As of October 9, 2026, Ash Dykes’ Sangha River expedition has only just begun, and there is not yet a publicly verified distance confirming how many kilometres the Welsh adventurer has travelled since setting off. Dykes began his planned 700-kilometre journey by inflatable kayak on October 8, departing from Nola in the Central African Republic and heading towards Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo. The expedition is the opening mission of Project Six, his year-long series of six adventures in extreme environments.
The distinction between the distance planned and the distance already covered is important. Dykes is attempting to navigate more than 700 kilometres, equivalent to roughly 434 miles, along the Sangha River through the Congo Basin. That is the intended length of the expedition, not a confirmed measure of his progress so far.
The expedition’s start came after several problems on the journey to Nola. According to reporting by PEOPLE, Dykes and his crew initially faced missing luggage containing essential equipment, including kayak pumps, tents, food and water. Visa complications then forced them to change their planned route into the Central African Republic. They eventually reached Nola, allowing the river expedition to proceed.
The Sangha River route presents challenges that make a simple distance estimate difficult to interpret. Dykes is travelling with a local guide and a UK-based videographer, using inflatable kayaks that can be carried over land when river conditions make paddling impractical. Wildlife, tropical diseases, intense heat, humidity and limited access to medical assistance are among the risks associated with the journey.
The planned route runs from Nola to Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo, where the Sangha joins the Congo River system. Dykes expects the journey to take approximately three to four weeks, although weather, river conditions and obstacles could affect his pace.
The expedition is the first mission in Project Six, a series of six expeditions across six extreme environments over 12 months. The Sangha journey is intended to combine endurance and exploration with documenting the rainforest and the communities that live there. Dykes has also said he plans to learn from the BaAka people, whose generations of experience in the forest provide valuable knowledge of the local environment.
For readers following his progress, the most accurate answer for now is that Ash Dykes began the planned 700-kilometre journey on October 8, 2026, but a confirmed distance travelled was not available in the published updates reviewed for this article as of October 9. His official website points followers to his social media channels for expedition updates, including Instagram for day-to-day glimpses of his location. Until a reliable update confirms his position or distance covered, any precise kilometre figure would be speculation.
