History’s Most Famous Travel Adventures

There is no doubt that history has a level of influence on the places that many of us visit. We read about far off places and exotic adventures, and it fires our own imaginations, sometimes compelling us to take a journey of our own, and experience the things that we’ve dreamed about.

Forbes Traveler has put together an excellent list of the greatest travel adventures from history, not only putting them in historical context, but also explaining why they remain a great travel experience even to this day. Each of the journeys on this list include a link to a travel service than can help organize your own adventure, following in the footsteps of explorers and adventurers from the past.

Some of the famous journeys that make the list include the Lewis and Clarke Expedition’s exploration of the American West, which modern day travelers can experiencing for themselves by spending five days paddling more than 60 miles of the Missouri River. Prefer something a bit more exotic? Then how about a 34-day, 4850+ mile journey through South America, by motorcycle no less, that retraces the travels of Che Guevara. Want to go even further back in time? Then head to the Far East to travel the Silk Road, much the same way that Marco Polo did in the 13th century.

There is a little something for everyone on this list, from the physically demanding to the luxurious. But they all share one thing in common, they are some of the greatest journeys in history, and they are still inspiring travel years, and sometimes centuries, later.

Photo of the Day (7/16/07)

Not a beautiful scene, but a poignant one. The shore of Lake Tanganyika in Congo, shot by Martin Baran.

Not every beautiful beach is a peaceful one. It may be the world’s second largest (by volume) and second deepest freshwater lake, but it’s in a region where trouble is constant.

The first Western explorers to find it were Burton and Speke, while searching for the source of the Nile. The Congo side was used by Che Guevara to stage a coup against the Congolese government over a hundred years later.

Here’s hoping this region can find lasting peace, and future pictures taken here will show children making sandcastles.