Image gallery: Land Rover Experience Tour of Australia 2015

The Northern Territory of Australia comprises an area equal to France, Spain and Italy combined.  It's over twice the size of India and also has the world's oldest surviving culture that exists in areas occupied by the Aboriginal people. The Land Rover Experience Tour of Australia 2015 took us to the protected regions where these indigenous people stay in government run missions or communities. And what better way to explore the great Australian Outback than in Land Rover Discovery Sports. Here are some images from the expedition.

Note the tents or 'swags' strapped to the roof of the Land Sport - these would be our shelter in the great Australian Outback, apart from the SUVs of course

All the cars in our convoy had a special accessory to monitor tyre temperatures and pressures

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

We saw such four wheel drive territory signs all the time

We spent a lot of time in the Northern Territory

We visited many ' Ghost Town's' that are completely deserted now

With Dag Rogge, Expedition Leader

You had to keep a sharp lookout for ruts. One Range Rover Discovery Sport broke its suspenion when the driver hit a rut at high speed

We had proper dining facilities in the camp and each vehicle carried its own folding table and chairs

This is a wildlife rich region

Vehicles often got stuck in the soft sand. Sand rails, man power and winches all were used

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

The logo was a boomerang with abroginal style paintings

The organisers carried satphones

The outback is full of abandoned ghost towns with modern houses

The police use Toyota Land Cruisers fitted with winches and extra lights

The tents or swags had to be strapped to the roof

The Chief Minister of the region met us at the finish and turned out to be a keen car guy and very down to earth. He was also by himself and without any security

The cars did kick up a lot of dust

The bush also has the world's biggest colony of termites

The Australian Bush is the 'fly capital' of the world. They are everywhere- from sunrise to sunset. I must have swallowed atleast 2 dozen while eating!!!

The Australian Bush is beautiful

Sunsets in the outback are really scenic

That's is a petrol pump in Kiwikburra, a town at the edge of the outback

The Fly Net was a constant companion as the Australian Outback is the 'fly capital' of the world'

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

The Australian Bush from the air

Stephan and Marvin, both part of the organising team, looking up the next day's route

Rejoicing at the sunrise at Ayers Rock

Punctures were the biggest problems with some teams having well over a dozen

Our very own 'Bush Barbeque'. The truck carried all kinds of frozen meat in its big refregirator

Our 'Mother Ship' even had an onboard refuelling station!!!

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

One of the famous Australian 'Road Trains' that carry supplies across the massive continent

Our - Mother Ship - The 6 X 6 wheel drive truck getting re-stocked from a plane. Water also came in the plane and was the most vital thing in the bush

Our Land Rover Camp on the banks of Lake Mackay- a huge salt lake

Our 'Master Chef' at work

On bad stretces the co-driver would get off and guide

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

Night driving was tough and many got lost too wherever the GPS mapping was off the mark

My luxurious toilet travelled from Bombay to the Australian Bush, and is now resting at our last campsite. I hope to revisit it again someday

My bush bedroom, the tents the Aussies call a swag

Kiwikurra's resident mechanic was on hand in the small town to help us. Fortunately we needed nothing and had a good laugh

Look at what is written on the ground

Many broken down cars are abandoned in the bush, becasue it would be just too expensive to tow them to a proper workshop

Meals were magical in the Bush

Most of our drive was in restricted or protected areas where you needed permits and permissions

Land Rover Experience Tour Australia 2015

It was always party time!

I saw a snake - and also this lizard

I really enjoyed the long hours of driving

Flying off- after supplying the expedition

Feast in the bush- rice, chicken, prawns, veggies and of course pudding. Never had a better meal

Farewell party on the dune

Farewell party on a sand dune overlooking the amazing Ayers Rock

Expedition Leader Dag Rogge welcoming everyone on the boat cruise

Even in the middle of nowhere, on a track used by very few people, you found such warning signs. Amazing

Drivers briefing

Cuts in sidewalls were a common complaint

Caught up with Hennin g- my German co-driver on the 2013 expedition from Berlin to Mumbai

Cars often got bogged down on the sand dunes- and then it was team work

Camp getting ready to roll at 6.00 am- our regular starting time

At places where the bush was too thick, we had to hack our way through

At one of the campsites we even had a shower!!!What magic to see water come out of a pipe

Bush look

Bush Buffet

An indigenous Australian playing the wind instrument didgeridoo. In the backdrop is the Ayers Rock

An Aboriginal bushman in western dress

All helped with chopping, cooking, cleaning dishes etc

At the famous Ayers Ro