This long extinct volcano is located 45 km South of Quito and just 13 km Northwest of Cotopaxi. Rumiñahui is a huge caldron open to the Northwest, and it is named after the loyal general of the last Inca Emperor, Atahualpa. Once the Spaniards murdered the Emperor, Rumiñahui hid the famous treasure of gold that was to be paid for Atahualpa's freedom, and led the fight against the Spanish conquerors. In Quichua the name means "stone face".

Rumiñahui consists of three peaks. We attempt the central summit. Leaving from Quito we start our day with a 2 hour drive to the plateau of the Cotopaxi National Park and start hiking from the Limpiopungo lake located at 3.800 m / 12,464 ft.
The hike normally takes four hours to the summit and two hours down. Technically, it is just a hike with some easy scrambling at the end. The mountain offers a fantastic view of Cotopaxi to the East of Rumiñahui.
The night can be spent in a lodge depending on the next destination of your itinerary.