The spirit of the Camel Trophy was never more evident than in the 1996 event, which combined 4WD adventure and achievement unmatched in its seventeen year history. First there was the inhospitable terrain, as Camel Trophy ’96 became the first expedition to complete a 1850km East-West vehicular crossing of Kalimantan, the remote jungle heartland of Indonesian Borneo. Then there were the conditions – the searing heat, monsoon rains, relentless glutinous mud and huge river crossings. But there was also breathtaking primary rainforest, the beauty and friendliness of the local people and the extraordinary camaraderie this event inspires. In just 22 days, teams from 20 countries battled their way towards the golden beaches of Pontianak in a convoy of 38 Land Rover Discoverys and Defender 110s.