Humantay Lake day trip: the complete guide
Few day trips from Cusco reward you like Humantay Lake — a sheet of glowing turquoise water cupped beneath a glacier at 4,200 metres. The hike is short but the altitude is real, so here is how to enjoy it at your best.
The lake and the hike
After an early drive to Soraypampa, it is a steady 1.5-hour climb to the lake at 4,200 m, beneath the glaciers of Salkantay and Humantay. The colour comes from glacial minerals suspended in the meltwater.
Altitude, what to wear, when to go
The climb is short but steep in thin air, so acclimatize in Cusco first and take it slowly; horses are available. Mornings are cold and the sun is fierce — bring layers and sun protection (packing guide). The dry season gives the clearest water and skies.
See the Humantay Lake tour
A guided day trip to the turquoise lake.
Want to stay longer?
You can also reach Humantay on the overnight Salkantay and Humantay 2-day trek, which adds the Salkantay Pass the next morning.
The hike: short, steep and high
Humantay Lake sits at about 4,200 m, reached by a steep climb of roughly 45 minutes to 90 minutes from the trailhead at Soraypampa (around 3,900 m). It is not a long walk — under 3 km each way — but the gradient combined with altitude makes it feel tougher than the map suggests.
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Lake altitude | ~4,200 m |
| Trailhead (Soraypampa) | ~3,900 m |
| Ascent | ~300 m over 2–3 km |
| Hiking time | 45–90 min up, 30–45 min down |
| Difficulty | Moderate — short but steep at altitude |
Why the water is that impossible turquoise
The lake's vivid colour comes from glacial flour — fine rock particles ground down by the Humantay glacier above it and suspended in the meltwater. These particles scatter sunlight toward the blue-green end of the spectrum, producing the milky turquoise that photographs so dramatically. The colour is strongest under direct light, which is another reason to arrive before midday cloud.
How the day trip works
Humantay is a long single day from Cusco. Expect a pre-dawn pickup (around 4–5 a.m.), a roughly three-hour drive to Mollepata and Soraypampa with a breakfast stop, the hike, time at the lake, lunch, and the drive back, returning to Cusco in the late afternoon or evening. It is the same trailhead used by the multi-day Salkantay trek, so the day trip doubles as a taste of that route.
Because it climbs above 4,000 m, do not schedule Humantay for your first day in Cusco. Acclimatize first; see our altitude guide. If you want to combine it with a night under the stars, the 2-day Salkantay & Humantay option adds a sky-camp at Soraypampa.
Frequently asked questions
About 4,200 m, so acclimatizing in Cusco beforehand is important even though the hike itself is short.
It is a steady 1.5-hour climb — short but demanding because of the altitude. Going slowly makes it manageable, and horses are available.
The dry season, May to September, gives the clearest turquoise water and the most reliable weather.
