With a previous eruption of VEI 4, Doña Juana is rated as a "large" volcano of "cataclysmic" destructive power.

[3] The name of the volcano originated from a legend of the Chincha Indians, within whose native lands it is located: Mama Juana, a beautiful Quiteña, fell in love with Pedro, a commoner, but with the parents opposed to the marriage, they fled, becoming the victims of a curse that turned them into volcanoes.

[4] The volcano can be ascended from a slope that is part of the so-called Valley of Orchids.

It is surrounded by an area of extraordinary biodiversity, which includes 471 species of birds (the Andean condor included), bears, deer and pumas.

[4] The summit of Dona Juana consists of a number of peaks, which afford a number of views, including of Laguna del Silencio, one of 42 lakes in the national park.