Walking the Amazon with Explorer Ed Stafford
Follow world-renowned explorer Ed Stafford on the expedition that made his name: walking the entire length of the Amazon River, on foot. People thought that it was impossible, that he would die trying; and they were nearly right. He was attacked by a tribe of angry machete wielding indigenous Indians, he faced Narco drug traffickers and giant anacondas. But gradually, step by step, over the course of two and half years, through some of the toughest and deadliest terrain on the planet, he proved them all wrong. Ed crossed the entire continent from the Peruvian Andes, and the furthest known source of the Amazon, to Brazil, where the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean, more than 4,000-miles away. He is the first person in history to do it, and hold a Guinness World Record for the achievement. This is one of the boldest expeditions ever attempted, and one of the greatest adventure tales ever told. Are you ready to head into the jungle? Let’s go.
Highlights include:
· Hear how Ed survived being surrounded by an angry tribe of indigenous Indians intent on hacking him to pieces
· Find out how he crossed the infamous Red Zone, a lawless area of the jungle controlled by drug-traffickers
· Climb with him to the 18,000-foot summit of Nevado Mismi, in the Peruvian Andes, the furthest known source of the Amazon
· Meet the Ashaninka Indians, the largest indigenous tribe in the Amazon Basin, and hear how Ed ended up befriending two tribal chiefs and walking with them for more than 6 weeks.
· Discover what it takes to complete such a long and grueling expedition – 860 days walking through some of the toughest jungle terrain on the planet
· Hear his personal story of transformation. How he began the journey as a ‘volatile young man’ wanting to prove how tough he was, but how the jungle humbled him, and made him connect with a deeper, and more authentic of himself.
· Learn about the plight of the indigenous tribes of the Amazon, and their fight against mining, deforestation and encroachment on their lands
· See this amazing forest through new eyes. The Amazon is nearly 20 times the size of Great Britain, home to some 400 billion trees, and 10% of the world’s species. For Ed, it began as a dangerous place, something to be conquered, but it ended up becoming home, a place to be marveled at, and protected
· Hear what adventure means to Ed, how it is the ‘crucible in which you find yourself’, and how you too can use adventure and exploration to connect more deeply with who you really are
Thank you to Juggernaut Wines for sponsoring this episode.
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First Man Out
This episode we also find out about Ed’s new series – Ed Stafford: First Man Out – which launches its second series on September 24thon the Discovery Channel in the UK. Available in America and elsewhere too. I describe it as Tough Mudder in Hell, each week Ed is up against one of the world’s greatest survivalists in an extreme multi-day race, sleeping out in the wild, sourcing food and shelter as they go. Ed talks about the first episode of the new series, up against his old mentor stone age bushcraft expert Will Lord through the wilds of China in Monsoon. Some images from the first episode below
https://go.discovery.com/tv-shows/ed-stafford-first-man-out/
Walking the Amazon - Background Reading and Videos
Check out Ed's Diary, and other background, from his expedition here: http://www.walkingtheamazon.com
Buy the book here:
(this is a great read, I really recommend it - but please be aware I get a small commission from Amazon through this link - ironic right?! Thanks for supporting there show!)
Here's some more of his books too. Marooned is on my list!
Bushcraft Academy
Check out Ed's new bushcraft academy online course here: https://bushcraft.academy
Walking with Cho
Gadiel 'Cho' Sanchez Riviera was Ed's walking partner for two years of the expedition. Connect with him here to find out more about the jungle expeditions he now leads for tourists: http://www.gadielsanchez.com
Protect the Amazon
Inspired to get involved with the fight to protect the Amazon? Good for you! Here's a few good places to start:
https://amazonwatch.org - Since 1996, Amazon Watch has protected the rainforest and advanced the rights of Indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin. They partner with Indigenous and environmental organizations in campaigns for human rights, corporate accountability, and the preservation of the Amazon's ecological systems.
https://onetreeplanted.org/products/amazon-rainforest - Planting trees in the Amazon Rainforest will help conserve habitat for its iconic wildlife species, provide sustainable livelihoods to local people, and stabilize the climate.