Desert exploration

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Desert exploration is the deliberate and scientific exploration of deserts, the arid regions of the earth. It is only incidentally concerned with the culture and livelihood of native desert dwellers.

The nature of deserts ensures that the story of their exploration is filled with tragedy. Many expedition members met their deaths due to the harsh conditions. Unlike earlier naval exploration and later space exploration, there was little hope of financial reward, and desert expeditions were generally undertaken for scientific purposes, in search of earlier explorers who had vanished, or for the challenge alone.

The following sections list deserts around the world, and their explorers. Expeditions are listed by their leaders; details of other expedition members may be found via the links.

Contents 1 Africa 2 Asia 3 Australia 4 North America 5 South America

[edit] Africa

• Kalahari Desert
• Sahara Desert
  • Heinrich Barth - crossed the Sahara during his travels in Africa and the Middle East during 1845-1847.

[edit] Asia

• Gobi Desert

[edit] Australia

• Central Australia - general term covering the arid regions in the Australian interior.
  • Edward John Eyre - expeditions to Lake Eyre and the Flinders Ranges in the 1830s.
  • Charles Sturt - expeditions from Adelaide in the 1840s.
  • John McDouall Stuart - accompanied Sturt 1844-1845; expeditions 1859 & 1860 (South Australia), 1861-1862 (south-north crossing of Australia).
  • Ludwig Leichhardt - expeditions 1844-1845 Moreton Bay to Port Essington, 1846-1847 and 1848 west from Moreton Bay, where the entire expedition vanished.
  • Burke and Wills (Robert O'Hara Burke and William John Wills) - south-north crossing of Australia 1860-1861 where both died on the return journey.
  • Augustus Gregory - searched for Leichhardt in 1858.
  • Ernest Giles - expeditions 1872-1876.
• Gibson Desert
  • Ernest Giles - crossed the desert in 1874.
• Great Sandy Desert
• Great Victoria Desert
  • John McDouall Stuart - skirted the desert in 1858.
  • Ernest Giles - crossed the desert in 1875.
• Nullabor Plain - desert plain on the western part of the south coast of Australia.
  • Edward John Eyre - expedition 1840-1841.
• Tanami Desert
• Simpson's Desert
  • Cecil Madigan = expedition 1939
  • Charles Sturt - expedition 1844-1845.
• Sturts Stony Desert
• Western Australia - a large and generally arid region.
  • Robert Austin - expedition 1854.
  • Alexander Forrest - expeditions in 1870s and 1880s.
  • John Forrest - expeditions in 1870s and 1880s.

[edit] North America

[edit] South America

• Atacama Desert
  • Diego de Almagro - his expedition to Chile crossed the desert in the 1530s.