Humantay Lake Full-Day Tour with Breakfast and Lunch Cusco

Humantay Lake beneath Salkantay

Humantay Lake is a glacial lake fed by meltwater from the Humantay mountain, and its milky turquoise colour comes from finely ground rock carried by the ice. The lake sits at around 4,200 metres in a hanging valley, with the glacier of Humantay rising above it. It has become one of the most photographed places in the Cusco region, and it is a common answer to the question of what to do near Cusco besides the ruins.

Local people treat the lake and its mountains as sacred, and you may see small stone offerings left on the shore. Take time to sit quietly rather than only photograph. A Humantay Lake tour from Cusco is best on a clear day, when the colour is brightest, and early arrival gives the calmest water for reflections.

Soraypampa and the Salkantay range

The hike begins at Soraypampa, a high plateau where the mountain Salkantay, over 6,200 metres, dominates the horizon. Apu Salkantay is one of the most revered peaks of the Inca world, and the same mountain gives its name to the well-known Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu. From Soraypampa the path climbs steadily toward the lake.

The walk to the lake is short, about 3 kilometres each way, but steep and at high altitude, so it takes around two hours up. Your guide sets a slow pace. On the way down, which takes about an hour, you can look back over the whole valley and the huts of Soraypampa.

Altitude, weather and preparation

Cusco lies at about 3,400 metres and the lake is roughly 800 metres higher, so it helps to spend a day or two in the city before you go. Headache and breathlessness are common at altitude. Walk slowly, drink water and tell the guide if you feel unwell. An oxygen bottle is carried on the tour for emergencies, and a wooden walking stick is optional.

Mornings are cold and the sun is strong later, so dress in layers, with a hat, gloves and sun cream. The dry season from May to September is the best time to visit Humantay Lake, with clearer skies, while the rainy months bring mud and cloud. The first hours of the day are very cool, so bring an extra warm jumper.

From Cusco to Mollepata and back

The default option includes hotel pickup from the historic centre of Cusco, with the pickup time confirmed the day before. After around two hours by road you stop in Mollepata for breakfast and to buy snacks, and another hour takes you to Soraypampa. The full day lasts around 13 and a half hours, including the hike and the drives.

After the walk down you return to Mollepata for a buffet lunch with a vegetarian option, then drive back to Cusco and are dropped in the city centre in the evening. The entrance fee to the lake area and any horse rental are paid in cash on site, so carry small notes. This is a shared tour, so pickup can take up to 45 minutes.