Humantay Lake is a glacier-fed lake at about 4,200 m, under the ice of Humantay peak (5,473 m) in the Cordillera Vilcabamba, west of Cusco. You reach it by road to Soraypampa, about three and a half hours from Cusco through Mollepata, then walk up roughly 350 m of height in one and a half to two hours. The path is not technical: the altitude is what makes it hard. Most people go on a full-day tour from Cusco; others hike it on the afternoon of day 1 of the Salkantay trek.
This guide covers the hike, the altitude, how to get there, fees, and how Humantay compares with Rainbow Mountain. Route data and the elevation profile are on our Humantay trail page.
- Humantay Lake at a Glance
- The Humantay Lake Hike, Step by Step
- Humantay Lake Altitude and Acclimatisation
- Humantay Lake from Cusco: Three Ways to Go
- Humantay on Day 1 of the Salkantay Trek
- Best Time to Visit Humantay Lake
- Entrance Fee, Horses and What Tours Include
- Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain?
- Safety: Altitude, Weather and the Glacier
- What to Bring
- How We Can Help
Humantay Lake at a Glance
| Humantay Lake | |
|---|---|
| Lake altitude | About 4,200 m |
| Trailhead | Soraypampa, about 3,850 to 3,900 m |
| Height gain | About 350 m |
| Walking distance | About 2 to 3 km each way, 6 to 7 km return |
| Time on foot | 1.5 to 2 hours up, 1 to 1.5 hours down, plus time at the lake |
| Drive from Cusco | About 3 hours to Mollepata, then 30 to 40 minutes to Soraypampa |
| Full day from Cusco | About 14 hours, leaving between 4:00 and 5:00 am |
| Entrance fee | Paid in cash in soles; most recently reported as S/ 30 for foreign visitors |
| Best months | May to September |
The Humantay Lake Hike, Step by Step
The walk starts at the Soraypampa car park, where the Salkantay campsites and lodges are. Breakfast on a tour is usually taken in Mollepata on the way up.
- The first stretch climbs gently across open grassland with the Salkantay massif ahead. Take it slower than feels necessary: this is where people spend the energy they will want later.
- The switchbacks are the hard part. The path steepens into dusty, loose zigzags for the last part of the climb. Short steps, steady breathing, and a stop every few minutes is the right pace here.
- The lake sits in a bowl under the Humantay glacier. Give yourself ten minutes on the shore to get your breath back before the photos. You will see small stacks of stones left as offerings: leave them as they are.
- The descent takes about an hour and is harder on knees than on lungs. Poles help on the loose sections.
Why published distances disagree: some count one way from the lake car park (about 2 to 3 km), some count the return trip (6 to 7 km), and a few start from Mollepata. The height gain from Soraypampa is about 350 m whichever way it is counted.
Humantay Lake Altitude and Acclimatisation
At about 4,200 m, Humantay Lake is some 850 m higher than Cusco, which the CDC puts at about 3,350 m. Because you sleep back in Cusco the same night, it is a day trip to altitude rather than a night at it, and that is easier on the body. It is still high enough to give a newly arrived visitor a headache, breathlessness and nausea.
- Spend at least two nights in Cusco before the hike, keeping the first day quiet.
- Drink water steadily through the day and skip alcohol the night before.
- Walk at a pace at which you could still hold a conversation, even on the switchbacks.
- If a headache gets worse, or you feel confused or vomit, turn round. Going down is the treatment.
Humantay is also a useful step in an acclimatisation plan. A day at 4,200 m followed by a night in Cusco is a good test before the Salkantay trek, before Rainbow Mountain at 5,036 m, or before the Ausangate trek, where you sleep above 4,250 m every night. Our altitude sickness guide covers symptoms and medication.
Humantay Lake from Cusco: Three Ways to Go
1. A full-day tour
The usual way. Pick-up from your Cusco hotel between 4:00 and 5:00 am, about three hours west on the Abancay road through Limatambo, breakfast in Mollepata, then 30 to 40 minutes on a dirt road to Soraypampa. You walk from mid-morning, have lunch back in Mollepata or Soraypampa and reach Cusco between 6:00 and 7:00 pm. Compare what each tour includes: breakfast, lunch, the entrance fee and the size of the group vary.
2. On your own
Buses to Mollepata leave from the Arcopata area of Cusco and cost about S/ 15. From Mollepata you need a shared or private car to Soraypampa; reported prices run from about S/ 50 to S/ 100 depending on whether you share. Start early and agree the return before you set off, since few cars wait at Soraypampa in the afternoon.
3. As part of the Salkantay trek
Salkantay itineraries pass Soraypampa on the first day, and many add Humantay Lake. See the next section for how that works on our own trek.
Humantay on Day 1 of the Salkantay Trek
On our 5-day Salkantay trek, day 1 starts with a private transfer from Cusco to Mollepata and a 12 km walk up to camp at Soraypampa, at about 3,900 m. In the afternoon there is an optional hike up to Humantay Lake at 4,200 m, back down to sleep at camp, and the next morning the group crosses the 4,650 m Salkantay Pass.
There is a trade-off. By afternoon the morning wave of day tours has gone down, so the lake is usually quieter. Cloud also tends to build later in the day, so on some afternoons the glacier above the lake is hidden. The climb also works as acclimatisation: walking to 4,200 m and sleeping at 3,900 m is a sensible step before the pass. If you are deciding between treks, our Salkantay trek guide and Salkantay trail data cover the rest of the route.
Best Time to Visit Humantay Lake
| Months | What to expect at the lake |
|---|---|
| May to September | Dry season. The best chance of sun on the water, which is what turns it turquoise. Cold mornings, busiest in June to August. |
| April and October | Shoulder months. Some rain, more cloud, fewer people. |
| November to March | Rainy season. Muddy switchbacks, cloud over the glacier and duller water on overcast days. Heavy rain can close the road. |
Rain does close the route. In February 2024 the district municipality of Mollepata suspended visits after the Ñañohuayco river flooded at Soraypampa and cut the path to the lake (Gestión). In the wet season, check the morning you go. For month-by-month conditions around Cusco, see our Peru weather guide.
Entrance Fee, Horses and What Tours Include
The entrance fee is collected locally in cash, in soles, on the way up through Mollepata district. Reported amounts have risen over time: S/ 10 for foreign visitors in older guides, S/ 20 in others, and S/ 30 for foreign visitors and S/ 20 for Peruvians in a Cusco operator’s guide published in December 2025. Carry S/ 30 to 40 in small notes and ask your tour whether the fee is included.
Horses can be hired at Soraypampa for the climb; one operator reported prices from S/ 100 per section in late 2025. They stop short of the lake, so everyone walks the last stretch, about ten minutes. A horse saves your legs, not your lungs: you are at the same altitude either way.
Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain?
| Humantay Lake | Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) | |
|---|---|---|
| Highest point | About 4,200 m | 5,036 m |
| Direction from Cusco | West, through Mollepata | Southeast, through Pitumarca or Cusipata |
| Drive from Cusco | About 3.5 hours each way | About 2.5 to 3 hours each way |
| The walk | Shorter and steeper | Longer and more gradual, but higher |
| What you see | A turquoise lake under a glacier | Mineral-striped slopes, with Ausangate on clear days |
| Good for | A first hike at altitude | Visitors already acclimatised to 4,000 m |
If you have time for both, do Humantay first: it is lower, and the night back in Cusco helps you prepare for the higher day. Our Rainbow Mountain guide covers Vinicunca, the Red Valley and the quieter Palccoyo alternative.
Safety: Altitude, Weather and the Glacier
- Altitude first. Most problems at Humantay are altitude problems. Turn round if symptoms worsen.
- Stay out of the water. It is glacial melt close to freezing, and cold-water shock at 4,200 m is dangerous. Local families leave offerings at the lake; treat it as a place that matters to them.
- Keep to the path below the glacier. In July 2026 Peru’s glacier research institute, INAIGEM, asked for a formal risk assessment of the Humantay peak after video showed a mass of snow and ice falling towards the lake. It noted that up to 1,500 people visit on busy days, that no early-warning system exists, and that the lodges and camps at Soraypampa sit in a vulnerable area (Gestión). Don’t climb above the lakeshore towards the ice, and follow any closure or instruction given on the day.
- Dress for four seasons. Temperatures at the lake run from around 10 °C in sun to near freezing in wind or cloud.
What to Bring
- Walking shoes or boots with grip for loose, dusty switchbacks
- Warm layer and a windproof, waterproof jacket
- Hat, gloves, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen: the sun at 4,200 m burns fast
- Two litres of water and snacks
- Cash in soles for the entrance fee and an optional horse
- Trekking poles if your knees dislike descents
For a longer list for multi-day routes, see our Peru trekking packing list.
How We Can Help
Inca Trail Reservations is a Cusco-run trekking operator. We don’t sell a Humantay day tour on its own. Humantay Lake is part of day 1 on our Salkantay trek, and we are happy to advise if you want to fit it into an Inca Trail or Salkantay trip as an acclimatisation day.
Email info@incatrailreservations.com with your dates and plans. For more routes around Cusco, see our Peru trekking guide and the Cusco travel guide.
About this guide: updated 8 October 2026. Altitude guidance from the CDC Yellow Book; closures and the INAIGEM warning as reported by Gestión; entrance fees from dated operator reports. Fees and access change; confirm them in Cusco before you go.