On 2 April 2008, Ed Stafford began his attempt to become the first man ever to walk the entire length of the Amazon river. He has crossed the whole of South America from the Pacific coast of Peru to the mouth of the Amazon River on the Atlantic coast of Brazil. He finished in August 2010.
The dangers have been great - from piranhas, crocodiles and killer bees to injuries and tropical rain storms, Ed's journey has demanded extreme physical and mental strength. It is also an adventure with a purpose as Ed is using the trip to help raise people's awareness of current environmental issues. He has had unprecedented access to local communities indigenous communities and witnessed first-hand the effects of deforestation. Ultimately though, it is an account of a world-first expedition and is designed to draw attention to the complexities of the Amazon rainforest.