10 MOUNTAIN RANGES YOU’VE PROBABLY NEVER HEARD OF, BUT THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE!

The Himalayas, Alps, Rockies, Andes and Appalachians are known by just about everyone but many people haven't even heard about many of the most amazing ranges in the world. Here's a list of ten such ranges that any mountain lover should make a point of visiting in their life time!

10. DOLOMITES: ITALY

Often regarded as a sub range of the Alps, the Dolomites are one of Italy's most beautiful landscapes and are probably the best known on this list. With a highest point of 10 968 feet (3343m), these mountains are amongst Europe's most beautiful. The dolomite rock which they are made of gives these mountains very craggy sharp peaks. It also makes them paler, which is why they have also been called 'the pale mountains'.

9. SIERRA NEVADA DE SANTA MARTA: COLOMBIA

This is the tallest coastal mountain range in the world. Pico Cristóbal Colón is the tallest of all at 18 701 feet (5 700m) in height only 30 miles (50km) from the coast. Prominence is a term used by mountaineers to describe the minimum height of climb to the summit on any route from a higher peak. Because of how close it is to the coast, Pico Cristóbal Colón is the world’s fifth most prominent mountain and the most prominent mountain that is not a continent’s high point. The range is the origin of 36 rivers, and is extremely varied in habitat. The lower portion of the mountains are in rain forest, while there is a permanent snow cap on top of the very highest mountains.

8. NAUKLUFT MOUNTAINS: NAMIBIA

The Naukluft are not especially tall but are remarkably beautiful. Though their maximum height of 6522 feet (1988m) makes them barely taller than the Adirondacks, they are spectacularly beautiful because they are located in the world’s oldest desert. This makes their peaks bare and golden. The dunes of the Namib are found in the area and are often over 1000 feet (300m) tall as well as being bright orange and red.

7. BAFFIN MOUNTAINS: CANADA

Also comparatively short, at a maximum of 7044 feet (2147m) these are nonetheless spectacular mountains. They form the Eastern part of the Canadian shield and because of the actions of glaciers they often form dramatic cliffs. Most famous of all is Mount Thor which has a vertical drop of 4101 feet (1250m). This is often regarded as the highest purely vertical drop in the world. The top of this peak overhangs the base by an average of 15 degrees, making it a base jumper’s paradise!

6. TATRA MOUNTAINS: POLAND AND SLOVAKIA

The Carpathian mountains may be more famous as the home of Dracula, but they are also the home to the beautiful sub-range of the Tatra Mountains! The tallest mountains in central Eastern-Europe reach 8711 feet (2655m) and are exceptionally beautiful. The mountains are extremely well defined and rise out of almost nothing. The Eastern boundary of the mountains is Kobyli Wierch and the western boundary is Ostry Wierch Kwaczański. Beautiful lakes like Morskie Oko dot the range. The High Tatras are the only Alpine area in the Carpathian mountains.

5. SEMIEN MOUNTAINS: ETHIOPIA

The Ethiopian Highlands are one of only two mountain ranges in the world formed first by massive sandstone deposition and then volcanic activity. This means an extremely unusual landscape with very high cliffs and free standing mountain blocks. Rising to a height of 14 928 feet (4550m) they are Africa’s second tallest mountain range and one of the few places in Africa where snow is regular. The Semiens are home to rare creatures like Ethiopian Wolves, the Walia Ibex and Gelada Baboons.

4. KARAKORAM MOUNTAINS: PAKISTAN, CHINA AND INDIA

The Karakoram is the tallest mountain range in the world on average. It is considered a sub-range of the Himalayas, but is virtually unknown compared to them. The area has more glacier than anywhere outside of the polar regions. There is a higher concentration of peaks over 8000m (26 000 feet) in the Karakoram than anywhere else in the world, and the range features the second tallest mountain in the world. Qogir which is more commonly called K2 is 28 251 feet in height (8611m) and rises dramatically above the Baltoro Glacier, the astonishing Karakoram’s largest.

3. UKHAHLAMBA DRAKENSBERG: LESOTHO AND SOUTH AFRICA

The 600 mile long (1000km) Ukhahlamba Drakensberg range sits between South Africa and Lesotho where it reaches a height of 11424 feet (3482m). Like the Semiens they were formed when massive eruptions deposited a thick basalt layer on top of older sandstone. The eruption is believed by geologists to have been the largest in the Earth’s history. The basalt layer has been eroded over time to leave extraordinary shapes for which the Zulu people named it 'The Barrier of Spears'. The range has an abundance of life including the endangered Bearded Vulture and the biggest population of the world’s largest antelope the Eland.

Amongst the world’s most beautiful mountains, famous areas include the breathtaking Cathedral Peak Valley, the Mnweni, and The Royal Natal Park. The Ukhahlamba’s famous Amphitheatre Mountain is widely regarded as one of the most impressive cliff faces in the world. The cliff is roughly 4000 feet (1200m) tall, and 3 miles (5kms) wide, making it roughly ten times the surface area of El Capitan’s famous Southern Western Face, six times that of the famous Eastern face of the Matterhorn, and almost three times that of the enormous North face of the Eiger. The Tugela Falls flows off this cliff face and is regarded as either the tallest or second tallest waterfall in the world depending on various historical measurements made on both waterfalls.

2. RWENZORI MOUNTAINS: UGANDA AND DRC

These magnificent mountains attain a maximum height of 16 762 feet (5109m) at Stanley Peak, Africa’s third tallest point. Though not as tall as Kilimanjaro or Mount Kenya they are the tallest proper mountain range in Africa and exhibit an incredible diversity of habitats. The vegetation here ranges tremendously as the temperatures decrease with altitude and there are five biological zones associated with this gain in height. These are grassland, montane forest, bamboo, heather and the afro-alpine moorland zones.

Together with this diversity in vegetation are amazing ranges in animal diversity. There aren’t many mountain ranges where you can find lions, elephants and gorillas! There are over 70 mammal species, well over 200 bird species in the area and some of the rarest vegetation on earth.

Trekking in the range is a world highlight. Not only is the nature exceptional but the area is pristine and unspoiled. Seeing places like ‘The Valley of Nine Lakes’, and of course glaciers at the equator is incredible.

These astonishing mountains were describes as long ago as 150BC when Ptolemy wrote about ‘Lunae Montes’ which means ‘The Mountains of The Moon’. Over two thousand years later this is still the name by which one of the world’s most incredible mountain ranges is more commonly known.

1. PATAGONIAN ANDES: ARGENTINA AND CHILE

On the border between Argentina and Chile in the ice fields of Patagonia lie magnificent mountains that look like something from another planet. Incredibly sharp peaks pierce the sky like massive knives. Many of these peaks rise between 5000 and 7000 feet (1500m and 2100m) almost vertically above the glacier below them, and between 6500 and 8500 feet (1900m and 2500m) above the flat plains nearby.

These are probably the most difficult mountains on earth to climb due to their extraordinary sharpness. Monte Fitzroy and Cerro Torre are the most famous peaks in the range. Cerro Torre has very seldom been climbed, and the first time it was definitely climbed was as recent as 1974. Even the slightly less challenging Fitz Roy is often only climbed once in a year. Considering that Everest sometimes has one hundred people on its summit in a day, the near impossibility of the Patagonian peaks make them incredibly remarkable. This is despite them being shorter than most of the ranges in this list, with the highest point being 11 171 feet (3405m).

A single glance at the form of the mountains makes it clear that they are some of the most beautiful and remarkable mountains on earth. Visiting in autumn is especially worthwhile. The local beech trees that line the glacial lakes burst into a symphony of red tones beneath the sheer granite towers. It is literally a breathtaking scene that all mountain loving travelers should endeavor to experience.