Venezuelan Coastal Range

The Venezuelan Coastal Range is a chain of mountains that runs roughly parallel to the Caribbean coast of northern Venezuela, forming the northern edge of the country’s interior highlands.

The range contains cloud forests and montane habitats and includes well-known protected areas such as Waraira Repano (El Ávila) near Caracas and Henri Pittier National Park farther west. Peaks in the chain rise to nearly 2,800 metres in places, with prominent summits visible from the coastal strip.

Geologically and ecologically the chain separates the narrow coastal plains from interior lowlands and has long shaped settlement and travel routes along the north of the country.

The Venezuelan Coastal Range stretches along the Caribbean shoreline north of the Venezuelan Llanos and lies immediately south of the Caribbean Sea, enclosing the coastal cities and towns that developed on its seaward flank.

• Coastal barrier: The range runs parallel to Venezuela's Caribbean coast and forms a climatic barrier that produces cloud forests and distinct coastal ecosystems.
• Protected areas: Several sections are protected as national parks, offering hiking, birdwatching and views over the coastal plain and sea.

What to See #

• Waraira Repano (El Ávila): A coastal massif directly north of Caracas that forms the backdrop to the capital and includes popular urban recreation areas and trails.
• Henri Pittier National Park: A protected area on the central-northern coast known for cloud forest habitats, diverse birdlife and coastal slopes that descend toward the Caribbean Sea.
• Pico Naiguatá: One of the highest summits in the coastal range, reaching approximately 2,765 metres and visible from parts of the central coastal belt.