Ash Dykes

Explorer, extreme athlete, author and motivational speaker

Welsh (British) Old Colwyn, Wales Scorpio

Quick Info

ProfessionExplorer, extreme athlete, author and motivational speaker
NationalityWelsh (British)
Date of Birth01/11/1990
Age35 years
BirthplaceOld Colwyn, Wales
Zodiac SignScorpio

Latest News about Ash Dykes

16/10/2026

Ash Dykes reported reaching Ouesso after an 83 km day on the Sangha River during the Congo Basin kayak expedition. The update came as the journey continued toward its planned finish at Mossaka.

08/10/2026

Ash Dykes began a 700 km inflatable kayak expedition down the Sangha River in the Congo Basin, setting off from Nola in the Central African Republic and heading for Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo. The trip is the first mission of his Project 6 series of six extreme expeditions over twelve months, and he expects it to take three to four weeks. He is accompanied by a local guide and a British videographer.

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Bio/Wiki

OverviewWelsh explorer and extreme athlete who holds five Guinness World Records, four of them world firsts, set across Mongolia, Madagascar, China and Suriname since 2014. He is currently leading Project 6, a series of six expeditions in six environments over twelve months, beginning with a kayak journey down the Sangha River in the Congo Basin in October 2026.
Full NameAshley Philip Dykes

Educational Qualification(s)

SchoolYsgol Bryn Elian

Personal Life

ResidenceWales
InterestsTravel, outdoor activities, endurance expeditions

Relationships & More

Charity RoleUK ambassador for Malaria No More UK

Career

Expeditions
  • Year: 2014 Event: Walked solo and unsupported across Mongolia, including the Altai Mountains, the Gobi Desert and the Mongolian Steppe, taking 78 days
  • Year: 2016 Event: Became the first person to traverse the length of Madagascar, covering eight mountains and jungle over 155 days
  • Year: 2017 Event: Featured in the television documentary Ash Dykes: Alone in Mongolia
  • Year: Event: Walked the full length of the Yangtze River in China, taking 352 days, becoming the first known person to do so
  • Year: Event: Set a fifth world record in the Amazon rainforest of Suriname
  • Year: 2018 Event: Walked the full length of the Yangtze River in China, taking 352 days, becoming the first known person to do so
  • Year: 2024 Event: Part of a four-person team that rowed the length of the Coppename River in Suriname by kayak and then climbed Julianatop, setting two Guinness World Records
  • Year: 2026 Event: Began Project 6, a six-expedition series, with a 700 km inflatable kayak journey down the Sangha River through the Congo Basin from Nola in the Central African Republic towards Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo
RecognitionNamed National Adventurer of the Year in 2015 and ranked among the 50 Coolest Men in Wales in 2015
BooksMission: Possible - A Decade of Living Dangerously
Television
  • BBC World News appearances
  • National Geographic documentary Walking the Yangtze
  • Four internationally broadcast TV shows in total
  • BBC Earth documentary The Great Wall with Ash Dykes
  • Viasat Explore documentary Uncharted Amazon with Ash Dykes
Awards
Welsh Adventurer of the Year2016

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Worked as a lifeguard to fund his first trip to China
2. Was ranked number seven on a Wales Online list of the 50 Coolest Men in Wales in 2015
3. Became the first person to trek across both Mongolia and Madagascar before turning 25
4. Ranulph Fiennes has praised his determination
5. Has a large following on TikTok, where he shares updates from his expeditions

Also born on 1 November

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