The primary object of this thesis was to build a portable navigation system that would verbally speak to the visually impaired informing them of where they are currently located. To this end, the system designed uses software run on a laptop computer incorporating synthesized voice, GIS map database of the city, positioning using GPS and DGPS, and an alternative navigation system to take over when a GPS position solution is unobtainable. The alternative navigation system built uses a pedometer to determine distance travelled, and a digital compass to determine direction. This system is accurate to a fraction of a block, and can guide the visually impaired to specific destinations and inform them when they have arrived.