At the middle levels, the grass páramo, soils are fairly deep and are dark in color, acidic, moist or saturated with water, rich in organic matter and peat-like.

At the highest levels, known as the superpáramo, soils are shallow and coarse, with much rock and sand and little organic matter.

[5] The páramos of Colombia and the north of Ecuador are generally humid throughout the year with moisture delivered in the form of rain, clouds and fog as air masses are lifted up over the mountains.

The Northern Andean páramos experience temperatures that may drop below freezing at night and rise to 30 °C (86 °F) during the day.

[4] The Northern Andean páramo ecoregion is in the neotropical realm, in the montane grasslands and shrublands biome.

[6] The Andes began to rise in the Miocene epoch, but in the north did not reach their present height until the Pliocene between four and five million years ago.

At this time the land rose above the tree line and the protopáramo vegetation developed with new species of families such as Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Asteraceae, Ericaceae.

[7] As recently as 14,000 years ago the temperatures were 6–7 °C (11–13 °F) below those of today, and the páramo belt began at an elevation of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft).

The warming that began about 10,000 years ago at the start of the Holocene epoch caused the forest line to rise, pushing the páramo belt upward and reducing its area.

At the highest levels superpáramo vegetation is adapted to the harshest conditions, has very high endemism, and holds very small plants, gymnosperms, mosses and lichens.

[4] Endangered mammals include Hammond's rice rat (Mindomys hammondi), mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque) and woodland Oldfield mouse (Thomasomys hylophilus).

[12] Endangered birds include Apolinar's wren (Cistothorus apolinari), black-breasted puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis) and Bogotá rail (Rallus semiplumbeus).

[15] There has been an increase in cultivation, more intense grazing by livestock, pine plantations and tourism, all of which may affect the hydrological properties of the páramo.