Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta
The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is the tallest mountain range in Colombia. Isolated from the long chain of the Andes running south like a great snake along South America, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta pokes its head up like an aberration at the far northern tip of the continent. Rising to over 5,700 meters (18,942 feet) above the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, only 42 kilometers away, it is the highest coastal mountain range on Earth.
The Sierra Nevada’s great elevational change, diverse ecoregions, and isolation at the edge of the continent also make it one of the most unique mountain ranges in the world — geographically, biologically, and culturally for people who live here. Thick misty jungles, snow capped peaks, rare and unusual creatures, ancient lost cities, and isolated indigenous cultures have steeped these mountains in myth and intrigue since they were first discovered by conquering Spanish invaders. Today the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta remains as enigmatic and mysterious as ever, reluctant to reveal hidden secrets.
