2-day climb to Iliniza South summit

This trip is definitely not for unexperienced climbers. Climbing Iliniza South requires you to be physically shaped. Also a previous knowledge on rock and ice climbing is a must, as this mountain demands much more ability in technical terms compared to Cotopaxi and Chimborazo.

The Ilinizas are a pair of volcanic mountains (partially active) that are located about 100 km south of Quito, Ecuador. This couple of mountains are a great choice for altitude acclimatization. They are frequently used as training for climbing higher peaks like Chimborazo and Cotopaxi among others. The Iliniza South, being the highest and most challenging of both peaks stands at 5266 meters. 

It is important to bring the right equipment. Include a couple of footwear changes, trekking shoes, headgear (don’t forget to attach a strap to your sun glasses), rain and warm clothing, sun protection, camera and torch, both with extra battery packs, as the cold temperatures make the batteries last less than usual.

On our first day we will take a 3 hour drive from Quito to La Virgen refuge at the mountain base. There we’ll have lunch. Afterwards we’ll continue our journey to the first refuge at 4600 meters. There we will have the afternoon off. We will have dinner and spend the night in the refuge.

Our second day will start very early at 4:00 AM with breakfast. Then we’ll start climbing. It will take us about 5 hours (with good weather conditions) to make it to the summit. There we will have the best view to capture our moments with the camera. Then we’ll start our descent to the refuge and make our way back to Quito.

 If you find this attractive, contact me and get ready to come along to this adventure!

If you think you may want to spend an extra two days around these Ecuadorian volcanoes, check out this 2-day climbing to Chimborazo and make the most out of your journey.