Humantay Lake Private Tour

The lake at the foot of the glacier

Humantay Lake is a turquoise lake at 4,200 metres, tucked beneath the glacier of the Humantay snow peak and within sight of Salkantay, the second-highest sacred mountain in Cusco, after Ausangate. It lies about three hours from the city, in the district of Mollepata, and is reached by a hike of an hour and a half from Soraypampa, the same camp where the Salkantay trek begins. The colour comes from minerals carried by the meltwater and changes with the light: mid-morning, with the sun high, is when it looks most intense.

How the day goes

We leave your hotel at four in the morning to be at Soraypampa before the large groups, with breakfast in Mollepata on the way. The hike is three kilometres with 300 metres of climb, an hour and a half to two hours up a dirt trail, steep in places, with Salkantay ahead the whole time. At the lake the time is yours: photos, an offering to Pachamama if you wish, and silence. One hour down, lunch in Mollepata and back in Cusco mid-afternoon.

Why private

The lake fills up between ten and twelve, when the buses arrive. Leaving at four, you climb an almost empty trail and see it with few people. And your group sets the pace: the guide adapts the stops and, if someone would rather not walk up, horses can be hired at Soraypampa to near the lake.

Altitude and acclimatisation

It is lower than Rainbow Mountain but the climb is steeper (we compare them here; the hike in detail is in the Humantay guide). Allow at least a day or two in Cusco first. The guide carries oxygen and poles. How to prepare is explained in the acclimatisation guide.

Tickets and what to bring

The entrance fee is charged by the district at the access point, in cash, and is not included. Bring warm layers, a waterproof in the rainy season, trekking shoes, sunscreen, water and spare camera battery: the cold drains it.