Ash Dykes is a three-time world-first record holder and motivational speaker. He uses his experience from the peaks of mountains to inspire audiences, encouraging them to embrace the challenges that were once standing in their way. Ash has truly faced it all - altitude sickness, wild animals, injury, landslides - you name it, he has had to overcome it. However, this has left him with an infectious passion for life that audiences revel in. An event featuring Ash is sure to stay with guests long after he steps off of the stage.
In 2014, Ash embarked on his first recorded mission. By the 5th of August, he was titled the first person to complete a solo, unsupported walk across Mongolia, a country renowned for its challenging terrain. Ash was even lauded by incredible adventurer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who stated; "this young man’s completion of a ‘first’ solo trek across Mongolia, from the Altai to the Steppe, will have proved both physically and mentally challenging and is an example of great determination.” Spanning 1,500 miles, faced with storms and wolves, Ash kickstarted his career as an explorer.
What sets Ash apart from other adventurers is his connection with the online world. Ash takes his audience with him, whether through interactive maps or regular social media updates. In celebration of his 2014 achievement, Ash was awarded the Welsh Adventurer of the year award 2015 and The National Adventurer of the Year Award, though he wasn't done yet. Alongside this, he also serves as an Ambassador for COP26, advocating for climate action on a global scale. Only two years later, Ash became the first recorded person ever to traverse Madagascar’s length, a whopping 1,600 miles, and was invited to serve as the UK Ambassador for Madagascar Tourism upon his return.
As an advocate for sustainability, Ash used his mission as an opportunity to partner with the Lemur Network Conservation and raise awareness of deforestation. In 2019, Ash completed his greatest challenge yet - walking the length of the longest river in the world. Over 4,000 miles, Ash became the first recorded person ever to walk the length of the Yangtze River, a challenge that took eight million steps and one whole year. Most recently, Ash released his latest 6x1 international TV series 'The Great Wall with Ash Dykes'. This saw him travel 21,000km from East to West following the wall, via helicopter, mountain bike, scuba diving, camel back and hiking, whilst digging deep into the culture, history and meeting the locals along the way to get their take on what the wall means to them. This esteemed author and incredible adventurer is also a popular motivational speaker. Sharing his story, Ash engages audiences of all kinds to inspire greatness.
In December 2020, we sat down with Ash Dykes and spoke to him about his extraordinary achievements, his near-death experiences and his top tips for dealing with isolation and loneliness. Read our exclusive interview with Ash Dykes today.
How to hire Ash Dykes
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Ash Dykes for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do not accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
Ash Dykes' official speaking topics are listed below:
- Mindset Mastery: Navigating the Unseen
- Adversity as a Catalyst for Growth
- Overcoming the Impossible: Lessons from the Edge
- Thriving in Uncharted Territory
- The Art of Resilience and Bouncing Back Stronger
- Crafting Your Own Plan: Setting and Achieving Audacious Goals
- Teamwork in the Face of Adversity
- Legacy and Impact… Beyond Personal Triumphs
- Goal-Oriented Discipline: Turning Dreams into Reality
- Leadership:Guiding Through Extremes
See what feedback Ash received from the corporate events in which he has spoken at, below:
“Ash delivered a powerful speech at an event in the UK Parliament to help explain the devastation of malaria, and how the UK is playing a huge role in the astonishing progress we’ve made over the last 15 years, saving more than 6 million lives. His personal story helped put a spotlight on the impact of malaria for an audience of MPs, the private sector and scientific community.”- UK Parliamentary Reception, June 2016
“At one of the busiest evening events hosted by London’s Science Museum – a special Science Lates in conjunction with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation - Ash spoke to a full house about his travels, adventures and own experience of getting malaria. With standing room only, Ash’s talk was a chance for a new audience to hear about malaria, a disease that still kills a child every two minutes.” - Science Lates, Science Museum, October 2016
“Ash’s speech at the Conwy Sports Awards 2016 was a hypnotising mix of mental strength, personal endeavour and survival. His story is guaranteed to captivate audiences of all ages, who will be inspired by his energy and enthusiasm.” - Conwy Sports Awards
"Ash is a great public speaker. The feedback after the conference where he spoke was fantastic. He spoke to a corporate group of over 200 healthcare staff on the importance of keeping going, setting your sights on your goals and not giving up. His talk was really inspiring" - NHS
"Ash was a pleasure to work with. He showed great enthusiasm and worked hard to produce an amazing TEDx Talk. Ash as a great presenter and captivated the whole audience, inspiring all attendees. He was very keen to interact with the audience and spent time before and after his talk taking questions and talking to attendees.
Ash really helped in making our event a huge success." - TEDx, University Of Manchester
