It covers the upper levels of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the north of Colombia.

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

[6] The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta has been designated a Biosphere Reserve due to the endemic plants and animals, particularly at the higher levels.

[2] The Andes began to rise in the Miocene epoch, but in the north did not reach their present height until the Pliocene during a period of strong volcanic activity between four and five million years ago.

This was the period when land rose above the tree line and the protopáramo vegetation was formed with new species of the Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Asteraceae, Ericaceae and other families.

[7] The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta páramo is isolated and has a unique composition of flora and fauna.

Flora include Calamagrostis effusa, Arcytophyllum nitidum, Stevia lucida, Escallonia myrtilloides, Hesperomeles lanuginosa.

Swamps and the margins of glacial lakes have clumps of Azorella crenata and rosettes of Hypochaeris sessiliflora.

[2] Endemic mammals include subspecies of the red brocket (Mazama americana carrikeri), and the cougar (Puma concolor bangsi).

[12] Birds include the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), rufous-collared sparrow (Zonotrichia capensis) and Jameson's snipe (Gallinago jamesoni).

[2] Endangered birds include the Santa Marta bush tyrant (Myiotheretes pernix) and black-backed thornbill (Ramphomicron dorsale).

The páramo is expanding as the Andean forest at lower levels is cleared and the glaciers recede in the upper areas.

[1] The growing populations of Kogi, Arsario and Arhuaco indigenous people have reserves that cover parts of the páramo and have special rights within the park.

They graze large herds of cattle and sheep up to elevations of 3,800 metres (12,500 ft), and hunt cougars and condors to protect their livestock.