Illiniza volcano, Volcanic peaks in Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador.

Illiniza is a stratovolcano in Cotopaxi Province made of two snow-covered peaks, Illiniza Sur at 5,248 m and Illiniza Norte at 5,126 m, joined by a saddle about a kilometre long. It lies in the Los Illinizas Ecological Reserve, roughly 100 km southwest of Quito and 33 km north of Latacunga. Most guidebooks spell the name Iliniza, with one l.

Edward Whymper tried twice and failed to make the first ascent of Iliniza Sur; in 1880 his Italian guides Jean-Antoine Carrel and Louis Carrel reached the summit. The northern peak was first climbed in 1912 by the Ecuadorians Nicolás Martínez and Alejandro Villavicencio.

The name derives from Kunza words for "masculine hill". Most guidebooks, including Lonely Planet Ecuador and Ecuador: A Climbing Guide, spell it with a single "l" as Iliniza. The twin peaks are separated by a saddle about one kilometer long, and the rustic refuge between them is stocked with gas stoves, pots and pans and bunk beds.

A mountain refuge between the two peaks offers basic facilities including stoves and bunk beds for overnight stays, helping climbers plan their approach. The southern summit demands technical gear and experience, while the northern peak has easier rock climbing routes for less experienced mountaineers.

The English climber Edward Whymper tried twice and failed to reach Iliniza Sur's summit before his Italian guides Jean-Antoine and Louis Carrel succeeded in 1880. The northern peak waited until 1912, when Ecuadorians Nicolás Martínez and Alejandro Villavicencio made its first ascent.