Mehmed Zilli, known as Evliya Celebi, was born on 25th March 1611 (aged 71 years) in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire, and he died on 1682 in Cairo, Egypt. Evliya was an Ottoman explorer who over a period of forty years travelled the Ottoman Empire and the areas around it. He is known to have travelled to […]
Sir George Everest was born on 4th July 1790 in Wales, United Kingdom and he died on 1st December 1866 (aged 76 years) in Hyde Park Gardens, London, United Kingdom. Sir George was a geographer and surveyor who became well known for exploring much of India and Nepal. He was the Surveyor-General of India where
Juan Sebastian Elcano was born in 1476 in Getaria, Gipuzkoa, Spain, and he died on 4th August 1526 (aged 50 years) at the Pacific ocean. Juan Sebastian was a mariner, navigator and explorer. He is credited with doing the first circumnavigation of the Earth. He led a mutiny against Magellan who was in charge. During
Gil Eanes was born in 1395 in Laos Portugal and he died in 1445. A Portuguese and explorer, Gil is known to be the first person to sail beyond the Cape Bojador which was then considered impassable. He failed in the first exploration attempt to go round Cape Bojador as he drifted towards Canary islands
Karl Von Ditmar was born 8th September 1822 in Vandra, Estonia, and he died on 25th April 1892 (aged 70 years) in Tartu, Estonia. A geologist and explorer best known to have travelled and given a scientific explanation and understanding of Kamchatka, which is in the far east of Russia. He undertook a voyage to
Semyon Dezhnev was born in 7th March 1605 in Veliky Ustyug, Russia and he died in 1673 (aged 68 years) in Moscow, Russia. Semyon was a Russian explorer of Siberia and the first European to sail into the Bering Strait much before Vitus Bering. He travelled to Siberia on an expedition organized in an attempt
Pierre-Jean De Smet was born on 30th January 1801 in Dendermonde, Belgium, and he died on 23rd May 1873 (aged 72 years) in Saint Louis, Missouri, United States. Pierre-Jean was a Belgian Catholic priest and is known for his extensive travels as a missionary in Western and Mid-western North America as well as western Canada
Adrien de Gerlache was born on 2nd August 1866 in Hasselt, Belgium, and he died on 4th December 1934 (aged 67 years) in Brussels, Belgium. Adrien was a Belgian naval officer who led the Belgian Antarctic Expedition of 1897-99. He decided to voyage to Antarctica for which he purchased his own ship. After sailing through,
Aloha Wanderwell was born on 13th October 1906 in Winniepeg, Canada, and she died on 4th June 1996 (aged 90 years) in Newport Beach, California. Aloha was an explorer, author and film-maker. She holds a Guinness World Record for being the ‘first female to drive around the world’. She travelled to 43 countries starting and
William Dampier was born on 5th September 1651 in Somerset, England, and he died in March 1715 (aged 64 years). William Dampier was the first European to explore Australia and the first person to circumnavigate the world thrice. He wrote an account of his travels in four volumes entitled ‘New Voyage Round the World’ which
William Healy Dall was born on 21st August, 1845 in Boston, USA, and he died on 27th March 1927 (aged 81 years) in Washington DC, USA. William was a naturalist, malacologist and one of the first people to scientifically explore the interiors of Alaska. He undertook his first expedition with Robert Kennicott as his assistant.
Jeremy Curl was born on 13th March 1982 in Tokyo, Japan, and he still lives today. He resides in London, England. Jeremy is a photographer and filmmaker who has travelled widely in Africa and Asia. He was the first non-African to cross the Tanezrouft area of the Sahara without a motorized transport. He lived and
Tristao da Cunha was born in 1460 in Portugal and he died in 1540 (aged 80 years) in Portugal. A naval commander and explorer, Tristao was the ambassador to the Pope Leo X. He led a fleet of 15 ships as commander to Africa and off India to take over the trade through the Red
Thomas Crean was born on 25th February 1877 in Annascaul, Ireland and he died on 27th July 1938 (aged 61 years) in Cork, Ireland. An Arctic explorer, Thomas was a member of three important expeditions to Antarctica including the one in which they lost the race to the South Pole to Roald Amundsen. He started
Thomas Coulter was born in 1793 in Dundalk, Ireland and he died in 1843 (aged 50 years) in Dundalk, Ireland. Thomas was a botanist, physician and explorer who is remembered for his exploration and botanical research in Mexico, Arizona and California. The details and travels of his life are known only through fragmented records. He