221 Great Explorers of the World

Gadiel ‘Cho’ Sanchez Rivera was born on 13th October 1978 in Pucallpa, Peru, and he still lives today. Gadiel is a Peruvian adventurer and a jungle expert. He was hired by the English explorer Ed Stafford as a guide for the journey on the Amazon but later made him an assistant and Gadiel finished this

Hermenegildo de Brito Capelo was born in 4th February 1841 in Palmela, Portugal, and he died in 4th May 1917 (aged 75 years) in Lisbon, Portugal. Hermenegildo was an officer of the Portuguese navy and an explorer who is best known for mapping the area between Angola and Mozambique. He along with Roberto Ivens was

Diogo Cao was born about 1450 in Vila Real, Portugal and he died about 1486. A navigator, Diogo was an important explorer in the Age of Discovery. He was the one who discovered the mouth and estuary of the Congo River when he was sent by the Portuguese King to explore the African Coast. He

Martin Alonso Pinzon was born in 1441 in Palos de la Frontera, Spain, and he died on 31st March 1493 (aged 52 years) in La Rabida Friary, Spain. A Spanish mariner, shipbuilder, navigator and explorer, Martin  captained the Pinta on Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to America. Martin’s suggestion to change course brought the fleet to

Anatoly Mikhailovich Sagalevich was born on 5th September 1938 in Russia and he still lives today. Anatoly is a Russian explorer who was the pilot of MIR-1DSV (Deep Submergence Vehicles) that reached the seabed at the North Pole during an expedition Arktika. He has been the director of the Russian Deepwater Submersibles Laboratory. He was

Captain Sir James Clark Ross was born on 15th April 1800 in London, UK, and he died on 3rd April 1862 (aged 62 years) in Aston Abbotts, UK. A British naval officer known for his exploration of the Arctic and the Antarctic, James located the North Magnetic Pole and undertook an expedition to the Antarctic

Lafayette Houghton Bunnell was born on 13th March 1824 in  Rochester, New York, USA, and he died on 21st July 1903 (aged 79 years) in Homer, Minnesota, USA. Lafayette Houghton Bunnell was an American physician, writer and explorer. He is noted for exploring the Yosemite Valley. Lafayette was a member of the Mariposa Battalion which

George Bass was born on 30th January 1771 in Aswarby, United Kingdom, and he died on 5th February 1803 (aged 32 years) at sea. George Bass was a naval surgeon and explorer of Australia. He joined the Royal navy as a surgeon but his interest in navigation was noticed and he was transferred to another

Henry Walter Bates was born on 8th February 1825 in Leicester, England, and he died on 16th February 1892 (aged 67 years) in London. Henry Walter Bates was an English naturalist and explorer. He explored the Amazon Rainforests and the Amazon Basin along with his friend Alfred Wallace. They reached Para, Brazil to collect specimen

Heinrich Barth was born on 16th February 1821 in Hamburg, Germany, and he died on 25th November 1865 (aged 44 years) in Berlin, Germany. Heinrich was a German scholar and explorer of Africa. His first expedition was under an explorer of the Sahara, James Richardson. After his death Heinrich carried on the expedition all alone.

Henry Russell or Henry Patrick Marie was born in 1834 in Toulouse, France, and he died in 5th February 1909 (aged 75 years) in Biarritz, France. Henry was known for the Pyrenean exploration of which he was one of the pioneers. His first expedition was to North America at the age of 23 where he

Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon was born on 5th May 1865 in Brazil, and he died on 19th January 1958 (aged 92 years) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A Brazilian military officer, he became famous for his exploration of Mato Grosso and the western Amazon Basin. He explored Mato Grosso extensively as he had to

Willem Janszoon Blaeu was born in 1571, Seventeen Provinces, and he died on 21st October 1638 (aged 67 years) in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Willem Janszoon Blaeu was a Dutch cartographer. He was the founder of a large publishing firm that became famous in the field of cartography under the name Blaeu. The first maps of Blaeu

Voin Andreyevich Rimsky Korsakov was born on 14th July 1822 in Oryol Oblast, Russia, and he died on 4th November 1871 (aged 49 years) Pisa, Italy. Voin Rimsky was a Russian naval officer and captain of the Vostok. In the 1850s and 1860s, he researched the area of the Sea of Japan near Ussuri Krai.

Vladimir Vasilyevich Atlasov or Otlasov was born in 1661 in Veliky Ustyug, Russia, and he died in 1711. Known for organizing the first systematic exploration of Kamchatka Penninsula, and the volcanic Island of Atlasov which was named after him, Vladimir led an expedition to the Kamchatka and travelled on a reindeer with about 120 men.