Breaking the Cycle Central Asia Explorer and expedition cyclist Dr. Kate Leeming OAM, M’13, is preparing for an epic 4.5 month, 10,000km bicycle journey through the heart of Central Asia, the hub of the ancient Silk Roads. Beginning on World Water Day, 22nd March 2025, Kate’s adventure will follow the Syr Darya (Jaxartes River) from its source in the Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan, to the Aral Sea, and from there, trace the Amu Darya (Oxus River) to its source in the Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan. The finale of the expedition will be to locate and flag the previously unverified true source of the historical Amu Darya which, in 2007, explorer Bill Colegrave deduced is at the head of the Chelab Stream in the Afghan Pamir.
The shrinking of the Aral Sea to roughly a tenth of its size since the 1960s is largely a result of the blatant over-production of water-thirsty cotton crops in the Soviet and post-Soviet eras, the issue compounded by climate change. Considered one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in history, Kate aims to not only explore the causes and impacts but also find out what is being done to preserve, restore, adapt and improve threatened livelihoods.
This expedition will create a powerful platform to promote and educate about the cultures, history and geography of six Central Asian countries and the importance of working together to manage their most precious resource - water. Travelling by bicycle will give Kate an intimate, grounded perspective of how a region fits together; the landscape and the local people - the issues they face and their hopes for the future.
Key outcomes will be a multi-partner education programme, a 4x60 minute TV series and supporting nonprofit organisation, Water.org
