Cerro Santa Ana

Cerro Santa Ana stands alone in the middle of the flat Paraguaná desert, a volcanic cone of about eight hundred and thirty metres that is the only high ground for a long way. Because it catches moisture off the sea, the vegetation changes as the path climbs, from cactus and thorn at the base through dry woodland to a patch of cloud forest with bromeliads on the summit, an island of damp forest in a desert. The climb takes two to three hours.

The landscape

• The vegetation bands - cactus at the base changing to cloud forest at the top.
• The summit forest - a damp forest island in an otherwise desert peninsula.
• The peninsula view - the flat Paraguana and both coasts from the top.
• The isolated cone - a volcanic hill standing alone above the plain.

When to go

December to April is the dry season and the coolest for the climb. Early morning starts avoid the heat and give the clearest views. Guides are compulsory and arranged at the base.

Practical notes

The climb is steep and fully exposed for the lower half; water must be carried. Guides are compulsory and charged. The summit is often in cloud, which is what keeps the forest there.

Nearby

Adicora is east, and Punto Fijo is west.

Key facts