How do travels of the distant past differ from modern geographical research and expeditions?

Travelers from the distant past had practically no set of tools for orientation in space. Basically, it was orientation by natural phenomena – by the stars, by the blowing winds, by the sun, by the moon. The compass appeared only in the XII-XIII centuries. Now, with the development of science, a person uses special complex devices, wireless communication, communication with satellites, etc. are also used, which greatly simplifies the course of research and expeditions.