Ashe Dykes’ Journey Through the Congo Basin

Hippos, 16-foot Nile crocodiles and Malaria are just a few of the deadly threats that await Ashe Dykes, a 33-year-old extreme adventurer and world record holder, as he paddles an inflatable kayak through the Congo Basin – and he's vlogging all of it on TikTok. 

This isnt random; it's the first of six extreme challenges Dykes plans to tackle this year, and the next five haven't been revealed yet.  

If you're asking yourself what the Congo Basin is, dont’ worry so was everyone else when they first found Dykes viral account. 

The Congo Basin spans Central Africa, reaching six countries, and it's home to the second-largest rainforest in the world. The basin refers to the Congo River – the deepest river on Earth – all of the smaller rivers that feed into it, and the rainforest itself.

His 7000 kilometer journey will start in Nola, Central African Republic, where he will hop in his inflatable kayak through the Sangha River until it meets the Congo River, finishing his journey in Mossaka, Republic of the Congo. 

Before ever putting his boat in the water, Dykes will spend time with the indigenous Baka people, learning how they have been navigating the basin for generations.  

Beyond the wildlife and risk of disease, the river currents are among the strongest in the world; they are so strong that fish on one side of the river cannot cross it. The dense ecosystem also equals isolation, so if anything goes wrong, help is not on the way.

The logistics of surviving in the jungle are just as intense as the river itself. Camping won't be routine. While sleeping in tents Dykes and his content team will have to be aware of leopards, gorillas, snakes, and any noise that could be a threat. 

If they see a pod of Hippos in the river while they're paddling, Dykes said it's out of the question to continue in the water. Instead, they'll get out, deflate the kayaks, and hike through the jungle. We'd like to note that hippos are responsible for hundreds of human deaths per year, run on land, and are very territorial. But dont worry Dykes said they “usually won't” attack, which is comforting to no one but him.

We at The Edge are more than happy watching this journey on TikTok at home under our duvets! 

All this begs the question: why would a sane person take a glorified pool toy to travel one of the world's most extreme environments? Short answer: we don't really know. 

In his defense, he's not a random beauty influencer risking his life for clicks. Dykes has won five Guinness World Records, including previously walking 4,000 miles along China's Yangtze River and being the first person to walk across Mongolia and Madagascar alone – where he survived Malaria. 

These achievements have garnered Dykes some online fame, but his current journey to the Congo is what made his follower count jump above four million. 

A lot of Dykes ' content is dramatic countdowns to his departure featuring wildlife over ominous audio. And millions of followers are locked into this journey; his comment section is flooded by a virtual support group asking, “Do you know you don't have to do this?” And we're all still waiting for the answer. 

Dykes is scheduled to enter the jungle on Oct. 8; follow along on his TikTok for updates. Let us know what you think about his journey by tagging us @TheEdge on Instagram!

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