Some people unwind by watching a show. Ash Dykes has chosen an inflatable kayak and a trip through the Congo Basin. Naturally, we need to know how this goes.
If you keep seeing “the Congo Basin guy” on your feed, his name is Ash Dykes. The Welsh explorer’s announced route runs more than 700 kilometers down the Sangha River, from Nola in the Central African Republic to Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo.
Latest confirmed update: the journey has started
Checked October 10, 2026. The latest dated development confirmed in the sources below is his October 8 start video, reported by USA TODAY on October 9.
USA TODAY reported on October 9 that Dykes shared a video documenting the start of the journey on October 8. That is the confirmed starting update here, rather than a claim that we can pinpoint his location right now.
The same report describes trouble getting to the starting point, including lost luggage and visa problems. Apparently even an extreme expedition comes with the familiar nightmare of your bag taking its own vacation.
Watch the start video linked in USA TODAY’s report.
Where is he actually kayaking?
The official Project 6 route names the Sangha River. “Congo Basin” describes the broader region; it does not mean he is traveling the entire Congo River.
That difference makes this much easier to follow. When a video says “Congo,” check whether it means the basin, the river or the Republic of the Congo. His announced finish is Mossaka, and the starting city is Nola in a different country, the Central African Republic.
What makes this more than a long paddle?
The Project 6 plan describes time with forest communities before launching, work with local partners along the route and support for a grassroots NGO. Their knowledge of the forest is part of the expedition, too.
His site names malaria, infection, unsafe water and persistent heat and humidity among the challenges, with medical help several days away for much of the route. Those are the expedition’s stated risks, not a report that he has become ill.
Who is Ash Dykes?
Dykes is a Welsh explorer, athlete, author and speaker. His official biography describes expeditions across Mongolia and Madagascar, a walk along the Yangtze, and a journey in Suriname.
So there is considerably more behind this than a man waking up and deciding to test the limits of an inflatable boat.
What is Project 6?
This trip is the first mission in Project 6, his announced series of six expeditions over twelve months. His official site says the other five missions will be revealed on his own channels.
That makes the Congo Basin journey the beginning of a longer story, rather than the whole plan.
How to follow his updates
His official site directs viewers to TikTok @ash_dykes, Instagram @ash_dykes and YouTube. Start with his own posts when a dramatic claim lands in your feed.
For keeping up, the useful distinction is the date a video was posted versus the day it was filmed. A new upload does not automatically give us his current position, and a gap between uploads does not tell us something has gone wrong.
We’re following the trip here, with the latest confirmed developments at the top so you can catch up without reconstructing the entire story from a comment section.
