1 Day
Lake Humantay day hike is a wonderful way to explore the Peruvian Andes. If you have a day in Cusco, this trip is well worth the time and effort! Lake Humantay is a glacier lake surrounded by Andes giants like Mount Salkantay and Mount Humantay. These mountains are towering, sheer, icy peaks that provide a breathtaking backdrop to our destination, the turquoise-colored waters of Lake Humantay!
Humantay is one of the snow-capped mountains in the Vilcabamba mountain range and the glacier melt makes a beautiful lagoon that may be visiting for those who like a little bit of hiking and being in the mountains also the area where lake Humantay has located a scene to film a movie for Netflix. During the tour we will provide you with a professional service and the tour is led by professional guides and transported by modern and safe vehicles you will try the local dishes since this tour included lunch and breakfast.
Group or Private
Trekking, Cultural and Adventure
Up to 8
Bus
Moderate
1 Day
Lake Humantay 1 Day Hike
The schedule for Humantay Lake Tour on Day 1 is as follows:
We pick you up between 4:30 and 5:00 AM from your hotel for a scenic drive to Mollepata (2 hours), where we stop for a hearty breakfast before continuing to the trailhead at Soraypampa (3,900 m). Here, you’ll pay a small community entrance fee before preparing for your hike.
Hike to Humantay Lake
The trail climbs 3 km uphill over roughly 2 hours, leading to the stunning Humantay Lake. Once there, take in the turquoise waters set against snow-capped peaks, snap photos, and listen to your guide explain the local geology, flora, and legends. Depending on weather conditions, you’ll have 30–90 minutes to enjoy this breathtaking landscape.
Return to Cusco
After the hike, we descend back to Soraypampa and drive to Mollepata for a buffet lunch, followed by the 2-hour drive back to Cusco, arriving in the early afternoon.
Altitude: 3,900 m / 12,795 ft
Distance: 3 km uphill (round-trip 6 km)
Difficulty: Moderate
Highlights: Turquoise Humantay Lake, snow-capped peaks, Andean landscapes
Our OFFER PRICE applies to people who already booked with us for one of our tours to Machu Picchu such Salkantay trek, Inca jungle, Machu Picchu tours, etc.
Our prices for Lake Humantay are reasonable and are in line with the prices that are handled in the city of Cusco. If you book this tour online or directly at our office in Cusco, the price does not vary, we always keep the same price and the quality of the service we provide will always be the best.
This is an OPTION for those who are not able to hike or just want to enjoy horseback riding in the mountains. Once you arrive at the beginning of the Lake Humantay hike you can rent a riding horse from the locals directly with the help of the guide. The price that they charge for the horse usually is 80 soles or 22 dollars and the horse will take you to Humantay Lake and take you back also the owner of the horse will be pulling the horse ahead and you only have to sit down on the horse and enjoy.
Booking online: If you like to book the lake Humantay tour online, we request a deposit of 20 dollars per person, and the remaining balance you can pay once you arrive in Cusco at our office if you are not able to come to our office you can pay to the tour guide once you are on the tour also is possible to pay the full amount online.
Booking at the office: If you like you can come to our office in Cusco to book the Lake Humantay tour one of our salespeople will give you all the details of the tour and take your reservations. You can book the Lake Humantay tour even one day before.
The way up takes between 1.5 to 2 hours on a gradual trail, If you take the same way to return takes like 1.5 hours and if I return through the red valley it takes about 2 hours.
This is a difficult question to answer as Peru has a huge variety of conditions. The best time is the dry season runs from May to November and this is typically the time that is most recommended.
For the Laguna Humantay, you do not need to carry any documents, only for emergencies or some unexpected control, you can take a copy of your passport.
All the vehicles that we use for this type of tour are the Sprinter Mercedes Benz modern minibusses. These vehicles have all the documentation required by the national authorities. They are maintained daily to keep them in good condition and clean and each vehicle has been properly logged.
When traveling throughout the Andes in Peru some people will suffer some effects. If you plan to hike the Laguna Humantay, we recommend arriving 2 or 3 days before the start to acclimate and rest or you can do it on the last day of your time in Cusco since the rainbow mountain is at 5000m.
Just click on the BOOK NOW button and fill out all the required information and one of our sales advisors will contact you immediately if you want to talk by WhatsApp with a specialist you can contact this number. +51993492123. You can also book our other city tours.
Yes. We require a booking deposit of 20 dollars for the Laguna Humantay, if you cancel the tour 24 hours in advance, you will have a 100% refund, if you do not do it within 24 hours you will lose the money deposited.
Once we receive the deposit we confirm your reservation through email sending you all the details about the tour.
Yes, you can go by horse to the Laguna Humantay, you can rent horses directly from the local people which costs between 60 and 80 soles per person.
The time that we usually spend at the Laguna Humantay viewpoint is about an hour, depending on the group’s pace and the weather conditions.
We recommend dressing as follows for the Lake Humantay tour
What to bring for the tour
January 10, 2024 · Apple Travel Peru
It was my best experience with Apple Travel. I had incredible excellent service. The team is very attentive and friendly.
Read moreOctober 21, 2022 · Apple Travel Peru
Incredible service and experience in Inca Trail 4 days travel. Everything was top of the notch. Thanks Ivanoe, my guide.
Read moreOctober 19, 2022 · Apple Travel Peru
The 2 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu was everything I expected and more. Gorgeous from beginning to end. The tour guides were great and very knowledgeable.
Read moreOctober 11, 2022 · Apple Travel Peru
It was a great experience with all the team Apple Travel. I enjoyed my whole trip. Thanks a lot for being part of my vacation in Cusco.
Read moreMar 2026 · SAM Travel Peru
A very organized Salkantay experience with caring guides, strong support at altitude, and memorable food after long hiking days.
Read moreMar 2026 · SAM Travel Peru
The guide and chef made the trek feel safe, enjoyable, and personal, even when altitude made the journey challenging.
Read moreMar 2026 · SAM Travel Peru
A difficult hike became possible thanks to a patient guide who encouraged the group and helped through the hardest sections.
Read moreMar 2026 · SAM Travel Peru
The guide adapted the pace and itinerary well, combining knowledge, courtesy, and flexibility throughout the tour.
Read moreJan 29, 2026 · SAM Travel Peru
A smooth multi-day trip with patient guiding, careful logistics, clean transport, and thoughtful help at every site.
Read moreJan 29, 2026 · SAM Travel Peru
The experience exceeded expectations with a local guide whose knowledge and enthusiasm made the journey feel meaningful.
Read moreOct 29, 2025 · SAM Travel Peru
The guide brought history and culture to life while keeping the group comfortable and helping capture great memories.
Read moreFeb 29, 2026 · SAM Travel Peru
The team handled planning easily and adjusted the route around weather and walking ability without losing key highlights.
Read moreApril 21, 2024 · SAM Travel Peru
Expert guides, strong porters, and memorable meals helped turn a demanding trail into a remarkable group experience.
Read moreApril 18, 2024 · SAM Travel Peru
The guides kept the schedule smooth and attentive, making the first visit to Machu Picchu easy to recommend.
Read moreApril 9, 2024 · SAM Travel Peru
The guide, cook, and porter team brought great energy, answered questions, and even helped celebrate a birthday.
Read moreApril 17, 2024 · SAM Travel Peru
The guide respected a slower pace, shared useful knowledge, and made the route feel supportive and enjoyable.
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