Vasco Da Gama's First Voyage

By Joffrey Estrella
  • Jul 8, 1497

    Vasco Da Gama departures from Libson

  • Jul 15, 1497

    Passed Canary Islands

  • Jul 26, 1497

    Reached Santiago in the Cape Verde Islands

    Remained there until August 3
  • Nov 7, 1497

    Reached Santa Helena Bay

    Had to take a long detour through South Atlantic in order to avoid Gulf of Guinea before reaching Santa Helena Bay
  • Nov 22, 1497

    Rounds Cape of Good Hope

    Unfavorable winds delayed rounding the Cape of Good Hope until November 22
  • Nov 25, 1497

    Anchored in Mossel Bay

  • Dec 8, 1497

    Sailed again

  • Dec 25, 1497

    Reached coast of Natal

  • Jan 11, 1498

    Anchored for five days near a river between Natal and Mozambique

  • Jan 25, 1498

    Reached Quelimane River in Mozambique

  • Mar 2, 1498

    Fleet reached the Island of Mozambique

    Expedition had to rest a month; many of the crews were sick
  • Apr 7, 1498

    Expedition reached Mombasa

  • Apr 14, 1498

    Dropped anchor at Malindi

  • May 20, 1498

    Calicut is reached

    Da Gama stays here for about a month, leaving at the end of August
  • Jan 8, 1499

    Reached Malindi

    “São Rafael” is burned due to greatly reduced numbers (a lot of the crew died to scurvy)
  • Feb 1, 1499

    Reached Mozambique

  • Mar 20, 1499

    “São Gabriel” and “Berrio” rounded the Cape together

    Parted by a storm one month later
  • Jul 10, 1499

    The “Berrio” reached the Tagus River in Portugal

    “São Gabriel” continued to Terceira Island in the Azores
  • Sep 9, 1499

    Da Gama reached Libson

    He returned with only 55 men out of the 170