Kategorie: Destinations | Lesezeit: 6 min
There is a lake sitting at 4,200 meters in a glacial cirque below the Humantay peak, about two hours above the first Salkantay campsite, that most people outside of Peru have never heard of. The water is a deep, almost unnatural turquoise, fed by glacial melt from the mountains above it. The walls of the cirque rise steeply on three sides. On a clear morning, with the peak reflected in the surface and no sound except wind and water, it is one of the most quietly extraordinary places in the Andes.
Humantay Lake has been known to the Quechua communities of the region for centuries. It is only relatively recently that it has appeared on the itineraries of international travelers. If you are planning the Salkantay trek, it deserves serious consideration as either a pre-trek day trip or an addition to your first day on the trail.
Humantay Lake sits in the Cusco region of southern Peru, in the district of Mollepata within the province of Anta. The lake is located at the foot of Humantay peak, which at 5,950 meters forms part of the same glacial massif as the Salkantay itself. The two mountains are neighbors and the lake sits in the valley between them.
The trailhead for Humantay Lake is at Soraypampa, the same location as the first campsite on the Salkantay trek. From there the trail climbs for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, gaining around 300 meters of altitude before arriving at the lake shore. The path is clear and well-worn. It is steep in the final section but there are no technical difficulties.
As a day trip from Cusco before your trek
This is the most common approach for travelers who want to visit the lake without combining it with the multi-day trek. The drive from Cusco to Soraypampa takes approximately two hours. From there the walk to the lake and back takes two to three hours, and you are back in Cusco by early afternoon.
The advantage of this option is that it gives you the lake as its own dedicated experience, without the fatigue of a first day of trekking. It also serves as useful altitude preparation before the Salkantay trek itself. Walking to 4,200 meters on a day trip, observing how your body responds, and returning to Cusco to sleep is exactly the kind of gradual acclimatization that makes a difference when you are crossing the Salkantay Pass two days later.
The practical consideration is that it requires a full day and a round trip of four hours by road. If your time in Cusco before the trek is limited to one or two days and you want to spend that time resting and acclimatizing gently, a long day trip may work against you rather than for you.
As an add-on at the end of Day 1 of the Salkantay Trek
The alternative is to visit the lake in the late afternoon of the first day on the trail, after arriving at Soraypampa camp. The walk from camp to the lake takes 45 minutes each way and the timing, usually between 3pm and 5pm, catches the afternoon light on the water at its best.
This option works well for trekkers who are reasonably well acclimatized and have energy to spare after the first day of walking. It does add altitude and distance to a day that already involves several hours of uphill trekking. For most people in good shape with two nights of acclimatization in Cusco behind them, it is entirely manageable. For those who struggled on the first day or are feeling the altitude, the honest advice is to rest at camp instead.
The color of the water is the first thing people notice and the thing they most struggle to describe afterward. It is not blue in the way a clear sky is blue or a swimming pool is blue. It is a deep, mineral turquoise that shifts with the light and the angle, ranging from pale aquamarine in the shallows to something closer to dark jade toward the center. The color comes from glacial flour, fine rock particles ground by the glacier above and carried into the lake by meltwater. No photograph does it full justice, though people spend a considerable amount of time trying.
The setting intensifies the effect. The lake sits in a bowl formed by steep rocky walls on three sides, with the glaciers of Humantay peak visible above the back wall. The scale takes a moment to register when you first arrive. On a windless morning the entire scene reflects on the surface with a clarity that makes the reflection look more vivid than the reality.
Beyond the visual impact, Humantay Lake carries significant spiritual meaning for the Quechua communities of the region. The lake is considered a sacred site, home to a powerful water spirit known as Unu in Quechua tradition. Small offerings of flowers, coca leaves, and other items are still regularly left at the shore by local community members as a form of tribute and communication with the spirit of the water. The practice is ongoing, not ceremonial or performative for tourists, and the site is treated accordingly by visitors who understand its significance.
Altitude: 4,200 meters above sea level. If you are arriving directly from sea level or have spent fewer than two nights in Cusco, the altitude will be felt on the climb. Take it slowly, breathe deliberately, and stop if you need to.
Time required: The round trip from Soraypampa takes approximately two to three hours at a comfortable pace, including time at the lake shore.
What to bring: Water, sunscreen, and a warm layer. The temperature at the lake can drop significantly even on a warm day when the wind picks up off the glacier. The climb generates heat but the lake shore itself can be cold.
Photography: Morning light hits the back wall of the cirque and reflects on the water. Afternoon light falls more directly on the surface and gives the color more depth. Both are worth seeing. If you are visiting as a day trip, arriving early gives you the lake before the groups that come later in the morning.
Entrance: There is a small community-managed entrance fee at the trailhead, currently around 10 soles per person. The fee supports the local community of Soraypampa.
Crowds: Humantay Lake has grown considerably in popularity over the past several years and the trail can be busy during peak hours on weekends and in high season. Arriving early, before 8am if visiting as a day trip, makes a significant difference to the experience.
Humantay Lake and the Salkantay trek are inseparable in a way that goes beyond geography. The lake sits at the foot of one mountain in the same glacial group as the Salkantay itself. On the morning of Day 2, when you cross the Salkantay Pass, you will be looking back over the same valley where the lake sits hidden below. The two experiences frame each other in a way that makes the combined visit, lake plus trek, feel more complete than either one alone.
For anyone planning the Salkantay, Humantay Lake is not a distraction from the main event. It is part of the same story.
Humantay Lake can be added to any of our Salkantay trek packages. Get in touch to include it in your itinerary.
