221 Great Explorers of the World

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

Juan de la Cosa was born in 1460 in Santona, Cantabria, Spain, and he died on 28th February 1510 (aged 50 years) in Turbaco, Columbia. Juan was a Spanish explorer and cartographer known for his voyages with Christopher Columbus in which they discovered America. In 1499, Juan made a voyage with Amerigo Vespucci and they

Joao Vaz Corte-Real was born in 1420 in Faro, Portugal, and he died in 1496 in Portugal. Known to have explored Terra Navo do Bacalhau which is a part of North America specifically Newfoundland, Joao was granted a part of Terceira because of his discovery. Joao Vaz Corte-Real was also granted the island of Sao

Caramuru or Diogo Alvares Correa was born in 1475 in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, and he died on 5th October 1557 (aged 82 years) in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. A Portuguese settler who used his influence with the Indians to colonize Brazil, Caramuru went to Bahia to establish the settlement which came to be known as

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado was born in 1510 in Salamanca, Spain, and he died on 22nd September 1554 (aged 44 years) in Mexico City, Mexico. Francisco was known for the discovery of the Grand Canyon and various other landmarks in America. He started his expedition to find the fabled seven cities of gold as per

Auguste Rene Caillie was born on 19th November 1799 in Mauze, France, and he died on 17th May 1838 (aged 39 years) in France. Rene was the first modern European to have reached the cities of West Africa and to return alive from there. He decided to journey to Timbuktu despite not getting any financial