There is a place high above Mollepata where the wind moves across wide alpine pampa and glacier water rests perfectly still in shades of turquoise you don’t see anywhere else in Peru.
Humantay Lake sits at 4,200 meters beneath the snow walls of Humantay Mountain, part of the great Salkantay massif. No road reaches it. You arrive only by walking. The day starts early from Cusco, driving through Anta and Mollepata as the Andes wake up. By the time you reach Soraypampa at 3,900m, it’s just mountains, sky, and silence.
The walk is simple and steady, a mountain path that local families use every day, rising for about 1.5 hours. Every step lifts you above the valley until the lake appears suddenly between the rocks. We give you a full unhurried hour at the shore, not 20 minutes like cheap tours, time to sit, photograph both viewpoints, and hear why the Apus, the mountain spirits, are still so important to Andean life. Back in Cusco for the evening with clear lungs and that quiet feeling you only get at altitude.
This day is for: Travelers who love mountain air, photographers, anyone wanting a gentle acclimatization walk before a longer trek, and those who simply want a peaceful day outside the city.
Turquoise water, wide pampa, and a full hour at the lake.
Early Pickup & Drive to Mollepata
Your day starts at 4:00 AM with private pickup from your hotel in Cusco. You drive north through the Anta plains and down to Mollepata at 2,900m, where we stop for a warm breakfast and a last bathroom break before the climb. Bread, eggs, coffee, tea in a local restaurant with bathrooms.
Scenic Ascent to Soraypampa – Where the Walk Begins
From Mollepata the road rises to Soraypampa at 3,900m. The landscape opens completely here with wide alpine pampa surrounded by the glaciers of the Salkantay and Humantay range. This is where we begin the walk. Views so wide you see the whole massif at once.
Mountain Trail to Humantay Lake
The hike follows a steady mountain path that local families use every day. Consistent uphill for about 1.5 hours, made more challenging by the altitude than by distance. If you prefer, local handlers have horses waiting at the trailhead to help with the ascent, you pay them directly in soles. The route is quiet, with alpacas grazing and views widening with every turn until the lake appears suddenly between the rocks.
One Full Hour at 4,200m
At 4,200m the lake appears between the rocks, turquoise still water fed directly by the ice of Humantay Mountain. You have a full hour here to explore the shoreline, take photos from both the lower and upper viewpoints, and hear your guide share Andean beliefs around the Apus, the mountain spirits that protect these peaks. You cannot swim in the lake to keep the glacial water clean. Time to sit, photograph, and breathe.
Hot Lunch & Return to Cusco
We walk 45 minutes back down to Soraypampa for a hot buffet lunch in a mountain lodge. Soup, chicken, rice, vegetables, tea. Then scenic drive back to Cusco, hotel drop-off around 5:30 to 6:00 PM.
Humantay Lake Turquoise Water with Snow Capped Humantay Glacier Above
To customize your expedition, the following services and equipment can be added to your booking:
This is a high-altitude day hike that reaches 4,200 meters at the lake. You start walking at 3,900 meters in Soraypampa, 500 meters higher than Cusco. You must be in Cusco at least 48 hours before departure to acclimatize. The climb is only 1.5 hours but it is steep and at altitude and should not be underestimated. Walk at your own pace and stay hydrated. If you feel dizzy, tell your guide immediately.
Upon landing in Lima, you must clear immigration and customs, collect your checked bags, and then re-check them for your domestic flight to Cusco. Warning: Ensure you have at least a three-hour window between flights to account for these mandatory procedures. This is required even if your bags are tagged through to Cusco.
This is a full-day tour with no camping and no pack horses for your luggage. Leave your main luggage at your Cusco hotel. You only need a small daypack 20L for the day with your layers, water, and sun protection. We do not provide luggage storage at our office for this day tour as you return to the same hotel in the evening.
While breakfast, lunch, transport and entrance are included, carry Peruvian Soles in small denominations. You will need cash for horse rental $20-25 USD paid directly to local handlers, bathrooms (1 Sol), snacks, and tips. Small vendors in Mollepata and Soraypampa do not accept credit cards. ATMs in Cusco only – withdraw before departure.
Your travel policy must provide coverage for high-altitude day hikes. Your plan should specifically include medical protection up to 5,000 meters and emergency evacuation for the duration of your time in the Andes. While not as remote as the Salkantay Pass, you are still hiking at 4,200 meters.
You must carry your original passport or a clear copy for this day tour. You will be required to present it at the Mollepata checkpoint to enter the Humantay Lake area. Please note that digital images on your phone are not always accepted at the checkpoint.
Pro-Tip: Horses are available at Soraypampa trailhead for $20-25 one way. Decide that morning. You can ride up and walk down.
Moderate. The distance is short, 5km round trip, but the altitude makes it feel harder. It is about 1.5 hours uphill from 3,900m to 4,200m, then 45 minutes down. You do not need to be a trekker, just comfortable walking uphill slowly. A horse is available at the start if you need it.
The lake is at 4,200m / 13,780ft. Soraypampa where you start walking is 3,900m. Most people feel the air is thin and walk slower, that is normal. A light headache can happen. To avoid it, be in Cusco 2 days before, drink water, and skip alcohol the night before. We carry oxygen and your guide knows the signs.
No. Horses wait at Soraypampa trailhead. You decide that morning. Cost is 20 to 25 USD one way, paid in cash in soles directly to the local handlers. You can ride up and walk down, most people do that if they use one. Our guide will help you arrange it
No. Swimming has been prohibited since 2022 to keep the glacial water clean. You can walk to the shore and to the upper viewpoint for photos, but you cannot enter the water.
Pickup from your Cusco hotel is 4:00 to 4:30 AM. We drop you back at your hotel around 5:30 to 6:00 PM. Exact time is confirmed on WhatsApp the night before.
Yes, both included. Breakfast is in Mollepata at 6:30 AM, bread, eggs, coffee, tea, in a local restaurant with bathrooms. Lunch is a hot buffet in Soraypampa after the hike, soup, chicken, rice, vegetables, tea.
One full hour. Most cheap tours give you 20 minutes. We give you 60 minutes to sit, take photos from both lower and upper viewpoints, and hear the story of the mountain.
Daypack 20L, waterproof jacket, warm layer like fleece or down, hat, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen SPF 50, 1.5L water, cash in small soles for horse and bathrooms, and hiking shoes with grip. No sneakers, the path is dusty and steep.
Yes, from 8 years old to around 68 with good basic health. Kids should be used to walking. Older travelers often take a horse up and walk down slowly. Not suitable for children under 8 or anyone with severe knee or heart conditions.
May to September is dry season, clearest skies and the most turquoise color. November to March is rainy season, greener, more clouds, fewer people, still beautiful. The lake is there all year, we run the tour every day except extreme weather.
This page is our small group, max 8 people, private transport, same guide. Private tour is just your family and friends with flexible pickup time and more time at the lake if you want it. Same route, same meals.
Yes. We are part of Sam Travel Corporation, a 100 percent locally owned Cusco operator with all permits from the municipality of Mollepata to run Humantay tours. Your guide is licensed, first aid trained, and from the region.
YOUR ADVENTURE. OUR EXPERTISE.
Guest Reviews
Real experiences from travelers who slept under the Andean sky
I never thought I could sleep in a luxury bed while staring at the Milky Way through a transparent dome. The Salkantay glacier right in front of you at sunrise — absolutely unreal. Worth every penny.
SkyDomeCamps - Sky DomeWe did the full Salkantay Trek and stayed at the dome on night two. After a hard day of hiking, coming back to a real bed, hot shower and that view of the mountain? Nothing compares to that.
SkyDomeCamps - Salkantay TrekI have camped across Patagonia and Nepal but nothing matched this. The dome is warm, beautifully designed and the silence at 4,600m is something else entirely. I woke up at 3am just to stare at the stars.
SkyDomeCamps - Sky Dome
Trusted Andes Network
We couldn't make this impact without our partners. Join us in changing lives.
