This massif is intervisible with several peaks in the Sierra Nevada, e.g. Pico Simón Bolívar 5,700 m (18,700 ft) in the north of Colombia.

This implies a theoretical direct line of sight of just over 500 km (310 mi), reported to be the longest between any two points on the surface of the Earth.

[2] This mountainous region gives rise to three smaller ranges that spread northward and recede into the Caribbean plain.

Most of the area is within the Paramillo Natural National Park, which extends from the massif into the lowlands of the Caribbean Plain.

The ecosystems found within the massif are characteristic of the Tropical Andes which include páramo and mountain forests.