Ed Stafford Great Explorers event London, October 2010

Ed Stafford

The first person to walk the entire length of the Amazon River, a journey that took him two and a half years.

In August 2010, Ed Stafford became the first person to walk the entire length of the Amazon River, completing a trek that took him 861 days – an amazing feat of physical strength and endurance and one which saw him facing piranhas, crocodiles and killer bees. By undertaking this journey, Ed aimed to increase awareness of environmental issues, witnessing the effects of deforestation through first-hand contact with local indigenous communities. Ed started leading remote expeditions after retiring from the British Army in 2002, and has also worked alongside the UN in Afghanistan.