Famous Explorers - List of Famous Explorers - page 3

Throughout the history of mankind, there have been several adventurous souls who set out to explore the unknown. Spirited and courageous, they risked their lives on their expeditions to seek out lands hitherto unknown to the civilized world. When we talk of explorers, Portuguese explorer Vasco de Gama, would undoubtedly be one of the first names that come to our mind— after all as one of the pioneers of the ‘Age of Exploration’, he was the commander of one of the sailing ships that ventured into India from Europe. Venice native Marco Polo was another legendary explorer who set out to explore Asia and became the first European to meet the Mogul emperor Kublai Khan. While Christopher Columbus was the one to discover America by sailing through the Atlantic Ocean, it was Jacques Cartier, one of the earliest French explorers, who explored the region of Northern America to discover what is now Canada, and claimed the area for France. When US Army volunteers Second Lieutenant William Clark and Captain Meriwether Lewis led the Corps of Discovery Expedition in 1804, it was a woman explorer, Native American Sacagawea, who guided them on this expedition. Scroll down to discover many interesting facts about the famous explorers from all over the world.

The Most Famous Explorers

NameBirthdayNationalityBio
John Cabot1450ItalianJohn Cabot was an Italian navigator and explorer who was the first European to discover the coast of North America
Marco Polo1254ItalianMarco Polo was the legendary Italian merchant, explorer and traveler, who travelled to China and worked under emperor, Kublai Khan
Henry Hudson1565BritishHenry Hudson was an early 17th century English navigator and explorer
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado1510SpanishFrancisco Vazquez de Coronado was a Spanish conquistador who became one of the first Europeans to discover the Grand Canyon
Hernán Cortés1485SpanishHernán Cortés was a Spanish soldier, better known as the conqueror of Mexico
Bear GryllsJune 7, 1974BritishBear Grylls is an adventurer popularly known for his bizarre survival tactics in reality television series Man vs
Hernando de Soto1500SpanishHernando de Soto was a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquests of Central America and Peru
Robert PearyMay 6, 1856AmericanRobert Edwin Peary, Sr
Ferdinand Magellan1480PortugueseFerdinand Magellan was a famous Portuguese navigator and explorer
Ibn BattutaFebruary 25, 1304MoroccanIbn Batuta was a famous explorer of the medieval era who chronicled his travel accounts spanning over three decades
Giovanni da Verrazzano

Giovanni da Verrazzano

Giovanni da Verrazzano was an Italian explorer who became the first European to sight New York and Narragansett bays

Italian1485163 views

Samuel de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain was a French explorer hailed as "The Father of New France"

FrenchJanuary 1, 1574147 views

Francisco Vásquez de Coronado

Francisco Vazquez de Coronado was a Spanish conquistador who became one of the first Europeans to discover the Grand Canyon

Spanish1510337 views

Kit Carson

Kit Carson was an American frontiersman and soldier who played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States

AmericanDecember 24, 1809205 views

Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer and navigator after whom the Americas were named

ItalianMarch 9, 1454181 views

William Clark

William Clark was an American explorer who along with Meriwether Lewis led an epic expedition to the Pacific Northwest

AmericanAugust 1, 1770130 views

Jacques Cartier

Jacques Cartier was a French explorer credited to have claimed what is now Canada for France

FrenchDecember 31, 1491142 views

Hernando de Soto

Hernando de Soto was a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquests of Central America and Peru

Spanish1500266 views

John Smith

John Smith was an English soldier and explorer who played a significant role in the establishment of Jamestown in North America

BritishJanuary 6, 1580187 views

Henry Hudson

Henry Hudson was an early 17th century English navigator and explorer

British1565339 views