About Tucker’s Map

A piece of history. Historical and useful map of the Chimanimani Mountains, still relevant to hikers and climbers today. Zimbabwe and Mozambique represented. It’s taken a long time and much effort to make this priceless map accessible to you all on the Internet.

I really don’t know how much can be said about Tucker. Research is ongoing. But I will say this. Chimanimani folklore says that Martin, who gave his name to Martin’s Falls on the Mevumozi River, Mozambique, is noted for his pioneering hikes into the Chimanimani Mountains with his loyal donkey. Evokes a both funny and picturesque mental image as you will see when you hike the mountains for yourself.

I first went to the Chimanimani Mountians as a kid – in the early 90s – on memorable hike to Terry’s Cave (near “Night Camp” I think, Bundi River). From my teens to early twenties, ending with an epic ten-day solo in December 2004, I did many hikes in the Chimanimanis both with groups and on my own. I carried a copy of Tucker’s Map as my only guide and navigational tool. As a result I became very familiar with its many eclectic names both local and anglicised, and came to love the map – a map which I then lost during my travels over the years.

It was all this that inspired my passion for getting the map to a wider audience – and we have dedicated members of the Mountain Club of Zimbabwe to thank for the hard copy from which this digital version was derived. So thanks.

We’d love your feedback and to hear your Chimanimani stories. What dreams may come. It’s day one of Tucker’s Map in the Metaverse or Web 3.0. For those of you who know me, thanks for bearing with me in my pursuit of this remarkable, but little known, project of over the years.

Happy hiking!
Jonathan N. Wakeling