5 Fearless Female Explorers

Mar 7, 2011 by Grace

Photo of a sculpture of Gudridur made by Icelandic artist Ásmundur Sveinsson,

What comes to mind when asked which famous explorers you know? Magellan? Columbus? Lewis and Clark?  Notice anything similar? Yes, they are all men.  I actually asked myself the same question a few nights ago and came up with the same answers. It really bothered me that I drew a blank when I tried to think of female explorers. As a woman who happens to love travel and adventure- I should have known better.

So I did a quick research on famous female explorers and was glad to see there were a few out there. These ladies did not have it easy when it came to traveling or taking trips abroad. They did not have option of good cheap all inclusive holidays like what we have nowadays. We have them to thank for paving the way for female travel and exploration.

1. Gudridur

She was an Icelandic discoverer who lived during the middle ages. Her journeys and unusual voyages (especially for her time) led her around the old Nordic region. She tried several times to settle in the New World until she successfully did with her third husband (she actually outlived all three!) where she bore their son. He was, allegedly, the first European to be born in North America. They then traveled back to Greenland. After he died, she eventually went to Rome where she lived as nun.

Wow right?

Photo credit: art_es_anna

2.  Harriet Chalmers Adams

Harriet was a writer, photographer and explorer. She was a contributor to the National Geographic magazine in the early 20th century, where she wrote about her travels to South America, Asia and the South Pacific. She did a three-year trip around South America, retraced Columbus’ trail and crossed Haiti in horseback. More importantly, she launched the Society of Women Geographers (because National Geographic Society only allowed men at that time) in 1925 and served as its first President until 1933.

Photo credit: Wikipedia

3. Ruth Harkness

Dubbed the “panda lady,” I didn’t really get how she got her name until I read her story. As it turns out, Ruth carried the very first live panda into America! Hers was a bittersweet story. She was a New York fashion designer who married a wealthy adventurer who wanted to bring back to the U.S. a giant panda. He died before he could accomplish this, so Ruth traveled to China to finish her husband’s quest.

I know, it’s a tragic, but romantic story. Also, note that it was a woman who brought back the first live giant panda from China! Actually, make that the first two pandas since she brought a second one just before her death.

Photo credit: breakingthenewnews.com

4. Kira Salak

She is probably one of the most accomplished female explorers of our time. Kira Salak is still alive and continues to be a writer, adventurer and journalist. Some people call her the real life Lara Croft! Salak gained a reputation for being a tough woman adventurer, surviving war zones, coup attempts, and life-threatening bouts with malaria and cholera (gulp). She basically travels to places where no one thinks of going and is the first white woman to cross Papua New Guinea. She regularly writes for National Geographic and other magazines about her travels to places which include Iran, Rwanda, Libya, Burma, Borneo, Uganda and Peru. You can watch Kira Salak’s CBS video here.

Note to self: must have cool picture on or with a four legged creature

5. Christina Dodwell

This woman has written numerous travel handbooks and guidebooks throughout her lifetime. She was an interior designer until she discovered her passion for exploration on a holiday in Africa. Christina simply decided to stay and she traveled Africa on horse, elephant and camel for three years. She then went on various expeditions that took her to Turkey, China, Madagascar, Siberia and Papau New Guinea. She’s been paralyzed by a spider, initiated into a Papua New Guinea tribe and has dined on maggots in order to survive. This woman also knows how to wield a machete!

There you go 5 fearless female explorers. Let they be an inspiration to us women. They show us that there are great possibilities and opportunities in our lives. Use these women as role models for personal life exploration. As for men, benefit from remembering that women, too, can be explorers and adventurers in any chosen field. But of course you guys already knew that, right?