Book your Humantay Lake Tour from Cusco. Safe 1-day trek with an official guide, breakfast, and buffet lunch included.
The 1-Day Humantay Lake Tour takes you to one of the most stunning natural gems of the Peruvian Andes. Located at the foot of the imposing Salkantay snow-capped mountain, this glacial-origin lake stands out for its crystal-clear turquoise and emerald waters, considered sacred by the Incas.
On this full-day excursion, we guarantee a safe experience with expert high-mountain guides, a moderate hiking pace, permanent assistance, and local gastronomy to recharge your energy.
Cusco, Mollepata, Soraypampa, and Humantay Lake.
Full day (Approx. 13 hours). Starts at 04:00 a.m. and ends at 5:30 p.m.
Moderate – Demanding. Altitude: 4,200 masl. (Horses available).
We will pick you up from your hotel early in the morning to board our tourist transport. We will begin an approximately 2-hour journey to the town of Mollepata.
We will make our first stop in Mollepata (2,803 masl) to enjoy a nutritious local breakfast, vital to having the energy needed before facing the cold and altitude.
We will continue for 1 more hour by vehicle along a dirt road until we reach Soraypampa (3,900 masl), the starting point of the hike. Here, the guide will provide safety instructions.
We will begin the 1.5 to 2-hour uphill hike. The first stretch is semi-flat, but the final section is a more demanding zigzag slope. Note: In Soraypampa, you can rent a horse from local community members if you wish to avoid the walk up.
Mission accomplished! We will arrive at 4,200 masl to be dazzled by the turquoise waters and the glacier. You will have plenty of time for photos, resting, and listening to our guide’s mystical explanation.
We will descend for 1 hour to Soraypampa and take our transport back to Mollepata, where a well-deserved buffet lunch awaits us to recharge our energy.
In the afternoon, we will begin the return journey to Cusco. The tour will end a few blocks from the Main Square (Plaza de Armas), in time for you to rest or have dinner in the city.
The key to this route is preparing for sudden temperature changes. In Mollepata at dawn it will be very cold, but during the zigzag ascent you will feel warm due to physical exertion. Pack smartly:
No, it is strictly prohibited. Besides the water coming directly from glacier runoff (its temperature hovers around 4°C to 0°C and could cause hypothermia), the lake is considered sacred by local communities and serves as the drinking water source for the area’s villages. Entering with your feet or throwing objects is also not allowed.
They are different challenges. Humantay is 1,000 meters lower than Rainbow Mountain (4,200 masl vs. 5,200 masl), so you will feel the lack of oxygen less. However, the slope toward Humantay is much steeper and more vertical, requiring greater leg muscle effort for 1.5 hours.
If you decide not to walk, local residents offer horse rental services at the Soraypampa base camp. The cost varies between 70 to 90 soles (one-way/ascent only). The horse will take you on an approximately 40-minute journey to very near the lake (the last 10 minutes must be done on foot due to the rocky terrain). The descent is always on foot.
You don’t need to be a professional mountaineer, but we do recommend having average physical fitness or a moderately active lifestyle. The most important thing is that you have acclimatized in Cusco (at least 2 days) before doing this hike so your body can handle the lack of oxygen.
Yes. You will find basic restrooms at the Mollepata restaurant (breakfast/lunch) and at the Soraypampa base camp (before starting the hike). We recommend bringing S/ 1 or S/ 2 coins to pay for them and your own toilet paper. There is no sanitary infrastructure at the top of the lake.
The tour operates regularly throughout the year. In the rainy season (December to March), precipitation or fog is common. Only in cases of extreme snow that blocks roads or compromises safety could the tour be rescheduled or canceled with prior notice.
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