An intrepid trek like no other

British adventurer will spend a year in China on a mission to walk from one end of the Yangtze River to the other

He has completed grueling expeditions across Madagascar and Mongolia, during which he nearly died from malaria and severe dehydration, and has even written a book, Mission Possible, about these adventures.

Now, British adventurer Ash Dykes is aiming to add another notch onto his belt — a solo trek along the Yangtze River in China that would take him about a year to complete.

Measuring about 6,400 kilometers, the Yangtze River stretches from the western plateau in the Tibetan autonomous region to the plains in China's eastern provinces.

Born in the town of Old Colwyn in northern Wales, Dykes went on his first trek in China in 2010 when he was a 19-year-old. Then, he attempted to explore the restricted wild sections of the Great Wall, only to be stopped by his tour guide.

"I knew I had only scratched the surface of this huge and beautiful country when I first visited China. I was sure that I would return one day," said Dykes, during his send-off party on a yacht cruising through the Huangpu River in Shanghai on June 23.

The Huangpu River, which is the final tributary of the Yangtze River before it extends into the East China Sea, will be the finishing point for Dykes' expedition.

"The Yangtze River will take me on an adventure through China where I will get to witness its diversity, different climates, terrains and wildlife. The fact that it (trekking the full length of the river) has never been done before by foot is a bonus!" he added.

One of the objectives of his expedition, said the Briton, is to meet new people and learn their customs and traditions. During his hike of the Maromokotro, the highest mountain in Madagascar, he brought with him a white rooster and freed it at the peak as a sacrifice because he was told the ritual would help ward off the evil spirits.

His first book Mission Possible was published in Chinese by Shanghai Sanlian Publishing House in June. Zhi Ye, the editor of the book, called the Briton an inspiring figure for those who are afraid of chasing their dreams.

"He grew up in an ordinary family but he sets goals, makes plans and then achieves them step by step," Zhi said. "As a Chinese, I'm also curious about what can be found along the Yangtze River, and what will happen during this year-long adventure."

On June 27, Dykes flew from Shanghai to the ancient town of Dali in Yunnan province where he would spend up to three weeks to acclimatize to the altitude in preparation for the start of his hike in Jianggendiru Glacier on July 21, which is 5,000 meters above sea level.

His preparations include a fitness regime that comprises jogging, hiking, push-ups and pull-ups, taking up a Chinese language course, and learning what to do in the event he encounters dangerous creatures such as black bears, wolves, giant hornets and Chinese cobras along the way.

"I will mainly follow the river banks but will have to stray away from the river when there's extremely difficult terrain," said Dykes, who spent the past two years planning the route with the help of a few logistic managers and local maps.

The upper reaches of the Yangtze River where he would begin his journey is hardly inhabited, but Dykes already knows what it is like to travel in complete isolation — he once trekked for eight days without meeting a single person during his Mongolian expedition. It was also during this trip that he nearly died from dehydration.

"I go into each mission fully prepared, but still end up facing things I don't expect," he said.

"I see it as a test of human spirit, courage and the ability to cope and adapt."

His Yangtze trek will be the most interactive of all his expeditions — he will update his trip on Chinese micro blog Weibo, Twitter and Facebook whenever he finds a decent signal.

A camera crew from China Central Television will also rendezvous with Dykes in several locations along his route as part of the filming for a documentary.

The adventurer is under no illusion that the Yangtze trek will be yet another painful experience. But that is exactly what he relishes.

"The more you put yourself in uncomfortable situations, the more comfortable you become," he said.

"This doesn't just apply to expeditions, but life in general as well — the harder you push yourself, the easier things become."