Best Humantay Lake Tours

Three hours north-west of Cusco, a glacier pours down the face of Nevado Humantay into a pool of water so turquoise it looks painted, with Salkantay's snowfields towering beside it. Getting there means a dark-morning pickup and a steep climb to 4,200 meters. From every Humantay Lake tour on GetYourGuide and Viator we handpicked six: three well-run group days with breakfast and lunch, a private day, a 3 am start that beats the vans to the trail and a night in a glass dome. What each one costs, when it leaves, and what the listings leave in the small print.

  • Best season: May to SeptemberThe dry months, with the clearest mornings and the best odds of seeing Salkantay's summit
  • Book a month ahead in the dry seasonThe popular departures fill about five weeks out on average, the small early tours months ahead

In a hurry? Our top pick for Humantay Lake is the group day trip by Chullos Travel Peru: ~$25, breakfast and a buffet lunch included, rated 4.9 by 3,240+ travelers on Viator. Book it here.

Book on Viator Book on GetYourGuide Compare all 6

Humantay Lake tours at a glance

  • 12 to 15 hours door to doorPickups run from 3 to 5 am, and most vans are back in Cusco between 5 and 6 pm
  • 1.5 to 2 hours uphillAbout 3 km on a stony track from Soraypampa, steep zigzags at the end, an hour back down
  • 4,200 meters above the seaHigher than Cusco by about 800 meters. Spend two or three days in town before you go
  • Cash for the trailEntrance of 20 soles (about $5–6), a horse if you want one, toilets and tips, all in soles

At the top of the climb, photographed

Cairns on the shore, Salkantay above
Lupins on the slope above the water
The glacier wall from the red rocks
Green shallows on a still morning
Alpenglow on the snow at dusk
The lake from above, the trail curling in
The stony track under the Vilcabamba peaks
Pink light on the ice before sunrise
Looking down from the ridge
Meltwater falls feeding the lake

If you only have a minute

Which Humantay Lake tour should you book?

If a friend asked us over a coca tea in the Plaza de Armas which Humantay trip to take, this is what we would say.

The best Humantay Lake tour for most travelers is Chullos Travel Peru's group day, from ~$25. A van collects you in Cusco's historic center before dawn, breakfast waits in Mollepata, a bilingual guide walks the climb at the group's pace with walking sticks and an oxygen bottle along, and a buffet lunch follows on the way home. It holds 4.9 out of 5 from more than 3,200 reviews on Viator and 4.8 from over 1,500 on GetYourGuide, which is as close to a sure thing as this trip gets.

Prefer the biggest name on GetYourGuide? Inka Altitude runs almost the same day from ~$34 with more than 4,300 reviews behind it. Kantu Peru Tours keeps its groups to 16 from ~$27. For a guide and a van of your own, MachuPicchu Journey's private day starts at ~$99 a head. To reach the shore before the crowd, exploor's 3 am departure costs ~$199, and to sleep under the glaciers there is BioAndean's two days with a night in a glass dome.

No tour can promise you a cloudless Salkantay, and none of them makes the climb flat. Check what a Humantay Lake tour really costs and how to handle the altitude, see how the day is split between road and trail, then read what the listings play down before you pay.

Our pick

The Humantay tour we would book: Chullos Travel Peru

Not the most exclusive way up. It is the one that gets the basics right thousands of times over: an early but punctual pickup, two proper meals, a guide who waits for the slowest walker and a price that leaves room in the budget for Machu Picchu.

The turquoise lake under a glacier and dark rock walls, seen from the stony shore Our pick

Humantay Lake Day Trip with Breakfast and Buffet Lunch, Chullos Travel Peru

4.9 / 5 from 3,240+ reviews on Viator · 4.8 / 5 from 1,523+ on GetYourGuide

The van stops at your hotel in the historic center somewhere between 4 and 5 am, and the guide, in a black-and-orange Chullos polo, will already have written to you on WhatsApp the day before. Two hours of winding road later you are in Mollepata, a farming town in the valley, eating breakfast while the sky turns pale. Another stretch of dirt road brings you to Challacancha, where the walking starts.

The climb takes about two hours for most people, the last part in tight zigzags up the moraine. Walking sticks are handed out, and the guide carries a first aid kit and an oxygen bottle for anyone the altitude hits hard. At the top you get free time on the shore under the Humantay glacier, then the same path back down and a buffet lunch in Mollepata before the drive home, with arrival around 6 pm.

Price
from ~$25 per person on Viator, about $28 on GetYourGuide
Duration
About 13–15 hours door to door
On the trail
About 2 hours up, 1 hour down
Rating
4.9 / 5 (Viator) · 4.8 / 5 (GetYourGuide)
Pickup
Hotels in Cusco's historic center, 4–5 am
Group
Up to 15 on Viator, up to 19 on GetYourGuide
Meals
Breakfast and a buffet lunch in Mollepata
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours, pay later on both sites
Viator GetYourGuide

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

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How the day runs, step by step

Pickup times depend on where you sleep. The order below follows the listings and what recent guests describe:

From Cusco

  • Pickup at your hotel in the historic center, 4–5 am
  • About two hours on the road to Mollepata, then breakfast

Under Salkantay

  • A dirt road up the valley to the trailhead at Challacancha
  • About two hours of climbing to the lake at 4,200 m
  • Free time on the shore, with the guide's story of the lake
  • The same path down, then a buffet lunch in Mollepata
  • Back in the historic center around 6 pm

What the price covers

The ticket buys the transport, the guide and both meals. Anything you pay on the mountain itself is extra, and only cash in soles works there.

Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in the historic center
  • A bilingual guide, English and Spanish
  • Breakfast and a buffet lunch
  • Walking sticks, first aid and an oxygen bottle
Not included
  • The entrance, 20 soles in cash
  • A horse for the climb, about 100 soles
  • Tips for the guide and the driver
  • Travel insurance

Between us, before you go

This is a big operation, and on a busy dry-season morning you share the trail with dozens of other vans. One recent reviewer felt the group was hurried along, and another saw hikers in running shoes slip on the loose stones coming down. The guides are the reason people keep writing five stars: names like Tito and Wilfredo come up again and again for patience on the steep part.

Wear boots with grip, carry small notes in soles and a warm layer for the first hours. Our packing list for Humantay covers the cold start and the strong sun at the top.

Why it beats going on your own

Shared vans and colectivos do run toward Mollepata, but the timing is awkward and nothing waits for you at the trailhead. For about the price of a good dinner in Cusco you get door-to-door transport on a road that is no fun to drive, two meals, and a guide who knows when to turn someone back. Getting to Humantay from Cusco sets out the options.

Who we would not send on it

Travelers who hate crowds, who will be happier on exploor's early departure or a night at the domes. Anyone who wants a guide to themselves, who should look at a private day. And anyone who arrived in Cusco yesterday, who should read our altitude guide and wait a couple of days.

Book it if

You want Humantay done well for little money, with no planning beyond setting an alarm. The van, the guide and two meals are sorted, the reviews run into the thousands, and the price leaves room for a horse if your legs give out. Bring boots, layers, sunscreen and a handful of soles.

Skip it if

Ready for the turquoise?

Viator shows the lower regular price and more than twice as many reviews, and both sites let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before and reserve now, pay later. Pick whichever account you already have.

Viator GetYourGuide

The day itself

How a Humantay Lake tour works

Every listing on this page comes down to two questions. Do you go up with the big morning wave of vans, or ahead of it? And which month, with the mountains anywhere from frosty and clear to wrapped in rain cloud?

Style · the classic group day

Breakfast, climb, buffet

Chullos, Inka Altitude, Kantu, MachuPicchu Journey

12–15 hpickup 3:30–5 am, breakfast and lunch in Mollepata

The van leaves Cusco in the dark, stops for breakfast, and reaches the trailhead with everyone else in the middle of the morning. Cheap, well organized and sociable, with a busy shore at the top. The private day follows the same clock with your own guide.

Style · ahead of the crowd

Earlier, or overnight

exploor, BioAndean's domes

3 am or 2 dayson the trail before the vans, or sleeping beside it

Leave at 3 am and start walking at about 7:40, or spend a night at the foot of the climb. You pay several times more for a quieter lake and a gentler pace.

Humantay weather and crowds, month by month

  • How busy the trail gets
  1. Jan66°F high19 °C

    Rainy season, peaks often in cloud

  2. Feb66°F high19 °C

    The wettest month, a muddy trail

  3. Mar66°F high19 °C

    Showers easing, green valleys

  4. Apr67°F high19 °C

    Shoulder month, clearing skies

  5. May67°F high19 °C

    Dry season begins, crisp and clear

  6. Jun66°F high19 °C

    Frosty dawns, Cusco's festival month

  7. Jul66°F high19 °C

    The busiest weeks, the coldest nights

  8. Aug68°F high20 °C

    Clear and busy, windy afternoons

  9. Sep68°F high20 °C

    Still dry, the crowds thinning

  10. Oct69°F high21 °C

    Shoulder month, the first showers

  11. Nov70°F high21 °C

    Rains return in the afternoons

  12. Dec68°F high20 °C

    Wet, with busy holiday weeks

Temperatures are typical daytime highs in Cusco. The lake sits about 800 meters higher, so expect it several degrees colder, with frost at dawn through the dry months and strong sun at midday. The bars show roughly how busy the trail gets. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick for clear peaks without the July crush. The year in detail.

Road and trail, hour by hour

  • From pickup to drop-off
  • On the trail and at the lake
  • The night at the domes

Hours from the listings, rounded. The orange stretch covers the walk up, the time on the shore and the walk down; everything else is the road, the breakfast stop and lunch. On BioAndean's trip the dashed part is the afternoon and night at the camp, with the Salkantay Pass the next day.

  1. Acclimatize firstTwo or three days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before the climb make the biggest difference of anything you can do. Altitude at Humantay.
  2. Check the start timeMost vans leave between 3:30 and 5 am and reach the trail together. If you want a quiet shore, book an earlier start.
  3. Carry solesThe entrance, a horse, the toilets at the trailhead and tips are paid in cash on the mountain. Cards do not work up there.
  4. Dress for two seasonsBelow freezing at dawn, hot sun by eleven. Layers, a hat, gloves and boots with grip. What to bring.

The Humantay Lake hike, step by step walks you up the trail from the parking area to the shore and the ridge above it.

How to choose

How to pick the right Humantay tour

The photos all show the same turquoise water. What differs is how many people climb with you, when you leave, and how much of the day is yours.

Group or private

Group days take 15 to 19 people for ~$25–27. A private day costs about four times as much and moves at your pace. Private and small-group tours.

Start time

Most vans reach the trailhead in the same hour. exploor leaves at 3 am to beat them, and BioAndean sleeps nearby. How the day runs from Cusco.

Fitness and altitude

The climb is short but steep, and it ends at 4,200 m. Arrive in Cusco a few days early and take it slowly. Coping with the altitude.

Horse or on foot

Local families rent horses at the trailhead for 80 to 100 soles, cash only, for most of the way up. Riding up to the lake.

One day or two

A day trip is enough to see the lake. Two days add a night under the glaciers and the Salkantay Pass. Humantay and the Salkantay trek.

Price

From ~$25 for a group day to ~$350 for the dome night, per person. The entrance, a horse and tips come on top. Every price in one table.

Everything else to do in and around Cusco

The 6 tours

Six Humantay Lake tours, side by side

We read every Humantay Lake listing for Cusco on both booking sites and kept the six we would book ourselves. Price, rating, operator and the catch for each, with a button for each site that sells it.

A smiling hiking group posing on the rocks in front of a glacier and snowy peaks Our pick

Humantay Lake Day Trip with Breakfast and Buffet Lunch, Chullos Travel Peru

The one we'd hand to a friend who just wants it to go right.

Pickup in the historic center between 4 and 5 am, breakfast in Mollepata, about two hours up from Challacancha with walking sticks lent, free time at the lake and a buffet lunch on the way back. First aid and oxygen travel with the guide.

  • DurationAbout 13–15 hours, 3 hours on the trail
  • OperatorChullos Travel Peru
  • RatingViator 4.9 (3,240+) · GetYourGuide 4.8 (1,523+)
  • GroupUp to 15 on Viator, 19 on GetYourGuide
  • StrengthsThousands of happy reviews, patient guides, a low price
  • Ideal forFirst-timers who want the classic day without fuss

Good to know: A busy, popular product, so the shore is crowded when you arrive. The entrance (20 soles) and a horse (about 100 soles up) are cash on the day. Not for travelers over 70. The hike in detail.

~$25per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A large group of hikers jumping in the air on a grassy slope below snow-covered mountains Most reviewed

Humantay Lake Tour with Breakfast and Buffet Lunch, Inka Altitude

For travelers who trust a crowd of 4,000 reviewers.

The classic day with a little extra time to wander: breakfast in Mollepata, about two hours up from Soraypampa, half an hour at the lake plus the optional scramble to the ridge for the view down, and a buffet lunch with a vegetarian option. A wooden walking stick is included.

  • Duration12–13.5 hours, back 5–6 pm
  • OperatorInka Altitude
  • RatingGetYourGuide 4.8 (4,304+) · Viator 4.9 (335+)
  • GroupUp to 19, private option up to 16
  • StrengthsGuides who let everyone climb at their own pace
  • Ideal forGetYourGuide users, groups of friends

Good to know: Pickup starts at 3:30 am and collecting the whole van can take 45 minutes. Reviewers mention cramped vans and air conditioning that gives up. Often shown reduced to about $24 on GetYourGuide. What it all costs.

~$34per person
GetYourGuide Viator
A hiker standing on a boulder high above the turquoise lake with cloud on the peaks Groups of 16

Humantay Lake Group Tour from Cusco, Kantu Peru Tours

For slow walkers who want a guide watching their back.

A slightly smaller van group, a proper pair of trekking poles each, and a guide who walks at the back of the line to help whoever needs it. About an hour and a half up from Soraypampa, around 40 minutes at the lake and home by about 5 pm.

  • DurationAbout 13 hours, pickup around 4 am
  • OperatorKantu Peru Tours
  • RatingViator 4.9 (191+) · GetYourGuide 4.9 (59+)
  • GroupUp to 16
  • StrengthsTrekking poles, oxygen, a guide at the back of the line
  • Ideal forNervous hikers on a budget

Good to know: Fewer reviews than the two big names. Snacks, drinks and toilet fees on the way are on you, and the horse costs 90 soles. About $30 on Viator. What to pack.

~$27per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A hiker sitting alone on the shore looking across the lake toward the glacier Private

Private Humantay Lake Excursion from Cusco, MachuPicchu Journey

For couples and families who'd rather not wait for anyone.

A van and a guide for your party only, from your hotel or Airbnb at 4:30 am, breakfast and lunch in Mollepata, and the entrance already paid. At the lake the guide shows you how an offering to the Apus, the mountain spirits, is made, and invites you to join in.

  • DurationAbout 12 hours, back around 5 pm
  • OperatorMachuPicchu Journey
  • RatingViator 4.9 (276+)
  • GroupYour party only
  • StrengthsYour own pace, the entrance included, a ritual at the lake
  • Ideal forSlow walkers, families, small groups of friends

Good to know: The timetable matches the group vans, so you reach the shore at the busy hour. The price per head falls as your party grows, so a couple pays the most. Viator only. Private tours compared.

~$99per person
Viator
Two hikers on the pale shore of a bright turquoise lake under dark mountain slopes Ahead of the crowd

Beat the Crowds Humantay Lake Day Tour, exploor

For photographers and anyone who came for the silence.

A 3 am pickup buys you the trail before the vans: breakfast near Soraypampa at dawn, walking by about 7:40, and the lake in its quiet hours. Groups stay at eight or fewer, the entrance and drinks are paid, lunch is at noon and you are back in Cusco by 3:30 pm.

  • DurationAbout 12.5 hours, back around 3:30 pm
  • Operatorexploor
  • RatingViator 4.9 (144+)
  • GroupPrivate, eight at most
  • StrengthsThe quietest lake of any day trip, an early finish
  • Ideal forPhotographers, crowd-averse couples

Good to know: The alarm goes off at about 2:30 am, and the price is eight times the group day. It books out months ahead (about 139 days on average). Viator only. When to go.

~$199per person
Viator
Inside a glass-walled dome with a double bed and a view of the mountains Overnight

Salkantay and Humantay Lake 2-Day Trek with Luxury Domes, BioAndean Expeditions

For hikers who want the lake and a taste of the Salkantay trail.

Humantay on the first day, then a night at a camp in Soraypampa in a glass dome with a real bed, a private bathroom with a hot shower and a wood stove. Afternoon tea, a ceviche and pisco sour class, alpacas and a sky full of stars, then the Salkantay Pass on day two.

  • Duration2 days, 1 night, pickup 5 am
  • OperatorBioAndean Expeditions
  • RatingViator 4.9 (124+)
  • GroupPrivate, 2 to 10 people
  • StrengthsA quiet evening by the mountain, a warm bed at 3,900 m
  • Ideal forFit hikers, couples, a special occasion

Good to know: Non-refundable, with no changes for any reason. The first breakfast is not included, nights are below freezing, and the pass day climbs to about 4,600 m. Viator only. Humantay and Salkantay.

~$350per person
Viator

A small heads-up. These are GetYourGuide and Viator affiliate links, so when you book through one we earn a little commission and you pay exactly the same. It keeps this guide going and never touches our ranking or the catches we point out.

Before you go

Eight things about Humantay tours that no listing puts in big letters

None of these sits at the top of a booking page, and each one decides whether you come down glowing or with a headache and cold fingers.

What you should know

  1. The price leaves out the mountain. On the group days the entrance (20 soles), a horse and the toilets are paid in cash at the trail. Bring small notes in soles; cards and dollars do not help up there.
  2. Everyone arrives at once. Most vans leave Cusco between 3:30 and 5 am and reach Soraypampa within the same hour. Earlier starts and the dome night are the only real escape. Quieter options.
  3. Short does not mean easy. The climb is only about 3 km, but it gains a few hundred meters at over 3,900 m and ends in steep zigzags. The trail, step by step.
  4. Altitude decides the day. Travelers who fly into Cusco and go the next morning suffer the most. Give yourself two or three days first. Altitude advice.
  5. Horses do most of the climb, not all of it. They are rented on the spot from local families, the operator does not manage them, and riders still walk the last steep part.
  6. The color needs sun. Under cloud the turquoise turns slate gray and Salkantay can vanish. The dry months give the best odds, never a promise.
  7. Running shoes slip. The path is loose stone and dust, and the way down is where people fall. Wear boots or trail shoes with grip.
  8. The dome trip cannot be cancelled. BioAndean's listing is non-refundable and accepts no changes, unlike the free 24-hour cancellation on the five day trips. The two-day option.

Everything in one table

Six Humantay Lake tours, catch included

The six tours side by side, with the strength and the catch of each one in the same row.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length Pickup Operator and rating Strength and catch Book
Chullos group day (our pick) First visit, any budget ~$25 13–15 h, about 2 h up Historic center, 4–5 am Chullos Travel Peru
Viator 4.9 (3,240+)
GetYourGuide 4.8 (1,523+)		 Two meals, poles, oxygen, low price. Busy shore, cash extras.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Inka Altitude group day GetYourGuide fans, friends ~$34 12–13.5 h, about 2 h up Historic center, 3:30–4 am Inka Altitude
GetYourGuide 4.8 (4,304+)
Viator 4.9 (335+)		 Patient guides, a ridge view. Cramped vans, 19 people.
GetYourGuideViator
Kantu group day Slower walkers on a budget ~$27 About 13 h, 1.5 h up Hotel, about 4 am Kantu Peru Tours
Viator 4.9 (191+)
GetYourGuide 4.9 (59+)		 Up to 16, poles for all. Fewer reviews, snacks extra.
ViatorGetYourGuide
MachuPicchu Journey private Families, your own pace ~$99 About 12 h Your hotel or Airbnb, 4:30 am MachuPicchu Journey
Viator 4.9 (276+)		 Private, entrance paid, an Apu offering. Same busy hour at the lake.
Viator
exploor Beat the Crowds A quiet lake, photographers ~$199 About 12.5 h, back 3:30 pm Hotel, hostel or Airbnb, 3 am exploor
Viator 4.9 (144+)		 On the trail before the vans, eight at most. Price, a 3 am start.
Viator
BioAndean domes, 2 days Fit hikers, a special trip ~$350 2 days, 1 night Hotel or main square, 5 am BioAndean Expeditions
Viator 4.9 (124+)		 A dome under the glaciers, Salkantay Pass. Non-refundable.
Viator

About the numbers. Prices are per-person "from" rates in US dollars (the lower one when a tour is on both sites), and ratings are what each site showed when we compared. Dates, group size and offers move them a little, so peek at both. The booking page has the final word.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who made the climb

Eighteen travelers, some who stood under a cloudless Salkantay and some who saw only mist, on what won them over and what they would do differently.

★★★★★Chullos group day

The van was outside our hostel at 4:20, and I slept until the breakfast stop in Mollepata, where the bread was still warm. The climb is no joke. I stopped every fifty steps in the zigzag part, and our guide Tito just stood next to me and talked about his village until I was ready again. When the lake appeared I actually laughed, the color is that strange. We had about forty minutes up there, then the buffet on the way home was better than half the restaurants in Cusco.

SLSophie L. · Utrecht, NetherlandsClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Inka Altitude group day

Read the reviews, booked the 4,000-review company, was not disappointed. The ridge to the left of the lake is the photo.

MKMateo K. · Santiago, ChileClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Kantu group day

Grey sky the whole morning, and our guide still made it the best day of the trip. Poles for everyone, no rush.

AOAoife O. · Galway, IrelandClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Private day trip

We went private because my father is 66 and walks slowly, and it was the right call. The driver picked us up at our Airbnb at 4:30, breakfast was just the three of us at a long table in Mollepata, and the guide let my father set every step of the pace. At the lake he laid out coca leaves on a cloth and showed us how to blow on them toward Salkantay before making an offering. My father, who is not a sentimental man, went quiet for a long time after that.

JRJonas R. · Hamburg, GermanyClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Early private start

The 3 am alarm hurt. Standing on that shore with maybe ten other people, watching the sun hit the glacier, did not. Walking down at nine we passed the first big groups coming up, a line of them all the way to the parking area, and I felt very smug. Back in Cusco by half past three. Expensive, but it felt like a different lake from the one in other people's photos.

NPNina P. · Vancouver, CanadaClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Two days, glass domes

I have slept in a lot of tents. Nothing compares to lying in a warm bed in a glass dome, wood stove ticking, with the whole Milky Way over Salkantay. The ceviche class was silly and fun, the alpacas were very patient with us, and the hot shower after the lake was the best shower of my life. Day two over the pass was hard, properly hard, so be honest about your fitness. And read the small print: you cannot cancel or move it, which made us nervous about the weather.

EBElla B. · Brighton, EnglandClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★☆Chullos group day

Great value and a lovely guide, but our van picked up the last people at 5:10 and the trail was busy by the time we got there. The lake was still gorgeous, just not peaceful. Bring soles for the toilet at the start.

DTDaniel T. · Austin, TexasClouds on the peaks
★★★★★Inka Altitude group day

Our guide Cesar kept the group of nineteen together without ever making the slow ones feel slow, which is a skill. My boyfriend took a horse halfway up after the altitude got him. Buffet lunch had a good vegetarian table.

LFLucía F. · Valencia, SpainClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Kantu group day

Sixteen people, and still our guide Wilfredo walked at the very back with the slowest of us and pointed out the glacier while we caught our breath. He explained everything twice, once in Spanish and once in English, and looked in on each person at the lake. The poles were proper trekking poles, not wooden sticks. Small thing, big difference on the way down.

HYHiroshi Y. · Osaka, JapanClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Private day trip

The private price paid off for us. A slow pace, a guide who answered all my questions, and lunch with a view.

CMCamille M. · Montréal, CanadaClouds on the peaks
★★★★☆Early private start

Quiet lake, small group, early finish. The 2:45 wake-up nearly broke me.

RARavi A. · Bangalore, IndiaClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Two days, glass domes

Stars like you would not believe from the dome bed, and a hot shower at 3,900 meters.

GWGrace W. · Melbourne, AustraliaClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Chullos group day

Cheapest tour I booked in Peru and one of the best organized. The guide sent a WhatsApp the night before with the exact pickup time, the van left on the minute, and breakfast and lunch were both proper meals. I wore running shoes and regretted it on the way down, the stones roll under you.

PSPablo S. · Mexico City, MexicoClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Inka Altitude group day

I booked this one because of the number of reviews and the price, and I was a bit afraid it would feel like a factory. It did not. Yes, the van was full and a little cramped, and the air conditioning gave up halfway, but the guide was so warm and so patient on the climb that I forgot about all of it. He waited with me at the steepest switchback when my head was pounding, gave me a sniff of oxygen and a coca sweet, and we made it to the shore together twenty minutes after the others.

IKIngrid K. · Oslo, NorwayClouds on the peaks
★★★★☆Kantu group day

A good company and a good guide, and they are honest about how hard the walk is. Two things I would change. We had only about forty minutes at the lake, which felt short after getting up at four, and the snacks and the toilet stop on the road are extra, so take small change. The climb is tougher than people make out, take the altitude seriously and do it at the end of your Cusco stay, not the start. Still, a fair price for a long and well-run day, and Salkantay came out of the clouds right as we arrived.

THTom H. · Cape Town, South AfricaClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Private day trip

Our private guide had a little speaker with Andean flute music for the walk down, which sounds cheesy and was perfect. Entrance was included, and the driver brought us oranges.

YCYuna C. · Seoul, South KoreaClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★★Early private start

We booked this four months ahead because every review said it fills up, and it was the best decision of our whole Peru trip. Our group was six. We reached the lake when there were maybe three other people and the water was completely still, so the glacier reflected in it like a mirror. By the time the crowds arrived we were sitting on the ridge with a thermos of tea the guide had carried up. The breakfast was fresh and simple, the lunch restaurant had the best view of the valley, and we were home by mid afternoon.

FDFemke D. · Antwerp, BelgiumClear sky over Salkantay
★★★★☆Two days, glass domes

The domes are beautiful and the staff kind, but the second day over the pass is very long and very high. Come fit and acclimatized.

SMStefan M. · Zurich, SwitzerlandClouds on the peaks

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Book Chullos for your Humantay day

If you have one free day in Cusco and want the lake without the planning, we would book Chullos Travel Peru. A van at your door before dawn, breakfast in a valley town, a guide who keeps the group together on the steep part and a buffet waiting on the way home.

More than three thousand travelers rate it 4.9 out of 5 on Viator, and both sites let you hold a place now, pay nearer the day and cancel until 24 hours before. Pack layers, sunscreen and a few soles.

~$25

per person · about 14 hours · pickup in Cusco

Viator GetYourGuide
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later on both sites
  • ✓ Breakfast and buffet lunch included
  • ✓ Pickup at your hotel in the historic center

Good to know

Why Humantay is turquoise, and what you are looking at

Five minutes of reading, and the colored water, the stone towers on the shore and the guide's small ceremony will make a lot more sense.

Humantay Lake is a glacier's waiting room. Ice on the face of Nevado Humantay, a peak of about 5,470 m, grinds the rock beneath it into a powder as fine as flour. The meltwater carries that powder down into the basin, where it hangs in the water and scatters the blue and green of the sunlight back at you. On a bright morning the effect is almost unreal. Under cloud, the same lake looks like cold slate.

01The mountain beside it

The giant to the right of the lake is Salkantay, which tops out near 6,270 m and stands taller than anything else in the Vilcabamba range. Its glaciers feed the valleys on both sides, and its name is usually translated as the wild or untamed mountain. The famous trek that crosses its shoulder toward Machu Picchu passes the lake on its first day. Humantay and the Salkantay trek.

02The road through Mollepata

Every tour drives the same route out of Cusco, west along the highway and then down into the Apurímac side valley to Mollepata, a farming town where the breakfast and lunch stops happen. From there a dirt road climbs to Soraypampa, a high meadow at about 3,900 m where the asphalt world ends and the trail begins. The drive in detail.

03Mountains that listen

In Andean belief the great peaks are Apus, protective spirits, and Salkantay is one of the most revered around Cusco. That is why some guides pause at the shore for a small offering of coca leaves, and why swimming in the lake is not allowed. The water is close to freezing in any case.

The moment most hikers remember is not the first sight of the color. It is the minute after, when they get their breath back and the glacier cracks somewhere above them.

04Stone towers on the shore

The little stacks of stones along the beach are apachetas, cairns built by passing travelers as a token for the mountain. Hundreds now line the shore and the trail. Admire them, photograph them, and leave the stones where they are; the community that looks after the lake asks visitors to keep it as they found it.

05Thin air at 4,200 meters

At the lake each breath carries roughly 40 percent less oxygen than at sea level, which is why a climb of a few hundred meters feels like a mountain. Coca tea helps many people feel better, the guides carry oxygen for emergencies, and the real cure is time in Cusco before you go. Altitude at Humantay Lake.

06Manners on the mountain

Carry your rubbish back down, use the paid toilets at the trailhead rather than the hillside, and step aside for horses on the narrow parts of the path. Ask before photographing local families and their animals. A few soles for the horse handler's help with a photo is normal.

4,200 mThe lake above sea level

6,270 mSalkantay's summit

3 kmThe trail up from Soraypampa

20 solesThe entrance, paid in cash

Torn between the lake and the striped slopes of Vinicunca? Our guide Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain? weighs the two big day trips from Cusco.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about Humantay Lake tours

Fourteen questions we hear again and again, with the full answer.

How much does a Humantay Lake tour cost?

Group days with breakfast, lunch and hotel pickup start at ~$25 per person, and the cash extras add the entrance of 20 soles, an optional horse of 80 to 100 soles and tips. A private day starts at ~$99 per person, and the two-day dome trip at ~$350. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which Humantay Lake tour is the best?

For most travelers, Chullos Travel Peru's group day: breakfast and lunch included, guides praised for patience and a 4.9 rating from more than 3,200 Viator reviews. If you want the lake quieter and can pay more, exploor's 3 am departure reaches the trail ahead of the vans.

How hard is the Humantay Lake hike?

Moderately hard, mainly because of the altitude. It is about 3 km up from Soraypampa with a climb of a few hundred meters, steepest in the zigzags near the top, and takes most people 1.5 to 2 hours up and an hour down. The trail, step by step.

How high is Humantay Lake?

About 4,200 m (13,780 ft) above sea level, roughly 800 m higher than Cusco. The trail starts at about 3,900 m at Soraypampa. Spend two or three days in Cusco or the Sacred Valley first to let your body adjust. Altitude advice.

What time do Humantay tours leave Cusco?

Most group tours pick up between 3:30 and 5 am and return between 5 and 6 pm. exploor leaves at 3 am to start walking ahead of the crowds and is back by 3:30 pm. Exact times depend on your hotel. How the day runs.

Can I ride a horse up to Humantay Lake?

Yes, local families rent horses at the trailhead for about 80 to 100 soles uphill, paid in cash. The horse covers most of the climb, and you walk the last steep stretch to the shore. Availability is never guaranteed. Riding up to the lake.

Is the entrance fee included in Humantay tours?

On the three group days it is not: you pay 20 soles in cash near the trail, about $5 to $6. MachuPicchu Journey's private day and exploor's early tour include it. Carry small notes in soles for the entrance, toilets and snacks.

When is the best time to visit Humantay Lake?

The dry season, roughly May to September, for clear mornings and the best chance of seeing Salkantay, with May, June and September a little calmer than July and August. The wet months bring cloud, rain and a muddy trail, but fewer people. Month by month.

What should I wear for Humantay Lake?

Layers for a freezing start and a hot sun later, a warm hat, gloves, a windproof jacket and hiking shoes with grip. Add sunglasses, strong sunscreen, water and a rain poncho in the wet season. What to bring.

Can I visit Humantay Lake without a tour?

Yes, but it is awkward. Shared transport runs from Cusco toward Mollepata and on to Soraypampa, yet the timing rarely fits a day trip and nothing waits for you at the end. For the price of a group tour, the organized day is easier. Getting there from Cusco.

Can I swim in Humantay Lake?

No. Swimming is not allowed: the lake is considered sacred by the local communities, and the glacier water is close to freezing. Enjoy it from the shore or from the ridge above.

Is a private Humantay tour worth the money?

It depends on your pace and your group. A private day lets slower walkers set the rhythm and gives you a guide to yourselves, but it follows the same clock as the vans. For a quiet lake, the start time matters more than privacy. Private tours compared.

Should I do Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain?

If you can only do one, Humantay is lower, at about 4,200 m against roughly 5,000 m on Rainbow Mountain, and gives you a glacier lake instead of striped slopes. With time for both, do Humantay first and rest a day between. The two compared.

Can I cancel a Humantay Lake tour for free?

The five day trips on this page cancel for free up to 24 hours before the start, and the group days let you reserve now and pay later. BioAndean's two-day dome trip is non-refundable and cannot be changed.

Read before you travel

Guides to Humantay Lake and the trail

Ten questions that keep coming up, each with the long answer instead of the short one.