Famous Female Explorers in History

When we talk about the famous female explorers, these are the women who have shaped history with their daring adventures and relentless pursuit of knowledge. From crossing the Sahara Desert to flying over the Atlantic Ocean, these women broke barriers and challenged societal norms, leaving a profound impact on the modern state of exploration. 

Although the road has not been an easy one, women have been in a constant struggle to have recognition in equal treatment throughout the years. For this same reason, in 1975, the United Nations recognized International Women's Day, which, beyond a celebration, represents every woman who has tried to make a difference in history in order to be able to integrate into different aspects of society, from having the right of education, the right to vote, to have equitable salaries, among other things. 

That's why at AXA, we want to talk to you about inspirational female explorers who have made a difference by traveling, regardless of the stereotypes of their time and the situations they had against them. Whether it is the first female pilot or the first European woman to navigate Central and South America, this article will mention some of the popular names who have made the world record and created history.
 

Elizabeth Jane Cochran  

Around the world in 72 days! 

 Better known as Nellie Bly, she was an American journalist and one of the most famous female explorers who challenged gender limitations in her generation. Elizabeth Jane Cochran caused a stir in Mexico for her book "Six Months in Mexico" during the time of Porfirio Diaz. She also faked insanity to do some undercover investigative journalism at a mental institution. She was also a world traveler and, through this, became the most famous journalist of her time. 

This intrepid woman in 1887 proposed to her New York World editor an expedition to go around the world in fewer days than Phileas Fogg, the protagonist of the famous novel "Around the World in 80 Days" by Jules Verne. Facing the doubts of her publisher, Nellie Bly traveled around the world to achieve her goal, she even visited France to attend a personal invitation to meet Jules Verne himself and his wife.  

Her entire trip through countries such as the Middle East and Southeast Asia was published in the World newspaper for which she worked, making small chronicles so that readers could visualize her journey, which ended up recapitulated in her book "Around the World in Seventy-Two Days."  

Her fearless accomplishments made her a global icon, and her legacy includes a board game, multiple films, and induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1988. Nellie Bly also set a new world record, proving women could match and surpass men in daring feats. Truly, she was a woman who changed the world, inspiring countless others. 

“Energy rightly applied and directed will accomplish anything.” -Nellie Bly. 
 

Junko Tabei 

The world’s highest peak 

Junko Tabei was a Japanese alpinist who defied expectations by being the first woman to climb and see the world from the highest peak: Mount Everest. Since she was a little girl, she was judged for being weak and fragile. She was the fifth child of seven brothers and had a short stature. She challenged every stereotype of herself and of women in general during her time. This woman carried her backpack along with the thousand gender prejudices up Mount Everest. 

In 1969, Tabei founded an exclusively female mountaineering club, an initiative that resonated with the growing movement for women's rights. After rigorous training and climbing smaller mountains, she achieved her historic feat on May 16, 1975, reaching the summit of Everest despite surviving an avalanche a few days before. This remarkable achievement made her a global icon and a source of inspiration for female explorers around the world. 

In 1977, Junko Tabei also became the first woman to climb the seven summits of the world, conquering the highest peaks on each continent, including the Rocky Mountains and the Sahara Desert's unique terrain. Over her lifetime, she managed to climb in more than 70 countries around the world throughout her life, breaking down barriers and changing the perspective that people had on Alpinism. She redefined the role of women in extreme sports. 

"I cannot understand why men make such a fuss over the Everest". -Junko Tabei. 
 

Annie Londonderry  

Traveling the world on two wheels 

Annie Cohen Kopchovsky was born in 1895 in Latvia, but lived most of her life in the United States. A mother of four and mostly a homemaker, she became one of the most inspirational and famous female explorers by deciding to travel around the world on a bike without properly knowing how to ride. It started with a bet she made with an executive from a Boston club in 1894. The bet was to get around the world in less than 15 months in exchange for ten thousand dollars.  

During that time, women explorers were rare, and they did not participate much in sports. However, this did not stop Annie’s determination to begin her journey on a bicycle that was created especially for women, without a single penny to her name and a long skirt.  

Annie was no fool and knew how to market herself; in fact, her last name, "Londonderry," was a change she made to advertise her first sponsor, Spring Water Company, for $100. Therefore, along the way, Annie tried to market herself by sewing brands on her clothes, conducting interviews, and using her bicycle to her advantage. She visited multiple countries on her trip and finally made the entire trip in 14 months, winning the bet of ten thousand dollars plus the money earned from advertising during her trip. 

Annie demonstrated a skill that women were taught not to have during that time. She challenged every possibility, helped boost bicycle sales, empowered many women, and became the first woman to travel the world on two wheels and leave her mark in history books. 

"I am a journalist and 'a new woman' if that term means that I believe I can do anything that any man can do." - Annie Londonderry  
 

Isabella Bird 

First fellow woman of the Royal Geographical Society 

Isabella Bird was a British traveler and writer whose nature and traveling spirit trumped the gender norms of the Victorian age to the later 1800s. She created history by becoming the first woman to be a female fellow member of the Royal Geographical Society. She has continued to inspire the generations of female explorers to this day. 

Bird started travel writing in 1854 when she visited the United States. She compiled her journey in her book, ‘An Englishwoman in America’, in 1856. 

Bird’s travels led her to visit around the cross-section of the world, including Hawaii, Australia, Japan, and China.  In 1879, she published A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains, which detailed her experiences in Colorado and described her resilience in navigating challenging and difficult terrains. Her remarkable journeys helped her become the first female to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 1892. 

Bird, as a writer, tended to narrate her encounters, including her beak on the fate of Armenians during her visit to Kurdistan, with an emphasis on social problems. She has shown the future generations of female adventurers and scholars that they are capable of achieving their dreams in a male-dominated society. 

"I have found a dream of beauty at which one might look all one's life and sigh.” - Isabella Bird 
 

Wrapping Up 

Apart from those mentioned above, there are many names on the list of famous female explorers in history. Whether there is Amelia Earhart, the first female pilot to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Harriet Chalmers Adams, who explored the American West, or Dame Freya Star,k who explored the Arabian deserts, these women have continued to inspire generations. Their achievements have opened pathways for future female explorers who wish to circumnavigate the globe. 

If you are also inspired to explore the world like these famous females, make sure you purchase your travel insurance plan first so that you can have a safe adventure. This way, you can be safe and sound during your travels.