famous female explorers?

[ZZZenAgain]

dd is doing famous explorers for school atm and the books are almost entirely about men. We have found a couple of female explorers but I'd love to find out about some more so we could research them and balance it a bit.

Mary Kingsley

and I count the Russian astronaut Valentina Tereshkova as an explorer.

Then I don't know anymore! I remember reading yonks back about a woman who went through the Arabian desert on a motorbike (1920s, I think, around that time) but I don't remember her name and another who went exploring in Brazil, can't remember her name either. Anyone know who I mean or have another suggestion?

I'm also curious about Russian explorers who went discovering Siberia. I don't know any names but I remember they went out on the rivers in search of furs and mapped the country bit by bit.

dora the explorer

ah-ha found one of them:

Gertrude Bell Not quite as I remembered it

sorry seem to be just mumbling to myself...

noooooooooooooo I need the real McCoy

Freya Stark

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

I know the name Freya Stark... Will have a look, thanks frogs.

There are a lot of nice books about female travellers to out of the way places and they're great reading but not so many who count as explorers. We have an audiobook on famous explorers and there is not one woman on it. It is all Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, Ibn Battuta, LEwis and Clark etc. I know there are more women explorers out there, they are just not so well-known.

Never heard of Mary Montagu frogs which illustrates my point I suppose!

Freya Stark is great - Iran, Saudi Arabia - and all the languages, my dd will love her. Thanks.

Not strictly an explorer, but Ellen MacArthur the round the world sailor is a contemporary one.

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

Lady Hester Stanhope

have to go. Sorry.

I looked her up frogs. I'd be interested to read her work myself but I am not sure if it would be the right material for year 5 IYSWIM. So many strong adventurous women out there -and articulate but not very well known most of them, are they?

sorry crossed posts frogs, I was referring to Lady Mary Montagu.

Thanks for your help. I'll look in tomorrow!

Amy Johnson

Amelia Earhart

Louise Arner Boyd

www.enchantedlearning.com/explorers/women.shtml

Isabel Burton (wife of the Richard Burton famous for various explorations)
See also this book
www.amazon.co.uk/Unsuitable-Ladies-Anthology-Women-Travellers/dp/0192802011
with lots of inspiration

Dervla Murphy (various mad cycling expeditions)
Marianne North
Mary Henrietta Kingsley

Christina Dodwell

Thanks these are good. I think I'll write to the audiobook company and ask if they wouldn't consider a companion CD on women explorers. There are plenty of interesting ones out there.

Lewis and Clarke were lead by a native american woman, can't remember her name. But she's certainly worth looking at (and the fact that explorers weren't the first people to go places, just the first Westerners usually).

I knew Night at the Museum was educational!

yes Sagawacea - something like that wasn't it?

Really busy at work today, so sorry if I'm terse. Will look into your suggestions tonight everyone. Thanks!

Gertrude Denham

She's interesting too.

Not sure if Ellen MacArthur would count as an explorer but still an adventurous woman.

Someone could write a good book about female explorers/adventurous travellers for children.... Just a thought. Have never come across one written for primary school children, just individual biographies. I read the other day that Sally Ride (Am astronaut) has written children's books but I haven't yet looked into what she has written.

Isabella Bird

Ella Maillart

Alexandra David-Neel

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexandra_David-Néel

Alison Hargreaves - similar to Ellen MacArthur in that she was an adventurous woman, rather than an explorer.

I have written a book on women explorers- Women of Discovery- covering 2000 years.
Also I started a non profit www.wingsworldquest.org- lots of information for schools and everyone on more than 100 women explorers of today.
I have edited 6 biographies for high school on women explorers -- available through Chelsea House Publishers. and I lecture all around the country to schools and groups on the subject. Anyone interested can contact me at [email protected].

your link

That's excellent Milbry, just reposting your link. I'm looking at the website now.

Thanks everyone, great suggestions on the thread. Gives us (me) plenty to do!