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Which route did Vasco da Gama take from Portugal to the Cape of Good Hope?
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Vasco da Gama
Knight of the Order of Christ, detail identified as Vasco da Gama, Portuguese school, first half of the 16th century; in the National Museum of Ancient Art, Lisbon.
Vasco da Gama departed from Lisbon, Portugal, on July 8, 1497, to begin his historic voyage to India. After passing the Canary Islands and stopping at São Tiago in the Cape Verde Islands, he executed a strategic maneuver to reach the Cape of Good Hope.1
To avoid the unfavorable currents of the Gulf of Guinea, da Gama undertook a long, wide detour through the South Atlantic Ocean before turning back toward the African coast. This route allowed his fleet to successfully navigate the open ocean before reaching Santa Helena Bay in modern-day South Africa on November 7, 1497. Despite encountering unfavorable winds and adverse currents, the expedition successfully rounded the Cape of Good Hope on November 22, 1497.1