Brit Who Walked The Length Of Madagascar Lands Job Promoting It
A British adventurer who was the first person in the world to trek the length of Madagascar has landed his dream job - as head of tourism for the idyllic island.
Determined Ash Dykes, 26, from Colwyn Bay in North Wales, achieved the mammoth feat in 155 days when he walked 1,600 miles - two and a half times the size of the UK.
Ash even battled an almost fatal strain of malaria, where he was just hours from death, to complete the world-first trek.
Welsh adventurer Ash Dykes, 26, walked 1,600 miles from the south to the north of Madagascar in February 2016 and is now the UK Ambassador for Madagascar Tourism
Now his hard work has landed the adventurer with a dream new role as a tourism promoter for the wildlife island - after being approached by the tourist board.
Ash said: 'I feel absolutely honoured to be announced as the UK Ambassador for Madagascar Tourism.
'I feel I really got into the thick of things when walking the length of the island, I saw so much and so much of that isn't usually seen, being far off the beaten track.
I made great, life-long friends and learnt the ways of the Malagasy life.'
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Ash climbed eight mountains during his exhausting trek from Cap Sainte Marie and was forced to seek urgent medical attention after contracting the most deadly strain of Malaria halfway through.
However, after spending five days recovering from the life-threatening tropical disease, he bounced back to continue with his record-breaking walk.
During his expedition, he also battled with unforgiving and dangerous terrain and had to narrowly avoid crocodiles, scorpions, snakes and even poisonous centipedes found in the depths of the forests.
During his voyage, Ash, pictured, climbed eight mountains and faced crocodiles and deadly spiders
The intrepid explorer, pictured, says he made 'great, life-long friends and learnt the ways of the Malagasy life'
Ash faced sweltering deserts and sand dunes in the south before hacking his way through dense jungle and rainforest in the north with temperatures scaling from 0C right up to a sweltering 45C.
Madagascar, which comes with a British government warning that security is hindered by continued political instability, attracts thousands of British tourists each year and boasts everything from deserts to rainforest.
Ash feels he can help to promote the island and its diverse terrain
The country was more recently made famous among the younger generation as the subject of a 2005 animated DreamWorks film.
Ash tells MailOnline Travel: 'The tourism board helped me with securing a long enough visa needed to make this happen and also helped with flights and national parks.'
He states: 'I feel I can help to promote this beautifully big island, from its diversity, terrain, hospitality of the locals, the wildlife and the fact 80 per cent of all plant life and wildlife is found nowhere else in the world.
'It's a country everyone should experience at least once and I truly look forward to returning at some point.'
Ash is also working on a documentary shot while he took part in the expedition and has also secured a modelling contract with China's third-largest outdoor company, Mobi Garden.
According to the UK Government, there were just over 8,000 British visitors to Madagascar in 2013, with the majority proving to be trouble free.
The government also says there is a low threat from terrorism but that piracy remains an ongoing threat in the Indian Ocean.
In August 2014, Ash also became the first recorded person to complete a solo and unsupported walk across Mongolia
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