Explorer · 1460 – 1524
Vasco da Gama
Little-Known Facts
- Da Gama made three voyages to India and died in Kochi during the last of them in 1524.
- The route he opened took ships months at sea, far longer than the established overland and Red Sea trade paths it eventually rivalled.
Myths & Misconceptions
Was da Gama the first to round the Cape of Good Hope?
No. Bartolomeu Dias first rounded the Cape in 1488; da Gama was the first to continue beyond it all the way to India.