Description

Explorers and travellers have always been attracted by the lure of the unknown By traversing and mapping our planet they have played a vital role in mankinds development For almost two hundred years the Royal Geographical Society has recognised their achievements by awarding its prestigious gold medals to those who have contributed most to our knowledge of the world

Taking us on a journey across mountains and deserts oceans and seas Exploring the World tells the stories of more than eighty of these extraordinary men and women Some such as David Livingstone Scott of the Antarctic and JacquesYves Cousteau are well known whilst others such as William Chandless and Ney Elias are today less familiar Some dreamed of being the first to sight a lake or a river others sighted some of the worlds greatest natural features by chance Some were naturalists anthropologists or mountaineers others went in search of explorers who had vanished without trace or had been shipwrecked or marooned

Filled with epic tales of endurance and perseverance Exploring the World celebrates a group of exceptional individuals possessed of indomitable courage boundless determination and adventurous spirit It portrays a variety of fascinating lives driven by curiosity wanderlust and the pursuit of knowledge and in doing so provides a unique overview of two centuries of exploration