Darwin’s voyage around the world on the HMS Beagle from 1831-1836 remains one of the most astounding and influential scientific explorations in human history. This map has plotted the history of that voyage, with day-by-day locations as Darwin made his 1,740-day* trek.

There are multiple sources for the information collated here. The locations are approximate - there are many issues translating historical coordinates into modern reference frames. The table indicates the source in most cases. Key sources are:

  • Kees Rookmaaker’s collated itinerary of Charles Darwin’s Voyage

  • Fitzroy’s Table of the Variation of the Compass in his Narrative

  • Various historical markers that have been placed along Darwin’s route

  • My estimates and interpretations based on Darwin’s Beagle Diary

Where relevant I’ve provided links to the online Beagle Diary and to letters archived in the Darwin Correspondence Project.

Putting together this information is a part-time project done because it’s interesting. If you find errors, have information that you think should be added, or have other comments, please let me know!

*If you’re counting, you might notice that 28-Dec-1831 to 02-October-1836 encompasses 1741 days. But the HMS Beagle circumnavigated the world from east to west, crossing the international date line, and so completed its journey in 1740 days. Captain FitzRoy accounted for this discrepancy on November 16, 1835 in Tahiti. In his Meteorological Journal for that day, there is an asterisk and FitzRoy indicates that he “Called this day Tuesday 17th Nov.” This accounts for the missing day.