28 Mar 2007, South Africa — Elias Mendel watches an elephant drinking from the Luvuvhu River as he climbs out of one of the beautifully situated swimming pools at Pafuri Lodge. This pool looks out over the Luvuvhu River valley in one of the most remote, pristine and diverse parts of the Kruger Park. This lodge is unique in that it is situated in an area which is now owned by the Makuleke Tribe who allow Wilderness Safaris, to operate in the area and run this lodge. The Makuleke tribe were forcibly removed from their land in 1969. In 1998 after much discussion between the Park’s authorities, community agencies and legal teams an innovative and landmark agreement was reached. The land now belongs to the tribe, but they agreed not to reoccupy the land and that it would be used for eco-tourism with some of the commercial benefits flowing back to the community. — Image by © Gideon Mendel/Corbis