Project 6
Six expeditions. Twelve months. One journey beyond the familiar.
What happens when you leave the familiar behind and the world keeps putting obstacles in your way? When plans no longer work and preparation alone is not enough?
Welsh adventurer Ash Dykes is taking on six expeditions over the course of a year, each in a different extreme environment. The destinations of the upcoming missions remain a secret for now.
At Bonvia, we look beyond the distance covered. We look at the decisions behind each journey: the preparation, the people who make an expedition possible, the equipment you rely on, and the ability to adapt when things take an unexpected turn.
Status: Ongoing · Last updated: 23 October 2026
The man behind Project 6
Ash Dykes is an adventurer, explorer, author and filmmaker. He has crossed Mongolia, traversed Madagascar and followed the Yangtze River in China. He has also undertaken an expedition in Suriname. His expeditions have earned him several Guinness World Records.
An expedition is never the work of one person alone. Local knowledge, guidance, filming and remote support all help shape how a journey unfolds — and how we ultimately experience its story.
The team behind the expedition
Ash Dykes — Explorer
The leader of Project 6. He undertakes the expeditions and shares his experiences and updates along the way.
Will Pérez — Filmmaker
Legt de tocht vast in beeld en helpt het verhaal van de expeditie te vertellen.
Obed Temba — Local guide
Brings local knowledge to the journey through the Congo Basin. That knowledge is invaluable when travelling through a remote and challenging region.
Behind the scenes
Matt — Updates and remote support
Matt is involved in communications surrounding the expedition. When the team is able to make contact, updates are shared with the outside world.
01 / The Congo Basin
More than 700 kilometres along the Sangha River
On 8 October, Dykes set off from Nola in the Central African Republic in an inflatable kayak, accompanied by a local guide and a filmmaker. The destination is Mossaka in the Republic of the Congo.
The route leads through dense rainforest and along a river where heat and insects are part of everyday life, and help is not always close at hand.
The challenges began before the first paddle stroke. Luggage containing essential equipment went missing, while visa and border-crossing issues forced the team to adapt its original travel plans. Once on the river, the water sets the pace. But in such a remote region, staying in contact with the outside world is just as important.
We follow this first mission in three parts.
02 / Where the river takes you
The journey is under way. Days on the water, unexpected setbacks and encounters in the rainforest. Until contact with the outside world is temporarily lost.
Photo: Josep M Gracia / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: JosepMGracia / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
03 / The Finish
After eighteen days and 800 kilometres, the team reaches the end of the first mission. A look back at the encounters, unexpected turns and an expedition that unfolded differently than expected.
02–06 / The next missions
Five expeditions still lie ahead. As soon as a destination is revealed, it will have a place of its own here.
Follow Project 6
We don’t follow this journey day by day. Instead, we return when a new chapter begins.
For the latest news and updates, visit the official channels of Ash Dykes and his team.
“You get so comfortable with the uncomfortable that you end up not caring.” — Ash Dykes
Discover more
Project 6 is one of the many stories you’ll find on Bonvia. From adventures far from home to remarkable places, flavours and creative discoveries, there is so much more to explore.
