1542day.year
Francisco de Orellana crosses South America from Guayaquil on the Pacific coast to the mouth of the Amazon River on the Atlantic coast.
In 1542, Francisco de Orellana completed the first recorded navigation of the Amazon River, journeying from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast.
Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana embarked in 1541 from Guayaquil on the Pacific coast of present-day Ecuador, aiming to find El Dorado. The expedition traveled down the Napo and Amazon Rivers, facing rapids, tropical diseases, and encounters with indigenous peoples. Orellana's crew constructed makeshift ships to navigate the vast waterways and document new regions. On August 26, 1542, they reached the mouth of the Amazon River at the Atlantic Ocean, becoming the first Europeans to accomplish this feat. The voyage provided Europe with its first detailed account of the Amazon basin's geography and inhabitants. Orellana's narrative sparked further interest in exploring South America's interior and its rich resources.
1542
Francisco de Orellana