Abstract The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM), located in northern Colombia, is considered a geographical island with high levels of biodiversity and endemism. However, little is known about tick species and their associated microorganisms at the SNSM. In this study we sampled host-seeking ticks in areas of the town of Minca within the SNSM. We collected 47 ticks identified as Amblyomma pacae , Amblyomma longirostre , Amblyomma ovale , Amblyomma mixtum , Haemaphysalis juxtakochi , Ixodes sp. cf. Ixodes affinis and Ixodes sp. Of these ticks, we tested for Rickettsia spp. by amplifying the gltA , SCA1 , and 16S rRNA genes via PCR. Rickettsia amblyommatis was detected in one pool of 3 larvae and in a female of A. pacae . Additonally, we isolated Rickettsia sp. belonging to the group of spotted fevers in larvae of A. longirostre . This study reports new findings of six species of ticks and two species of Rickettsia within the SNSM.