsteps of Phileas Fogg from Jules Verne’s novel. The journey took him through Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America, and back to Europe, and it was documented in a book of the same name.

Following the success of “Around the World in 80 Days,” Palin continued to travel and document his journeys in subsequent television series and books, including:

• “Pole to Pole” (1992): In this series, Palin travelled from the North Pole to the South Pole, passing through Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas.
• “Full Circle with Michael Palin” (1997): Palin embarked on a journey around the Pacific Rim, travelling through countries such as Russia, Japan, Korea, China, Vietnam, Australia, and Chile.
• “Michael Palin’s Hemingway Adventure” (1999): Palin retraced the footsteps of the American writer Ernest Hemingway, visiting places significant to Hemingway’s life and work in Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
• “Michael Palin’s Sahara” (2002): Palin explored the diverse cultures and landscapes of the Sahara Desert, travelling through countries such as Morocco, Algeria, Niger, and Mali.
• “Himalaya with Michael Palin” (2004): Palin journeyed through the Himalayas, from Pakistan and India to Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, and China, exploring the mountains, cultures, and people of the region.

Palin’s travel adventures have inspired and entertained audiences around the world, making him one of the world’s most beloved travel presenters and one of the most famous travellers of them all.

The legacies of these famous travellers endure as testaments to the indomitable human spirit and the insatiable thirst for discovery. Their courage, resilience, and insatiable curiosity have left an indelible mark on history, shaping our understanding of the world and inspiring future generations to venture beyond the known horizon.

These are just a few examples, and countless other explorers and travellers have made significant contributions to our understanding of the world through their journeys and discoveries.

For a look at another well-known modern traveller have a look at my article about a good friend of mine who is regarded as one of the most travelled man in the world today.

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15 famous explorers whose travels put yours to shame

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written by Joanne Owen

updated 26.10.2022

Being well-travelled is one thing. Being an explorer is quite another. From Marco Polo’s Silk Road expedition to Nellie Bly’s epic 1889 voyage around-the-world-in-72-days, these 15 famous world explorers sure knew how to make the most of their time on earth. What’s more, these famous explorers' names might just provide inspiration for places to visit during your own trip of a lifetime. 

• 1. Marco Polo (1254 -1324)
• 2. Abubakari II (c.1280 - c.1337)

3. Christopher Columbus - undoubtedly one of the most famous world explorers (1451 -1506)

4. amerigo vespucci (1454 -1512).

• 5. Ferdinand Magellan (1480 - 1521)

6. Charles Darwin (1809 -1882)

• 7. Dr David Livingstone (1813 - 1873)

8. Isabella Bird (1831 - 1904)

• 9. Nellie Bly (1864 - 1922)
• 10. Freya Stark (1893 - 1993)
• 11. Matthew Henson (1866 –1955)
• 12. Jacques Cousteau (1910 -1997)

13. Ranulph Fiennes (1944 - present)

14. fran sandham (1965 - present), 15. mario rigby (1985 - present).

And we’re talking ultimate  bucket list experiences . It's important to note, though, that many famous explorers in history aren’t without their controversies due to the imperialist notion of Europeans “discovering” long-settled places. In the piece that follows we've included a few lesser-known voyagers among the more famous explorer names, along with trailblazers making history today.

This article is inspired by our Rough Guides guidebooks — your essential guides for travelling the world.

 1. Marco Polo (1254 -1324)

Famed for his travels along the  Silk Road , thirteenth-century Venetian Marco Polo is unquestionably one of the world’s most famous historical explorers.

One of the first European explorers to visit  China , he left Venice in 1271 and crossed the Middle East with his family. They traversed Jerusalem, Afghanistan and the Gobi Desert for three years on their way to China. There they visited Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor. Polo stayed in China for 17 years, and only around 1292 - after escorting a Mongol princess to Iran - did he make the return journey to  Venice  via  Istanbul .

Marco Polo's portrait on the Italian 1000 lira banknote © Shutterstock

If you fancy following in Marco Polo’s fearless footsteps, you could explore our customisable tailor-made trips. Among them an exploration of some of Uzbekistan’s unique cultural highlights and inspirational itineraries around China . But fear not if you’re looking for closer to home adventures. You could always discover more about the man on a  Venetian land and water tour  that includes a visit to his birthplace.

2. Abubakari II (c.1280 - c.1337) 

Abubakari II might not be one of the most famous explorer names, but some scholars argue that he deserves a prominent place alongside them. Thought to have been the ninth mansa (sultan or emperor) of West Africa’s Mali Empire, Abubakari II abdicated to undertake an exploratory ocean voyage.

According to an account recorded by the Arab historian Ibn Fadlallah al-Umari or al-Umari, Abubakari II “did not believe that it was impossible to reach the extremity of the ocean.” So, “he equipped two hundred boats full of men, like many others full of gold, water and victuals sufficient enough for several years.” It’s said that Abubakari II didn’t return from this voyage, and a few scholars have posited the view that he travelled to the New World.

Having said that, the jury’s still out, with other academics arguing that there’s simply not enough evidence - for the time being at least. One thing’s for sure, on-going research and debates around Abubakari II are important reminders of the need to keep an open mind when it comes to understanding the past. New discoveries about famous historical explorers are always possible, much like the possibilities envisaged by explorers themselves.

Map of Africa by Abraham Ortelius, circa 1570 © Shutterstock

Undoubtedly one of the most famous explorers in history, Christopher Columbus was born in  Genoa  in 1451. From a young age his impulse to travel was strong - he went to sea as a teenager and made  Portugal  his base. Having failed to secure royal patronage for his planned “enterprise of the Indies” (to reach Asia by sailing west), he went to Spain .

After a time, he secured backing from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella and on 3rd August 1492 he set sail across the Atlantic. Ten weeks later, land was sighted. But he was far from Asia. This land was, in fact, what later become known as the Bahamas.

After landing on other islands around the Caribbean  (devastating indigenous populations), Christopher Columbus returned to Spain. Having been made admiral of the Seven Seas and viceroy of the Indies, he undertook three further transatlantic voyages, never reaching the Asian lands he’d originally planned to find.

Christopher Columbus — one of many famous explorers © Shutterstock

When visiting the Caribbean, be sure to check out museums that uncover Christopher Columbus from the perspective of those whose lives he impacted. The  Seville Great House  heritage site in St Ann’s,  Jamaica , for example, is home to an excellently curated history of the region. The exhibition covers the area and its peoples from the indigenous Taíno (who Columbus and his men abused and murdered in their thousands).

Alternatively, if you’re in Genoa, you could take a  guided tour of the city  to see where Christopher Columbus was born and learn more about its history back in his day.

Florence-born Amerigo Vespucci is another name that comes to mind when thinking of world famous explorers.

A merchant and navigator with a well-connected family (they counted the Medici’s among their friends), Vespucci relocated to  Seville  in 1492. Here he worked for Florentine merchant Gianotto Berardi, who invested huge sums of money in Columbus's first voyage. Berardi also won a potentially profitable contract to provision Columbus’s second fleet.

Statue of Amerigo Vespucci on the facade of the Uffizi gallery, Florence © Shutterstock

As for Vespucci’s discoveries, considering that the Americas are named after him, the documentation is surprisingly scant. What is certain is that during the late 1490s he undertook two voyages to the New World. While another two trips have been alleged, the letter-based evidence is patchier, and the documents’ authorship is debated.

During these voyages he did, however, observe that the continent he was exploring was not part of Asia, as was believed at the time. He also explored the coast of modern-day  Brazil , including areas of the  Amazon  and Para Rivers. Strong currents put paid to any plans they may have had to explore deeper.

In 1502, during Vespucci’s second voyage, his fleet found a bay that they named  Rio de Janeiro  after the date - 1st January.

If you fancy following in Vespucci’s footsteps in South America, check-out our customisable Brazilian trip itineraries  for inspiration. Chances are, you’ll see more of this vast country than Vespucci did during his voyage.

Related articles from the blog

5. Ferdinand Magellan (1480 - 1521)

As famous historical explorers go, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was no stranger to embracing the hazards that often went hand in hand with his profession. 

After an early life as a page to queen consort Eleanor and Manuel I in Lisbon , Magellan jumped ship and sailed on behalf of Spain. This came as a result of Magellan being accused of illegal trading. Manuel I refused to support of Magellan’s plan to find a new spice route by sailing west through South America to Indonesia and India.

Ferdinand Magellan's arrival in the Philippines © Shutterstock

Not one to be deterred, Magellan found favour with Charles V in Spain and secured the funds for a five-ship voyage that set off in 1519. His Spanish crew weren’t best pleased to be taking orders from a Portuguese captain, to say the least. In fact, they mutinied in present-day Argentina .

With one ship destroyed, and another making its way back to Spain, Portuguese explorer dealt with the mutineers (some were beheaded) and gained control of his reduced fleet. After navigating the treacherous channel connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans he and his sickly crew made landfall on the Micronesian island of Guam. There a missing small boat prompted them to kill some of the island’s indigenous people.

A month later, Magellan reached the Philippines . Since an enslaved crew member he’d bought before the voyage could speak the indigenous language, it seems this chap had circumnavigated the globe before Magellan. And Magellan didn’t make it the full way around either. After demanding that local people convert to Christianity, he was killed, leaving his crew to complete the round-the-world voyage without him.

Charles Darwin is undoubtedly one of the world’s most influential European famous explorers. In 1831, aged 22 and fresh out of Cambridge University, Darwin joined the crew of the HMS Beagle to survey the coast of South America.

Rebellion in Río de la Plata, fossils in Bahía Blanca, observations in the Andes and, of course, finches in the Galápagos turned his mind into “a chaos of delight”. Later it paved the way for one of the greatest theories in history: evolution.

Statue of Charles Robert Darwin in Natural History Museum, London © Shutterstock

7. Dr David Livingstone (1813 - 1873) 

Missionary, abolitionist and explorer, Livingstone was vital in the mapping of the African interior. In 1852 he embarked on a four-year expedition to find a route from the upper Zambezi to the coast. Then, in 1855, he was the first European to see Victoria Falls and in May 1856 he became the first European to cross the width of southern Africa.

The legendary meeting between Henry Morton Stanley (left) and David Livingstone in Africa in 1871 © Shutterstock

Ten years later he set out, on what would be his final trip, to locate the source of the Nile. Uncontactable for several months, he was found by Henry Stanley, explorer and journalist, near Lake Tanganyika in 1871. It was here the famous phrase was coined: “Dr Livingstone I presume?”

If you want an unforgettable solo travel experience, perhaps our list of the best places to travel solo can help you decide on the best destination for you.

When it comes to famous world explorers' names, Isabella Bird probably doesn’t immediately spring to mind. Yet this fearless Yorkshire woman definitely deserves to be reckoned among the world’s famous historical explorers.

After a sickly childhood, her adventures began when her doctor advised that she take an overseas trip to improve her health. As a result, Isabella accompanied her cousins to America, on instruction from her clergyman father that she could remain away for as long as her £100 allowance lasted.

1885 hotel porter - Isabella Bird's celebrated photography © Isabella Bird/Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons Attributio n

The letters Bird wrote home during this trip become the basis of her first book, “An Englishwomen in America”. Following the deaths of her parents, she continued to travel and write to support herself. Her most notable exploration are Hawaii, as described in her second book, “Six Months in the Sandwich Islands”, as they were then known.

Bird later rode 800 miles through the Rocky Mountains  (as desrcibed in “A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains”) and explored Asia (as recounted in “Unbeaten tracks in Japan”). She also studied medicine so she could travel as a missionary, and studied photography so she could document her travels.

Eternally defying the conventions of her day, she travelled to India at the age of 60. She later explored China and Korea, with her last book, “The Yangtze Valley and Beyond”, published in 1900.

9. Nellie Bly (1864 - 1922)

In 1888, at the age of 25, Nellie Bly set off to travel the world in 80 days, just like Jules Verne’s Phileas Fogg. Her trip took her from New York to London. Then onwards from Calais in France to Brindisi in Italy, Port Said in Egypt, Colombo in Sri Lanka, Penang in  Malaysia ,  Hong Kong ,  San Francisco  and finally back to New York City.

Bly actually completed the journey in 72 days, winning a bet struck with Verne himself. Of this achievement, she declared: “It's not so very much for a woman to do who has the pluck, energy and independence, which characterize many women in this day of push and get-there."

Portrait of adventuress Nellie Bly © Shutterstock

Not only a trail-blazing, record-breaking traveller, Nellie Bly was also a pioneering investigative journalist. She reported on everything from the lives of impoverished working girls in Pittsburgh, to corruption and poor living conditions in Mexico . She also investigated the living conditions and treatment of patients in a New York insane asylum, even faking her own illness in order to be admitted to the asylum.

All that considered, Bly certainly merits a place at the table of famous explorers. And, while it goes without saying that she's a pretty impossible act to follow, if you fancy embarking on an epic solo voyage (or several) of your own, you might want to check out our list of tips for doing exactly that.

10. Freya Stark (1893 - 1993) 

Born in Paris to bohemian parents - a British father and Italian mother - Freya Stark studied Persian and Arabic at the University of London.

At the age of 30 she began her lifelong immersion in the Middle East some four years later when she caught a cargo ship to Beirut. This pivotal trip saw Stark travel widely through Syria in secret (at this time it was under French control). This trip paved the way for a future as one of the most esteemed, knowledgable and famous explorers of the Middle East.

Stamp created in honour of Dame Freya Madeline Stark © Shutterstock

In the coming years Stark trekked into western Iran’s wilderness, areas of which had never been visited by Westerners. In 1934 she voyaged down the Red Sea with the aim of reaching the ancient city of Shabwa, thought to have been the Queen of Sheba’s capital. Though illness curtailed this particular journey, Stark’s exploration of this region resulted in a clutch of seminal books. Later she was awarded with the Royal Geographical Society’s Founder's Gold Medal.

During WWII Stark worked for the British Ministry of Information in Yemen and Cairo, and later travelled extensively through Turkey . She made her last expedition in 1968 (a trip to Afghanistan at the age of 75), though she continued to travel well into her eighties.

11. Matthew Henson (1866 –1955)

As the first person to reach the top of the world, there’s no doubt that intrepid African-American Matthew Henson should be recognised as one of the world’s most famous historical explorers. 

Born in Maryland, where his parents were subjected to attacks from the Ku Klux Klan, Henson was orphaned as a child and set sail as a cabin boy at the tender age of twelve. Under the tutelage of the ship’s Captain Childs, Henson was educated and became an accomplished sailor. He voyaged China, Japan , Africa, and the Russian Arctic seas.

When Childs died, Henson though his seafaring days were over until he met Robert Peary, a US Naval officer and explorer.

Peary took Henson on to assist his next assignment - mapping the jungles of Nicaragua. During this trip, the men formed a lifelong bond. Henson went on to play a pivotal role in Peary’s exploration of the Arctic. He mastered the Inuit language and learned skills that were essential for their survival during their expedition to the North Pole in 1908-09 (Peary’s eighth attempt).

US stamp showing Robert E Peary and Matthew Henson © IgorGolovniov/Shutterstock

Peary was lauded as the first man to reach the North Pole. However, Henson’s account of the final push of this attempt, as recounted in his 1921 memoir “A Negro Explorer at the North Pole”, describes otherwise. Henson rode in the lead sledge, his footprints were first to make their mark at the North Pole, and it was Henson who planted the American flag.

In 1937 the inaccuracy of Peary being deemed the first man to make it to the North Pole was rectified when Henson was made an honorary member of the prestigious Explorers Club of New York. Then in 1946 the US Navy awarded him the same medal they’d issued to Peary. Henson was also later honoured by Presidents Truman and Eisenhower.

12. Jacques Cousteau (1910 -1997) 

In the field of underwater expeditions, famous historical explorers don’t come more well-known than Jacques Cousteau - the researcher, photographer, filmmaker and marine conservationist who co-invented the Aqua-Lung.

Cousteau’s early career in naval aviation was cut short by a car accident, and led to him following his love for the ocean. In the mid-to-late 1930s he worked for the French Navy’s information service, which saw him sent on missions to  Shanghai and Japan.

Jacques Cousteau statue in La Paz, Baja California Sur, northwest Mexico © Shutterstock

In 1943 Cousteau and engineer Emile Gagnan co-created the Aqua-Lung. This breathing apparatus revolutionised underwater exploration by making it possible to stay submerged for longer. A few years later, he showcased his first films, bringing the wonders of the ocean to a far wider audience. He also pioneered the field of underwater archaeological exploration.

Cousteau’s conservation achievements include making a key contribution to restricting commercial whaling, and leading a campaign against the French government’s plan to dump nuclear waste in the Mediterranean Sea.

Hailed as the world’s greatest living explorer by the Guinness Book of World Records, Ranulph Fiennes has led over fifteen gruelling expeditions in the past forty years. He is living proof that intrepid exploration still exists: he led the first hovercraft expedition up the Nile. Also, he was the first to circumnavigate the world along its polar axis – a feat of 52,000 miles, starting in the Antarctic and ending at the North Pole.

In 2003 he completed seven marathons, in seven days, on seven continents, and was the first British pensioner to climb Mount Everest, raising £6.2 million for charity.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes © Foreign and Commonwealth Office

In 1997, lecturer, author and former Rough Guides editor Fran Sandham threw caution to the wind and left his London life to walk 3000 miles across Africa. Remarkably, there was no big plan. There was no big sense of purpose beyond achieving that ambitious goal of traversing the continent in a spirit of adventure, on foot and alone - no sponsors, no strings, no support team. 

Namibia's Skeleton Coast, starting point of Fran Sandham's journey across Africa © Shutterstock

As recounted in  Traversa , Sandham’s boundlessly engaging account of his epic journey, he modelled his route on the Victorian-era "traversas" journeyed by the likes of Henry Morton Stanley and Dr David Livingstone.

Sandham's journey took almost a year. During the journey he was stricken with malaria, and the threat of lions and mines never left his mind. All this demonstrates the human impulse to set out and do things his own way. Traversa suffused in a spirit of joie de vivre, albeit brilliantly tempered by the author's endearing self-deprecating wit.

Modern-day adventurer  Mario Rigby  is surely set to become one of the world's most famous explorers. Born in Turks and Caicos, Rigby grew up in Germany and Canada, where a talent for athletics saw him pursuing a career as a personal trainer. It was an athletics competition in San Salvador that first inspired Rigby’s desire to explore more of the world, and ultimately led to his  Crossing Africa  expedition.

If you are inspired by Mario Rigbys adventures check our list of the world's best backpacking destinations.

Adventure explorer Mario Rigby, Crossing Africa © Quantumtoastmedia/Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International

In November 2015 Rigby left Toronto for Cape Town from where his incredible adventure began. An astounding 12,000 km trek north through eight African countries by foot and kayak that saw him reach Cairo in 2018. Contracting malaria, and dodging bullets and wild dogs along the way, Rigby was driven to learn from the people he met along the way. He also committed to share their stories with authentic, respectful realism.

Also a powerful, inspirational advocate for eco-conscious travel, Rigby’s continued adventures help support a number of charities. Among them are the  Rainmaker Enterprise  in Sudan and Toronto-based  My Stand , a mentoring scheme for vulnerable young people.

If you prefer to plan and book your trips without any effort and hassle, use the expertise of our local travel experts to make sure your trip will be just like you dream it to be.

To find more inspiration for your future journeys check our Rough Guides guidebooks and find out all the information you need about your dream destination.

We may earn commission when you click on links in this article, but this doesn’t influence our editorial standards. We only recommend services that we genuinely believe will enhance your travel experiences.

Header image: map of Columbus's voyage © Shutterstock

Joanne is a Pembrokeshire-born writer with a passion for the nature, cultures and histories of the Caribbean region, especially Dominica. Also passionate about inspiring a love of adventure in young people, she’s the author of several books for children and young adults, hosts international writing workshops, and has written articles on the Caribbean and inspirational community initiatives for Rough Guides. Follow her @JoanneOwen on Twitter and @joanneowenwrites on Instagram.

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Biography Online

Top 10 Famous Explorers

A list of 10 of the world’s greatest and most famous explorers.

Other explorers

Ferdinand Magellan (1480 – 1521) Portuguese sailor and adventurer who led the first expedition to make a successful circumnavigation of the globe. Magellan also made the first crossing from the Atlantic into the Pacific and also the first successful crossing of the Pacific Ocean. He died before the expedition reached Europe

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Famous Explorers”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net , Last updated 9 April 2020, Originally published 18th Feb 2013.

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10 Comments

what about Jacques Cartier

• February 04, 2019 9:34 PM

Thanks for this

My class used this for a website evaluation and it was very reliable and helpful thankyou

• September 12, 2018 8:29 AM

What about Amelia Earth? She an explorer because I think she was the first woman to travel around the whole world. I am also called Amelia. : )

• April 11, 2018 1:08 PM

That is because the first one to do it, or at least organised and led it, actually did not complete the journey. His name was Ferdinand Magellan, although many of his ships and crew did complete the journey he did not as he was killed during a battle in the Philippines.

• August 03, 2017 10:08 PM

what about Edmund Hillary

• November 29, 2016 1:25 AM
• By jimbobbby

What about Ibn Battuta?!

• April 01, 2016 10:27 PM

You’ve forgotten probably the most famous explorer of them all… Neil Armstrong.

• March 15, 2016 1:06 AM

what i beleive: i dont think he was acctually an explorer as the moon was already found and he was only one of the first people to go there along with Buzz Aldrin and some other guy.

• August 26, 2016 1:37 AM
• By knowalot

what about magellan

• March 13, 2016 4:07 PM

Agreed, I think Magellan should have made the list.

• November 09, 2018 8:32 PM
• By Pat O’Shaughnessy

History’s most famous explorers and their epic journeys

Mar 31, 2020 • 6 min read

In a time before planes, credit cards and the internet, travel was often as dangerous as it was exciting. Yet for millennia those with a taste for adventure have given in to the human impulse to explore the world, to discover new cultures and pave the way for others. The roll call of great historical travelers includes the well known and the should-be-better known. Here are a select few, each of whom demonstrates that curiosity that keeps us exploring today.

Zheng He and the "treasure voyages"

“Eventful” is an adjective that could easily apply to the lives of many well known travelers but it’s particularly apt for Zheng He. Born a Muslim, he was captured, castrated and converted by Chinese troops, before rising through the ranks of the Ming army to become a trusted adviser to Emperor Yongle. 

Made admiral in charge of the “treasure voyages” (seven sea trips designed to expand Chinese knowledge, trade and influence in the early 15th century), he headed west to Southeast Asia , India , the Arabian Peninsula and East Africa , employing diplomacy where possible and force where necessary to impress the locals.

Marco Polo on the Silk Road (and beyond)

When he left his home in Venice in 1271, Marco Polo, arguably the most famous traveler of all time, couldn’t have imagined he’d be away for 24 years. Driven as much by trade as by the travel bug (he came from a family of merchants), he followed the Silk Road to China (or Cathay as it was then known). There he became friends with the Mongol emperor Kublai Khan and embarked on a series of journeys as emissary of the khan, which he subsequently documented in the Book of the Marvels of the World , a bestseller at the time.

Gertrude Bell broke and created boundaries

Scholar, diplomat, empire-builder, mountaineer, traveler – if you thought we were about to talk about a man, you’d be mistaken. All these attributes and more belong to the Brit Gertrude Bell. Breaking into previously male-dominated areas of society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, she had already been stranded on a rope for some 53 hours while climbing in the Alps, circumnavigated the world twice and spent years exploring the Middle East before she was involved in drawing up the post-WW1 borders of Iraq, an area she knew well thanks to her love of archeology. 

A less controversial legacy of her time in the region is the Iraq Museum, a repository of objects from the country’s extraordinarily long past which she helped create shortly before her death in 1926.

Ibn Battuta's 30-year trip

Hailing from Morocco , Ibn Battuta would, like his near contemporary Marco Polo, not see his home for many decades once he headed off on his travels. Deciding to go on pilgrimage to Mecca, he left his family and friends in Tangier in 1324, following the North African coast in the company of camel caravans (for safety) and completing his hajj in 1326. 

Influenced by a holy man’s prophecy saying he would travel the earth, he then continued east – and south and north and west, crossing Spain, India, Persia, China, Southeast Asia and many more destinations on his wishlist. Sometimes treated as an honored guest by those he encountered, other times as a hostage, as well as exploring new places he also found time to marry (and divorce) an astonishing ten times during his trip, before finally returning home for good (and presumably a rest) in 1354.

Percy Fawcett and the lost city of Z

Once British soldier and explorer Percy Fawcett got the idea of a mysterious civilization in the Brazilian Amazon into his head, he couldn’t shake it and his obsession with "the lost city of Z" would lead to his death. A respected cartographer, he was sent to Brazil’s Mato Grosso region in 1906 to help determine the country’s border with Bolivia. 

On subsequent visits he became fascinated by rumors of a former culture, with grand architecture, hidden somewhere in the area’s vast jungles. In April 1925 he set out to find it with his son and his son’s best friend. By the end of May they had disappeared. Whether they were killed by a local tribe or died of starvation is still unknown. But recent research has offered tantalizing evidence that a civilization just like the one Fawcett was looking for, did exist in the region and is known as Kuhikugu.

Leif Erikson landed in North America

Centuries before Marco Polo and Zheng He set off on their expeditions, an intrepid Icelander decided to sail west from his home to see what he would find. It’s not surprising that travel was in Leif Erikson’s blood (his father, Erik the Red, was exiled from Iceland to Greenland), but he couldn’t have known, as he set sail around 1000 CE, that he would build the first European settlement in North America. 

Exactly where he created his community of Vinland is hotly debated – tradition has it in L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada – but history, and a large, west-facing statue of him outside Reykjavík’s Hallgrimskirkja church, will always remember his groundbreaking journeys.

Mansa Musa's economic impact

There aren’t many trips that can claim to have devastated local economies, but the pilgrimage to Mecca by Malian ruler Mansa Musa did just that. Like Ibn Battuta a year or two earlier, Musa traveled across northern Africa on his hajj, but with an entourage whose stats defy belief: 60,000 people, including 12,000 slaves and heralds, plus 100 elephants and 80 camels carrying thousands of pounds of gold which was lavishly dispensed to people en route – Mali was the world’s main gold producer at the time making Musa possibly the richest man who has ever lived. His generosity proved disastrous, though, as so much gold flooded the market that its value dropped and negatively impacted local economies for around a decade after his trip.

Nellie Bly circumnavigated the world in 72 days

“No one but a man can do this!” scoffed her editor when journalist Nellie Bly suggested a round-the-world trip in 80 days, emulating the fictional Phileas Fogg. The year was 1889 and convention simply didn’t allow a solo female traveler to do this kind of thing, but, as with Gertrude Bell, “convention-defying” could have been Nellie Bly’s middle name (actually her real name was Elizabeth Jane Cochran; Nellie Bly was her pseudonym).

Having already earned her credentials with an exposé on the appalling treatment of women in New York’s mental asylums, she packed her bags (very lightly), hid her money in a small pouch under her clothes, and boarded the steamship Augusta Victoria . Crossing Europe , South Asia, Japan and the US, and having several adventures and close calls along the way, she returned to a rapturous welcome on January 25, 1890 – 72 days after setting off. Beat that, Phileas!

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World History Edu

• Famous Explorers

Most Famous Explorers of All Time

by World History Edu · March 30, 2021

Since the dawn of time, human beings have always been very curious of the world around them. Often times, those explorations and adventures into the unknown accrued immense benefits to not just the brave explorers but the entire society. On the flip side, some of their discoveries opened the door wide open for unspeakable miseries to be inflicted on the people by the explorers, or at worse the complete decimation of the indigenous people.

From Captain James Cook to the Tangier-born explorer Ibn Battuta, Worldhistoryedu.com present 10 most renowned explorers and travelers of all time.

Amerigo Vespucci

Ever wonder where the name “America” came from? Well, wonder no more. The name was derived from the Florentine-born navigator and explorer Amerigo Vespucci. Widely claimed as the first European to discover the Amazon River and Cape St. Augustine, Amerigo Vespucci was without question one of the greatest explorers from Europe. His first voyage came on May 10, 1497, when he sailed from Candiz with a well-stocked fleet of Spanish ships.

Under the command of Alonzo de Ojeda, Amerigo served as a navigator on a voyage that saw them cross the equator and make their way to the coast of Guyana. He then left his commander and sailed to the Brazilian coast. Amerigo would go on to discover present-day Rio de Janeiro and Rio de la Plata. Thinking his discoveries were on a new continent, he called South America the New World.

Captain James Cook

Born on October 27, 1728 in Marton, England, Captain James Cook is considered by many as the most eminent explorer to come from England. The naval captain, navigator and explorer attained very important feats in his lifetime, making him an influential figure in Europe’s exploration age.

Best known for exploring the South Pacific Ocean, James Cook had a knack for cartography (map making and usage) and began his career as an apprentice for merchant seamen. Gradually, he learnt the ropes and made it into the British merchant navy in 1755. By the age of 29, he had been promoted to ship master in the navy. When the Seven Years War (1756-1763) broke out, Cook enlisted and distinguished himself very brilliantly; he famously lead his crew to capture an enemy ship for the British Royal Navy.

His superiors and admirals noticed Cook’s abilities in navigation and creating and reading of maps. In 1768, Cook was appointed commander of the HM Bark Endeavour intended for the first scientific expedition to the Pacific Ocean. The mission, which was bankrolled by England’s Royal Society, saw Captain Cook sail into the uncharted parts of the Pacific, covering several thousands of miles. Cook also became the first European in recorded history to make contact with the eastern coastline of Australia and the Hawaiian Islands.  In 1770, he became the first person in recorded history to circumnavigate New Zealand and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. That voyage of his was no simple task, as the place was known to be a very dangerous place to navigate.

Captain Cook’s extensive mapping of the Pacific went a long way in inspiring future generations of explorers to keep exploring the region. He was praised across the West as a very brave and astute seaman and surveyor.

Captain James Cook died in his third voyage in the Pacific. He was killed during a skirmish involving an indigenous chief on the island of Hawaii.

Did you know : Captain James Cook’s voyages in the Pacific helped disprove the existence of Terra Australis – a continent that was rumored to be in the Pacific region?

Christopher Columbus

When discussing Christopher Columbus from every conceivable angle, one quickly realizes that the Italian explorer could either be vilified as a villain or praised as a hero. It is common knowledge that his numerous voyages to the Caribbean and South America paved the way for many Spanish Conquistadors to callously upend the lives, culture and social structure of the indigenous population. In that regard, the “invader” could be described as anything but greedy and reckless.

On the other hand, Columbus’ brave voyages across the Atlantic made the world look smaller in a lot of ways, introducing Europe to not just the histories of centuries’ old civilizations, but also new plant and animal species, ideas, and cultures.

Born in 1451 in Genoa, Italy, Christopher Columbus first voyages came as a teenager. The renowned explorer and navigator learnt the ropes by sailing with seamen and traders to the Mediterranean Sea coasts and the Aegean Sea. In his youthful years, he once sailed as far as the island of Khios (located in modern-day Greece).

Desiring to see more and be more in the world of exploration, Columbus in 1492 set out to discover a western sea route to India. His famous Santa Maria vessel was accompanied by two other wooden vessels – the Niña and the Pinta. In the dozen years to come, between 1492 and 1504, Columbus and his crew famously embarked on four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean. He thus accrued fame and wealth, as he was proclaimed the first European to set foot on the Caribbean and South America.

His reputation took a beating in the later part of his life because of the numerous horrific ordeals he and his men put the indigenous population through. Also, Christopher Columbus went to his grave [on May 20, 1506] strongly holding on to the view that his route across the Atlantic was a shortcut to Asia.

Did you know : October 12, 1492 was the day Christopher Columbus set foot on the shores of the Americas?

Vasco da Gama

In honor of Vasco da Gama’s momentous expeditions in the 1500s, a crater on the Moon was befittingly named after him. Born in 1460 in the coastal town of Sines, Portugal, Vasco da Gama grew up always wanting to be an explorer just like his father, Estevao. The Portuguese explorer learnt the trade and quickly went on to serve as a command for a number of ships owned by the Portuguese monarch.

With the over land journey from Europe to India being long and challenging, explorers of the time sought to find an alternate sea route to the Indian subcontinent. India was by then a very important trading partner famous for its spices that many European merchants found simply irresistible. With enough backing from the King of Portugal, explorer Vasco da Gama took it upon himself to solve the task of finding a way to India by sea.

da Gama relied on the findings of fellow explorer Bartolomeu  Dias – i.e. the Cape of Good Hope at the southernmost part of south Africa. Da Gama, like many other explorers and navigators, reasoned that he could sail around Cape of Good Hope and then head northeast to India. Between the Cape and India, lay the vast uncharted Indian Ocean. Vasco da Gama was the explorer brave enough to put his life and the lives of his crew on the line to sail across the Indian Ocean to India.

On his first voyage [in July, 1497] to India, he commanded a crew of about 170 men aboard the fleet of four ships given to him by the king of Portugal. Along the journey, Vasco da Gama made some stops at some famous trading ports on the eastern coast of Africa, most notably Malindi and Mombasa. With some help from a Malindi-based navigator, Vasco da Gama and his crew made it to the shores of Calicut, India, around December, 1497.

Vasco da Gama, the first European in recorded history to travel from Europe to India via the tip of the African continent, made it back home to a hero’s welcome. On his return home, he reported losing more than half of his crew to scurvy and other forms of sicknesses.

Hernán Cortés

Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés’ exploits are some of the reasons why Spanish conquistadors were so reviled by the indigenous people of the Americas. And who could blame them? Explorer Cortés’ exploration of Central America ended up butchering over 100,000 indigenous people for the price of the entirety of Mexico.

Hernán Cortes , the man who brought down the Aztec empire, began sailing to the New World at the age of 19. His expedition to Cuba proved to be extremely valuable to his future exploration and conquest of Mexico, which he sailed to in 1518. Cortes realized that he had to quickly form make friends with some tribes in the region if he was to accomplish his goal of bringing down the famous Aztec empire. Once that was done, Cortés mercilessly brought the Tlaxacan and Cholula tribes to yield before conquering the Aztec empire.

Not so much perturbed by the manner in which Hernán Cortés callously won Mexico for Spain, King Charles I of Spain (or Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) appointed Cortés New Spain’s governor in 1522.

Ferdinand Magellan

Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan is most known for leading the first European voyage to circumnavigate the globe.

Born in 1480 to a wealthy family in the northern part of Portugal, Magellan spent much of youth honing his skill set in cartography. He also served the Spanish crown as a page. In his mid-20s he joined the Portuguese fleet that sailed to East Africa. He also fought in the 1509 Battle of Diu that saw Portuguese fleet vanquish Egyptian ships in the Arabian Sea.

His circumnavigation expedition was made possible due to the support received from Charles V of Spain. In September 1519, he set sail towards the west, hoping to find an alternative route to eastern Asia via the Americas. Accompanying Magellan were about 270 men and the five ships donated by Charles V.

After riding the storm as well as a mutiny, Magellan discovered a strait that he called the All Saints’ Channel. Upon reaching the ocean on the other side, Magellan famously called the ocean Pacifico, a name that translates to “peace”. In March 1521, he arrived at Homonhom Island – near the Philippines – with only about half of the 270 men that sailed with him at the start of the voyage.

Magellan quickly developed trade relations with Rajah Humabon, the ruler of the island. After some time the two men fell out and a battle ensued. On April 27, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan and a significant number of his men died in the battle. Command of the voyage was taken up by Juan Sebastian del Cano, who led what was left of the crew back to Europe in September 1522.

Coming at number 7 on our list of famous explorers is another Venetian explorer in the person of John Cabot. When John Cabot first set foot on the shores of North America, he, as it was common for many explorers to mistake the Americas for Asia, thought he was in Asia. Cabot quickly placed the British flag in the soil and claimed it for Britain. The land that Cabot had set sail to was modern-day Canada. It is unclear as to where exactly in Canada Cabot first set foot; some historians state that it was mainland Nova Scotia, while other accounts of the story place it at Cape Breton Island.

Buzzing with joy of his newfound territory, John Cabot raised his sail and headed back to Europe in May 1498. Unfortunately, the renowned explorer never made it back home. His ship disappeared with no trace of his whereabouts. It is most likely Cabot’s ships ran into some difficulties in the journey across the Atlantic Ocean. And even though what happened to Cabot, his ship and crew men remain a mystery, his adventures and spectacular discovery have lived on, making him one of the greatest explorers the world has ever seen.

After discovering North America, explorer John Cabot met his untimely death sometime in 1499 or 1500 after he and his crew of about 300 men disappeared on their way back to Europe.

Sir Francis Drake

Growing up and listening to famed stories of Ferdinand Magellan’s historic circumnavigation of the world, Francis Drake must have desired nothing else than to be on the seas and traveling to new places. The English admiral patient honed his navigation skills and successfully circumnavigated the world. By so doing, he became the second seaman in history to accomplish such an arduous task. Upon his return to England, he was received as hero, with Queen Elizabeth I making him a knight.

Sir Francis Drake was also part of the Queen’s forces that famously repelled the Spanish Armada in 1588. In 1596, he died of dysentery.

Departing China in the last decade of the 13 th century, Marco Polo accompanied a Mongol princess to Persia. The Venetian explorer, who did not get much recognition in his lifetime, had spent the previous two decades or so in China. In his book The Travels of Marco Polo , the explorer details how he first travelled from Europe to Asia and then settling in China. He would go on to quickly familiarize himself with the customs and traditions of the Chinese people. In time, the people grew fond of him, appointing him as their governor. He also maintained a very good relationship with the the Mongol ruler – Kublai Khan – who was then ruler of China. Polo even went on to serve in the Privy Council of the Kublai Khan.

Ibn Battuta

Born on February 25, 1304 in Tangier, Morocco, Ibn Battuta is most renowned for his ground breaking exploits as a traveler and explorer. He was perhaps the greatest explorer of his era because he devoted about three decades of his life extensively traveling the world, visiting numerous places and experiencing different cultures.

All in all, it has been estimated that explorer Battuta chalked close to 80,000 miles on his travels, seeing about 44 modern-day countries. For example, Ibn Battuta travelled the length and breadth of the east coast of Africa, visiting countries like Tanzania and Somalia. He also had very fond memories from his visit to the famous Mali city of Timbuktu, where he shared his experiences with the local rulers. Prior to that he had explored places in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), Iraq, and Persia among others.

Many of Ibn Battuta’s journeys took him along the famous Silk Road that connected the East to the West. In India, for example, he had very good interactions with the Sultan of Delhi, who allowed him to preside over some court proceedings. Around 1354, he was awe struck during his visit to Quanzhou, China. His journey didn’t end there; Battuta also visited Hangzhou, Beijing, Guangzhou, Grand Canal, and the Great Wall of China, spending a number of days as a guest of the Mongol Khan.

Tags: Captain James Cook Christopher Columbus Hernán Cortés John Cabot Marco Polo

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The Greatest Travelers of All Time

Travelers today are spoiled. At the click of a mouse, we can book a flight, snag the last room in that great hotel, and rustle up great recommendations for things to do from friends and strangers alike. Oh, and there’s GPS. And airplanes. And cell phones. And people who have gone before.

But it wasn’t always this easy.

A handful of history’s boldest travelers staged epic journeys that crossed new lands, broke cultural barriers, and revealed the radical diversity of the world. In doing so, these trailblazers confirmed that wanderlust is part of the human condition — and made us want to follow in their footsteps, and even blaze a few trails of our own.

Take Ibn Battuta , a 21-year-old Muslim scholar from 14th-century Morocco, who took literally the Prophet Muhammad’s charge to “seek knowledge, even as far as China” when he set out from Tangier to perform his first hajj in Mecca.

His journey didn’t end there. Battuta’s pilgrimage grew into a tour that would cover more than 40 countries on a modern map, leaving behind   a dizzying oral history of three decades on the road   in the   Rihla   (“Journey”).

Some of the travelers in our   Famous Great Travelers Photo Gallery   are household names. Others, not so much. And some of them are better known for other contributions to the world. But all of these intrepid travelers   left the world a better place.

Who would you add to the list of great travelers — past or present? Tell us in the comments section below, and we might just add them to our gallery or do a special follow-up post to shine a light on your suggestions.

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