Humantay Lake: The Complete Guide

Key Figures

These are the numbers most people need before booking anything. Sources do not agree on every one, so where two references conflict, the table shows both sides. Soraypampa is the trailhead village, and the Cusco drive figure is a road distance measured by day-tour operators.

Entrance fees are community charges collected on the way in, and no official municipal document backs any single figure, so treat the amounts as a range and carry cash.

The Name and the Sacred Status

The name comes from Quechua. Salkantay Trekking says huma means head in Quechua and reads Humantay as sacred head or head of the gods, while admitting the suffix -ntay is hard to interpret. The lake takes its name from the nearby Humantay peak.

Operators say swimming is prohibited and camping at the shore is not allowed. Visitors sometimes make a Pachamama offering by placing stones, called apachetas, in thanks for arriving safely. Salkantay itself is one of the most revered Apus, the Quechua term for a mountain lord with deep spiritual value.

A local legend names Salkantay and Ausangate as two brothers who left to find food to end their people's famine. Salkantay Trekking says the turquoise colour comes from mineralised glacier meltwater and the water's purity, and that it is strongest on sunny days.

The Trail and the Climb

The walk starts at Soraypampa, the base camp below Salkantay at about 3,900 m. Most sources put the route at about 2 km each way, with Wikivoyage giving 4 km out and back and 300 m of climbing, and Amateur Traveler measuring 4.2 km total at 2.1 km each way. The path climbs steadily on rocky ground.

Salkantay Trekking rates it as moderate to challenging and warns about slippery stones, altitude, cold and wind. Rockslides or avalanches are uncommon but possible. Most people take 1 to 2 hours up and about 1.5 hours down.

Sam Travel Peru recommends leaving the lake before about 1 pm because of strong afternoon winds. Daytime temperatures around the lake run about 10 C and can drop to 0 C or lower at night, because the water is fed by glacier melt.

Horses

Local residents at Soraypampa offer horse hire for the uphill section only. Horses are not offered for the way down. Prices quoted across sources run from about 80 soles to 100 soles per section, so expect to pay somewhere in that band and confirm the price before setting off.

Riding up does not remove the altitude problem, because the lake still sits at 4,200 m and you have to walk back down on your own legs. Carry cash in soles.

What the Altitude Does to Your Pace

Altitude sickness usually occurs above 2,500 m, per the NHS, and symptoms often begin 6 to 10 hours after arrival. Cusco sits at about 3,400 m, so the trailhead is already higher than the city and the lake sits at 4,200 m. If you have come from sea level, the climb will feel far harder than the distance suggests.

The NHS advises avoiding going from below 1,200 m to above 3,500 m in one day, so most visitors accept a slow pace and frequent stops. Spend 2 to 3 days in Cusco first if you can. If symptoms worsen, the NHS says descend 300 to 1,000 m, and confusion, balance problems or breathlessness at rest need immediate descent and medical help.

Coca tea is served on guided treks, but there is no concrete scientific evidence that coca leaves prevent altitude sickness.

Day Trip or Trek

A day trip works like this. One operator picks up around 4 am from Cusco hotels, and day tours drive about 120 km through Limatambo and Mollepata and hike in the morning. Doing it alone, a public bus from Cusco to Mollepata costs about 15 soles, then a colectivo or a taxi of about 50 soles covers the last stretch to Soraypampa.

One operator puts the shared taxi from Mollepata at 10 soles maximum. If you want the lake inside a longer route, the Humantay Lake 2-Day Trek adds Salkantay Pass and a Sky Camp night for $335, while full routes such as the Salkantay Sky Camp 4-Day at $720 include the lake. The full line-up of bookable options sits in the comparison table on the homepage.

For the stage-by-stage route the lake hangs off, see the Salkantay trek map.

Ways to Include the Lake

A day trip means a very early start from Cusco at about 3,400 m, roughly 120 km of road through Limatambo and Mollepata, and a climb to the lake on the same day. Operators describe hotel pickup around 4 am and a drive of about 3 hours each way, so the lake visit fits into one demanding day. You can also travel independently by public bus from Cusco's Arcopata terminal to Mollepata for about 15 soles and continue by taxi for about 50 soles.

The other option is to see the lake on a Salkantay trek, where the Humantay hike fits into day 1 or an afternoon walk from a camp at Soraypampa. Sleeping at altitude before the climb changes how hard it feels. The table below compares some of the bookable treks on this site that include the lake, with their card prices. A full side-by-side of every listing lives on the homepage comparison table.

Why a Night at Soraypampa Helps

The NHS advises avoiding a jump from below 1,200 m to above 3,500 m in a single day. A day trip from Cusco means a very early start at about 3,400 m, a drive to roughly 3,900 m at Soraypampa and a climb to a lake at 4,200 m, all within hours. That is why the Humantay hike can hit some visitors harder than its 2 km length suggests.

The NHS suggests gaining no more than 300 m of sleeping altitude per night above 3,000 m, and a rest day every 3 to 4 days. Treks such as the Humantay Lake and Salkantay Pass 2-Day Trek put you at the Sky Camp near 3,900 m before you climb, and symptoms usually begin 6 to 10 hours after arrival at altitude and pass in 1 to 3 days. See how hard is the Salkantay trek for more on fitness and acclimatization.

Cold, Sun and Rain

Daytime temperatures at the lake run about 10 C and can drop to 0 C or lower at night because the water is fed by glacier melt. Sun exposure at 4,200 m is intense even on cool days. The dry season from May to mid-October brings sunny days and the strongest turquoise colour in the water, while the lake stays open in the rainy season with fewer visitors.

One operator recommends leaving the lake before about 1 pm because of strong afternoon winds, so an early start suits the walk.

Altitude Rules to Know

Altitude sickness usually occurs above 2,500 m, and Humantay Lake at 4,200 m is well past that line. Symptoms normally start 6 to 10 hours after arrival and most pass in 1 to 3 days. The warning signs that need immediate descent and medical help are confusion, balance problems, breathlessness at rest and a cough with blood.

If symptoms worsen, the advice is to descend around 300 to 1,000 m. Spend 2 to 3 days in Cusco before the hike if you can, and read more in the guide to how hard is the Salkantay trek.

What to Wear and Carry

Layers matter most: a warm jacket for near-freezing temperatures, a sun hat and sunscreen for the exposed upper trail, and shoes with grip for rocky ground. Operators rate the hike as moderate to challenging because of altitude, cold and wind, and rockslides are uncommon but possible. Carry cash in soles for the entrance fee, roughly 10 to 30 soles depending on the source, and 80 to 100 soles more if you might hire a horse for the uphill stretch.

The full Salkantay trek packing list covers clothing, sleeping bags and poles in detail.