South and North Ilinizas are located about 55 km south west of Quito. Originally, there was one volcano, which exploded in a massive eruption that split the mountain in half a very long time ago. The two peaks are separated by a saddle and are about 2 km away from one another. There is a small refuge between the two peaks: Iliniza South is icy and hard to climb. North Iliniza is rocky and a lot easier.

Iliniza South offers some of the most accessible hard climbing from Quito. This steep and crevassed mountain is one of the more difficult climbs in Ecuador, and is not for beginners. The ascent of the South peak involves a modest gain in altitude but with some technical difficulty depending on the amount of snow there is at the time we go there. The route is from the south west side of the mountain and averages 40 degrees in angle, with some front pointing below the summit. From the top there are spectacular views of Iliniza North, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.