Ed Stafford Biography

Fast Facts

• For his accomplishments in the Amazon, he was named European Adventurer of the Year in 2011
• Served in the British Army and retired as a Captain in 2002
• Won the Guinness World Record for being the first person to walk the length of the Amazon River, a feat that took him 860 days to complete
• Was a cub and a scout during his childhood, which he credits with his becoming an expedition leader, and now serves as a Scouts Ambassador
• Quote: "(On his goal for the Amazon expedition): "To create an adventure so exciting that it can be used to make people feel that they have a connection to the Amazon․""
• Quote: "I've been told I was going to be killed so many times․ But I'm not dead․ I'm here now and․․․I've proved that if you want something enough, you can do anything!"
• Best known as an explorer and survivalist who was the subject of the documentary series "Walking the Amazon" and "Naked and Marooned․"
• In order to prevent people from accusing him of using the Amazon River to make progress on his journey, he walked back to perpendicular to where he crossed from anytime he had to cross the river