Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta

Get To Know This Area

The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the second-highest coastal mountain range in the world and the source of 36 rivers, contains almost every ecosystem on the planet: deserts, alpine lakes, rainforests, wetlands, tundra, coral reefs, & glaciers. The mosaic of habitats and species found here are like nowhere else on Earth. Separated from the Andes mountain chain by plains & deserts, the Sierra Nevada is a self-contained microcosm of diverse ecoregions & lifeforms containing thick, misty jungles, snow capped peaks, rare and unusual species, ancient lost cities, & isolated indigenous people rich with culture and tradition, all of which steep these mountains in myth and intrigue. Many plant and animal species here are found nowhere else in the world.