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.
Related Topics
Go Further
Animals
- These 'trash fish' are among Earth's most primitive animalsThese 'trash fish' are among Earth's most primitive animals
- These photos are works of art—and the artists are bugsThese photos are works of art—and the artists are bugs
- The epic migration of a 6-foot long, 200-pound catfishThe epic migration of a 6-foot long, 200-pound catfish
- Frans de Waal, biologist who studied animal emotion, dies at 75Frans de Waal, biologist who studied animal emotion, dies at 75
Environment
- Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet? The answer isn't clear-cut.Are synthetic diamonds really better for the planet? The answer isn't clear-cut.
- This year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning signThis year's cherry blossom peak bloom was a warning sign
- The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?The U.S. just announced an asbestos ban. What took so long?
- The most dangerous job? Inside the world of underwater weldersThe most dangerous job? Inside the world of underwater welders
- The harrowing flight that wild whooping cranes make to surviveThe harrowing flight that wild whooping cranes make to survive
History & Culture
- Meet the powerful yokai that inspired the demon king in ‘Demon Slayer’Meet the powerful yokai that inspired the demon king in ‘Demon Slayer’
- A surprising must-wear for European monarchs? Weasels.A surprising must-wear for European monarchs? Weasels.
- Meet the woman who made Polaroid into a cultural iconMeet the woman who made Polaroid into a cultural icon
- Inside the observatory that birthed modern astrophysicsInside the observatory that birthed modern astrophysics
Science
- LED light treatments for skin are trendy—but do they actually work?LED light treatments for skin are trendy—but do they actually work?
- NASA smashed an asteroid. The debris could hit Mars.NASA smashed an asteroid. The debris could hit Mars.
- Humans really can have superpowers—scientists are studying themHumans really can have superpowers—scientists are studying them
- Why engineers are concerned about aging infrastructureWhy engineers are concerned about aging infrastructure
Travel
- Play and stay in the mountains of eastern Nevada
- Paid Content
Play and stay in the mountains of eastern Nevada - This couple quit the city to grow wasabi in Japan's mountainsThis couple quit the city to grow wasabi in Japan's mountains