British adventurer Ash Dykes has completed a gruelling 700km expedition through the Congo Basin in Central Africa, despite losing contact with his UK support team for almost 24 hours.
Screenshot image of Ash Dykes from BBC video shot by Will Perez
The 35-year-old explorer from Old Colwyn, Wales, encountered elephants, gorillas and swarms of aggressive bees while rowing along rivers through one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. The journey marks the first stage of Project 6, an ambitious challenge involving six consecutive expeditions in extreme environments.
According to the BBC, Dykes lost communication with his team towards the end of the journey after his portable satellite equipment ran out of power. Travelling beneath the dense jungle canopy, he spent around 20 hours trying to send his first message.
Dykes said his family, including his parents and fiancée, had been worried about his safety. He managed to make contact as soon as he regained a signal.
Extreme heat proved the biggest challenge
Despite the wildlife encounters, Dykes said the expedition’s biggest challenge was the intense heat. Hours spent kayaking along rivers inhabited by crocodiles and hippos, often without shade, made the journey particularly demanding.
He emphasised the importance of following local advice, understanding the conditions and making careful decisions to keep the team safe.
The explorer was accompanied by local guide Obed Temba Tuyumvire and videographer Will Perez, who documented the expedition through regular social media updates.
One of the journey’s most memorable experiences was spending time with members of the Baka people, an Indigenous group known for their traditional forest knowledge and hunting practices.
The group showed the team how they hunt, gather food and survive in the forest. During their time together, Dykes also encountered a group of gorillas in Sangha National Park, coming within approximately five metres of a silverback.
A new approach to live expeditions
Dykes, who holds five world records, has previously completed major endurance challenges, including a 6,437km journey along China’s Yangtze River in 2019 and a 37-day kayak expedition along Suriname’s Coppename River, from its source to the sea.
However, the communication blackout during the Congo Basin expedition has prompted him to reconsider how closely his future adventures are shared with audiences in real time.
While his live updates have attracted significant attention on TikTok, he acknowledged that the experience highlighted the challenges of maintaining a constant connection in remote environments.
Dykes said the expedition had taught him valuable lessons about balancing real-time coverage with the practical demands of exploration.
He also revealed that he lost around 5kg during the journey, largely surviving on ration packs.
Reflecting on the first stage of Project 6, Dykes described the experience as demanding but rewarding, with wildlife encounters and time spent learning from local communities among its highlights.
The adventurer is expected to reveal the next destination in his six-part challenge soon, hinting that the upcoming expedition will take him somewhere considerably colder than the Congo Basin.
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