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Humantay lake is the Cusco regions worst kept secret. The beautiful lake sits high in the mountains and can vary from blue to green to turquoise. The glacier above is almost as beautiful, the pair teasing travelers and their photos. Read the Humantay Lake Tour Information here!
Humantay lake is the third most visited tourist attraction in the Cusco region (after Machu Picchu and, of course, Rainbow Mountain). It’s a popular spot! But how much do people actually know about it? Read on to find out everything about the Humantay lake tour.
This can depend on the person, but for most people the answer is: Absolutely. It’s not just the lake that will blow your mind, the surrounding landscapes really are an incredible sight to behold. This day trip is a really great way to explore some of the far-flung parts of the Cusco region. Pass through rural communities without committing to a multi-day hike.
On the other hand, it is a lot of time in the car. This can be an issue for some (the drive is around 3 hours each way), and the hike is steep and at high altitude. While there are certainly longer treks, this is one of the steeper of the popular day hikes around Cusco.
You do have almost all day to complete it. There are horses that are available to rent at the village at the bottom of the mountain. So there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be able to finish the hike if you are determined to. You will need to pay to use a horse but they will get you up the steepest part.
This depends on how fast you walk. The distance of the hike to Humantay Lake is 3.2 km one way (6.4km total). This can be done by using switchbacks (zig zagging up and down the mountain, which is great for your knees and balance, but does add a little distance).
The hike also gets a little longer if you choose to climb up to the top of the crater that surrounds the lake on two sides.
If you are a fast walker and properly acclimatized, it should take about an hour and a half to two hours to reach the lake. It should be about the same to return to the starting point of the trek. Add in a bit of time at the shore of the lake and driving time, Humantay Lake is a full day excursion from Cusco.
The path is certainly steeper than Rainbow Mountain, making it a bit more of a technical hike. Rainbow Mountain however, is 400 meters higher than Humantay Lake. Even if you spend plenty of time in Cusco (3,400 meters / 11,200 feet), the jump to Rainbow Mountain is most likely going to leave you short on breath.
This makes Rainbow Mountain a tougher hike for the majority of people. Of course, everyone reacts to altitude differently. It could be that you find Rainbow Mountain an easy feat in comparison to the steep slopes of Humantay.
The reality of the situation is that the difficulty of both treks comes predominantly from the altitude. Altitude affects different people differently and even across different days. The other reality is that these are two of the most popular day trips in the entire Cusco region. You should know that hundreds, if not thousands, of people finish both of these treks successfully every day.
There are safeguarding measures put in place in case you are struggling. Your guide should be carrying oxygen (check at the time of booking). Have the option of taking a horse from the village below. Of course, just taking your time will greatly increase your chances of success.
Once you book your trip, the company that you choose to travel with will be determined to get you to the top. If you decide it’s not for you, we can get you back to the bottom.
Not anymore. There was a time where you were able to swim in Humantay Lake. Although it was very cold and not recommended, they have since stopped allowing this. This ban came after companies started offering things like paddle boarding and windsurfing there.
While this obviously seems like a really cool and fun idea, it does ruin the experience for people who just want to hike up and enjoy the view. It also pushes Humantay away from being a lovely slice of nature and closer to a sort of theme park over run with litter.
There is also the added risk of people getting their hair and clothes wet at high altitude where it is harder to get dry and the cold is more dangerous. Factor in having to change in front of hundreds of other people. It just becomes unsafe, impractical and antisocial for other visitors.
With the above considered, entry to the water in Humantay Lake was banned. So no, unfortunately it is not possible to swim there. With the temperature of the water, it is unlikely that you would want to anyway!
It’s a relatively short hike, but thanks to the steep slopes and high altitude it can be challenging if you are not properly acclimatized. It’s an uphill slog for sure, and if not acclimatized it will be challenging. Take your time, some hiking poles, and stick to switchbacks and it’s considered a moderate hike.
It’s best to pack layers that you can take on and off as the occasion calls for it. A thermal under layer will be your friend. During the rainy season (Nov – April) you should pack a waterproof jacket just in case.
The hike climbs around 430 meters (1411 feet) from its starting point, so you can expect a change in altitude and the air to get thinner. The hike also starts early to avoid hiking up the mountain during the hot midday sun.
Please ensure that you are wearing comfortable trousers for hiking as well asworn in walking boots.
Humantay Lake sits at 4,200 meters above sea level, (13,779 feet). The hike begins at 3,770 meters (12,369 feet).
It costs 20 soles per person to enter the Humantay Lake hike. This is cash only, please bring small bills. Most tour companies will include the entrance fee in their price. It’s best to double check at the time of booking.
Pretty much all of the tours to Humantay Lake leave from Cusco. You can also arrange to be picked up from the Sacred Valley if you prefer. The tours all follow more or less the same timeline:
So, what’s the difference between the cheap tours and the more expensive tours? Well, a lot of things. There are things that you will see and things that you won’t see that affect the price. The things you will see are (including but not limited to):
Some of the things behind the scene that you won’t see but affect the price of the tour:
The weather at Humantay will vary depending on the season that you visit. Also the time of day that you make it to the top. The earlier you make it the thicker the cloud cover will be. It does clear as the sun gets higher in the sky.
The majority of the time though, thanks to its place high in the mountains, Humantay gets brilliant and bright sunshine most days of the year. Rain becomes more likely during the rainy season (surprising, I know) which runs from December to March. The shoulder seasons of November and April still likely to get a few showers.
The dry season, June to September, will start the days a little colder, but rain is very unlikely. The shoulder seasons of May and October will be a little warmer. Just pack your layers! You will get warmer while hiking regardless of the temperatures you face when you get out of the bus (or in the bus if they don’t have heating).
There are several day trips in the Cusco region that are far easier and far cheaper to do as a tour than doing it yourself. One of them is Laguna Humantay. This is because there isn’t any public transport to the starting point and even if there were, it wouldn’t start in time to get there and then return the same day.
Your only option to do it yourself is to hire a taxi for the day, which is far more expensive than the tour company. Even doing this, you will still need to leave at similar times to the tour groups or you will risk hiking in the dark.
Doing it yourself does offer a little freedom to spend as long as you want at the top, but then you run into the issue of where to get breakfast and lunch. How do you know where you are going to eat won’t give you food poisoning?
It’s also difficult to avoid the crowds, as there is an influx of people visiting on a day trip, then shortly after those hiking the Salkantay Trek will flood in. They tend to stay in the town below, so arriving later doesn’t affect their day.
A tour will pick you up from your hotel, give you breakfast and lunch. Later drop you back at your hotel, for 1/5th of the price of a taxi.
To understand the color of the lake, you must first understand that the lake is fed by the Humantay Glacier that sits above. The bright greens and blues of the lake come from the minerals in the glacier, in combination with the natural light at the time.
If you arrive when it is cloudy and wait for the sky to clear you will see the lake change from a beautiful blue to a fantastic greeny turquoise before your eyes.
Humantay is one of the most famous places to visit in Cusco, and it’s certainly worth a visit. It’s so popular because it is a great day trip, and also the first day of the famous Salkantay Trek. This means that there are plenty of people visiting every day, making it a great way to spend a day.
If you’re ready to book your Humantay Lake day trip, or your Salkantay Trek then get in contact with us today and see how we can help you make your trip to Peru the trip of a lifetime.
