The truth behind Ash Dykes's mysterious Congo disappearance and his so-called World's Most Dangerous expedition: When MOLLY CLAYTON became convinced all was not as it seemed, she decided to investigate...

As one of the most dangerous places on earth, the Congo basin has a deservedly fearsome reputation.

Spanning millions of square miles across central Africa, it is home to the crocodile-infested Congo river, while also housing venomous snakes, hippopotamuses, leopards, and an array of disease-carrying insects that could kill with one bite.

Inhospitable, to most. But to intrepid explorer Ash Dykes, this untapped wilderness had all the perfect ingredients for his next social media livestream.

Dykes, 35, has made a career out of undertaking ambitious feats, which are meticulously chronicled online. He has walked across Madagascar and became the first person to traverse the nearly 4,000 miles of China's Yangtze river – all filmed and documented for his millions of followers.

But his bid to cross the Congo rainforest, which included a journey by canoe down the Congo river, was arguably his riskiest venture yet.

And so it apparently proved when, earlier this month, a concerning message was posted to the Welshman's Instagram page by his team back at home.

Dykes had failed to make contact for 'more than 16 hours', the post read, which was 'concerning'.

The post made national news, was shared across social media and in thousands of group chats, and garnered 6,000 comments underneath from well-wishers.

There was understandable relief when, 24 hours later, an update confirmed that he was safe. In a video clip, Dykes explained that battery packs for his communications equipment had run out of power in remote villages, and he had struggled to find somewhere to recharge them.

Worries aside, the brief flurry of concern for the influencer appears to have done his career no end of good. Indeed, he has drawn a whole new audience, causing his follower count across all social media platforms to increase from fewer than one million two months ago to a staggering eight million today.

But now, some commentators online have questioned whether Dykes's Congo mission was quite as uncharted and perilous as has been made out. Some have also gone so far as to claim that his 'disappearance' – and the fact that it was announced online – was manufactured to boost Dykes's follower count.

British motorcycling adventurer Luke Tarrant posted a video to his Instagram accusing Dykes of pulling a 'publicity stunt'.

'Half of the internet thought Ash Dykes had gone missing in the middle of the Congo,' Tarrant said. 'His team put out a very clickbait post saying they hadn't heard from him. Everything then, and even more so now, is pointing to it being a publicity stunt.'

It is telling that, when I was offered an interview with Ash last week to publicise his expedition, it was cancelled with just hours to spare after I put a series of awkward questions to him about precisely those claims now circulating online.

The truth is that Dykes faced mounting scrutiny throughout the two-week expedition over various inconsistencies, which his followers believe did not quite match what had been billed.

The marketing around the project had been significant. The Congo expedition – described in various podcast appearances, interviews and daily countdown posts as one of the most dangerous challenges he could undertake, with Dykes risking death – was to be the first part of a six-stage global adventure series, Project Six.

It would take him 500 miles down the Sangha river, a tributary of the Congo, through the Republic of the Congo in an inflatable kayak with local guide Obed Temba Tuyumvire and videographer Will Perez. The remaining five expeditions, which will also be in 'extreme' environments, have yet to be revealed.

The trip was heavily promoted on Dykes's Instagram – since the announcement two months ago, I've counted 252 videos and posts there alone.

But when the trip started earlier this month, posts from the Congo suggested Dykes was promoting clothing and sunglasses brands during the trip, and making good use of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service to maintain connectivity. It's hardly surprising that influencers promote brands – but it has led to speculation about the whole purpose of the trip.

More speculation came after Dykes posted footage of what appeared to be a chance encounter with a group of elephants.

However, internet sleuths have worked out that the location was actually Dzanga Bai, a well-known elephant observation clearing in the Dzanga-Sangha protected area, where visitors can observe forest elephants from a viewing platform.

Tourists can visit the site for a fee – prompting questions about how the encounter was presented to Dykes's followers.

Fans have also criticised the amount of screen time devoted to Dykes himself, rather than the wildlife and surroundings that many followers had hoped to see.

'It's just a guy kayaking,' one commenter wrote.

Then there are the questions about the expedition's stated charitable ambitions.

Dykes's website says that, along the way, 'he is working with local partners and supporting a grassroots NGO', while documenting the challenges facing the river, its wildlife and the people who depend on it.

Yet the press release, which announced that he had completed his travels, did not name any local partners or NGOs. That omission prompted me to ask which organisations were involved and what support was provided.

No response was received.

Dykes's expedition has also been supported by the high-profile PR agency DawBell, whose clients have included major music stars such as Harry Styles and Dua Lipa.

That alone suggests that perhaps it has been managed more carefully.

One source who has followed the expedition says that the focus on Dykes, rather than the journey and the wilderness itself, is what has sparked the backlash from followers online.

'Ash marketed this expedition as an extremely dangerous, potentially deadly adventure, so it's hardly surprising that people feel disappointed,' the source said.

'The criticism isn't necessarily that he failed to encounter danger, but that the trip hasn't delivered the level of authenticity and exploration people were led to expect.

'His dramatic, camera-facing style reminds people of [the late Australian conservationist] Steve Irwin. But what made Irwin so special was his ability to use his personality to educate audiences while keeping the wildlife, rather than himself, at the centre of the story.'

The source argued that the expedition's encounters with gorillas and elephants, as well as footage of hunting with the indigenous Bayaka people, depended on the expertise of local guides.

'Imagine the value of giving those local people the same exposure,' the source said.

'Audiences could learn about their cultures, support their communities and discover the people who make these experiences possible.'

Speaking last week to LADBible, Dykes denied his disappearance was a 'hoax'.

'I think you're always going to get people thinking it's inauthentic or it's fake... You're always going to get criticised no matter what you do,' he said.

'I think there's a lot of influencers that hated the amount of traction and attention that the expedition had, and they were looking for ways to shut me down, which is a shame to see.'

He also said there were 'lessons learned' regarding his team's post that he was missing, and acknowledged that some 'sensitive details' should not be shared publicly.

Dykes holds five world records, including becoming the first person to travel solo and unsupported across Mongolia in 2014.

In 2024, he also became the fastest person to summit the highest mountain in the Surinamese Amazon.

Having previously worked as a lifeguard, Dykes began documenting his travels online and he has since amassed more than 200,000 YouTube subscribers, more than 1.3million Instagram followers and close to six million followers on TikTok.

He may have built his reputation on doing what few others attempt. But his biggest challenge, it seems, might be to tackle those questions that remain unanswered.