If you’re into travel, you know just one person can make you want to hop on a plane and never look back. Luckily for us, there are tons of adventurers past and present whose stories do just that – many being women. #GirlPower.
These 8 women in particular overcame a lot to do some seriously awesome things in their lifetime. From traveling around the world in 72 days to climbing Mount Everest (and all Seven Summits), they inspire us every day to get off our butts and into an adventure.
Bessie Coleman
In 1921, 29-year-old Bessie Coleman became the first female African-American pilot in the world – overcoming race and gender discrimination. What makes her even more awesome? She was banned from flying schools in America so she taught herself French like no big deal, traveled to France and earned her pilot’s licence (2 years before Amelia Earhart, mind you). Bessie, you’re forever the coolest.
Junko Tabei
In 1975, Junko Tabei is the first woman ever to reach the summit of Mount Everest. You know, Mount freakin’ Everest. After being totally over the male-dominated norm of mountain climbing, Junko formed the “Ladies Climbing Club: Japan” in 1969 and continued an awesome life of climbing until she passed in October 2016. She was also the first woman to summit the highest peaks on all seven continents. So yeah, she was killing it in life.
Annie Smith Peck
Mountain climber, explorer, women’s activist, Annie Smith Peck was definitely someone you’d want to be besties with. She became famous after climbing the Matterhorn in 1895 – not because of her epic skills mind you, but because she was wearing pants (like, really?). Luckily for us, she kept being a rebel by leaving a ‘Votes for Women’ flag on top of a mountain, has a peak in Peru named after her, wrote 4 books and even held a record.
Sarah Marquis
Ever traveled solo? Meet Sarah Marquis: she walked (yes, walked) 20,000 kilometres/12,000 miles alone from Siberia to the Gobi Desert, into China, Laos, Thailand and across Australia from 2010-2013. Originally from Switzerland, she’s traveled her whole life but her 3-year trip is definitely her most epic. Actually, it might be one of the most epic trips period. Sarah has some awesome stories which you can read in her book or watch in her TED Talk (as if she couldn’t get any cooler).
Sacagawea
The 1804–06 Lewis and Clark Expedition of western America would not have been the same without the help of Sacagawea. Teenager Sacagawea joined the expedition as a translator, navigator and overall rockstar. She pretty much saved the gang of explorers from a near-disaster, used her naturalist expertise for food and helped with big deals – all while taking care of her newborn baby. YEP.
Annie Londonderry
Annie Cohen Kopchovsky a.k.a Annie Londonderry was the first woman to bicycle around the world. It all started with a bet that no woman could travel around the world by bike. But Annie (in the eternal words of Beyoncé) said “boy, bye” and set off in 1894. Did we mention she was wearing a long skirt, corset, and high collar, and only carrying one change of clothes and a pearl-handled pistol? And 15 months later, Annie came back and collected her $10,000 prize. Get it, girl.
Barbara Hillary
Traveling to the Poles isn’t easy. But Barbara Hillary sure makes it look like it is – she’s the first African-American woman to reach both the North and South Poles (take a moment if you need to wrap your head around doing that). And as if that’s not incredible enough, she’s also a breast and lung cancer survivor, is an activist and a public speaker. Basically, she’s #goals.
Nellie Bly
American investigative journalist, Nellie Bly read Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days and was just like “I’m totally gonna do this.” She pitched the idea to her editor, and his response? They’d need to send a man (ugh) – but finally agreed after Nellie threatened to take her story elsewhere. In 1890, a 26-year-old Nellie ended up doing her trip around the freakin’ world in 72 days. 72 DAYS, people!
