Elephants march through hotel lobby after it was built on their migration trail
Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia happens to have been built next to a mango tree that one family of pachyderms have always visited when the fruit ripens. When they returned one year and found the luxury accommodation in the way, they simply walked through reception.
An elephant wanders through Mfuwe Lodge, in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
The animals come in two-by-two: Hotel staff and visitors have gotten used to the elephants' impromptu strolls through reception. Now the family group, headed by matriarch Wonky Tusk, return every November to gorge on mangos - up to four times a day. Andy Hogg, 44, director at the Bush camp Company that runs the Lodge, has lived in South Luangwa National Park since 1982.
But in all his years of dealing with wild animals he has never seen such intimate interaction between man and beast. 'This is the only place in the world where elephants freely get so close to humans,' says the 44-year-old. 'The elephants start coming through base camp in late November of each year to eat the mangos from our trees. 'When they are ripe they come
through and they stand about for four to six weeks coming back each day or second day to eat the mangos.
Living in the 5,000 square mile national park, the ten-strong elephant herd are led to the lodge each day by Wonky Tusk. The hotel was built directly in the path of the elephants' route to one of their favorite foods -mangos
'The most interesting thing about this is that they are wild animals and are certainly not tame,explains Andy. 'They come through the lodge to eat the fruit. 'There are ten in that herd and it is only that herd that comes through. It is a strange thing. 'They come and go as they please.'
Mfuwe Lodge consists of seven camps and the base camp where the elephants come through.
Employing 150 staff, the management of the lodge are happy to report that there have been no incidents involving the elephants to date. 'The elephants do get reasonably close to the staff, as you can see with the pictures of the elephants near the reception,' he explains. 'But we do not allow the guests to get too close.
Check-in: But it's unlikely the lodge has a room big enough for its elephant guests.
Mfuwe Lodge: The hotel is set in an idyllic national parkland. Naturally, the lodge becomes a busier attraction for both elephants and guests during November. 'We find that we get more people visiting us during the elephant migration because of the unique experience of being so close to wild animals in an unusual environment,' says Andy. 'But as I said this is a totally natural phenomenon; the elephants come here of their own accord; it is certainly a rare but magnificent sight.'
