Hike to the Andean Mountain Gem
If you come to Cusco, you should do the Humantay Lake tour as a day trip. In the last few years, this has become the most visited lagoon in Peru. Its turquoise color surprises everyone who gets here, exploring the amazing treasure hidden in the middle of the Andes. Humantay Lake offers a varied selection of stunning views surrounded by glaciers, snow mountains, and picturesque villages in flawless harmony for the truly incredible sight that you see. Humantay Lake is most well known for its insanely bright blue and green water and its snow-capped mountain backdrop. These fantastic colors come from the mineral-filler runoff from the melting glaciers around the Humantay and Salkantay mountains.
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Inclusions
- Recommendations
- Faqs
- Pricing
- Enquire Now
During the Humantay Lake tour, you will feel the energy of the mountains, also known as Apus, who protect the local people according to Andean traditions. This lovely lake is located three hours from Cusco at a height of 4200 meters (13780 feet).At Vidal Expeditions, we provide an ultimate adventure day trip that includes everything you need to make your trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Highlights: Humantay Lake, Salkantay mountain, Humantay mountainHiking distance: 2:30hours round trip
Considerations: Acclimatization is required
Season: April to November
Max. Altitude: 4200m/13780ft
Itinerary at a Glance
- Day01
Cusco - Mollepata - Soraypamapa - Humantay Lake - Soraypampa - Cusco
Detailed Itinerary
Cusco - Mollepata - Soraypamapa - Humantay Lake - Soraypampa - Cusco
Very early in the morning (around 4:30–5 a.m.), your trekking guide and our driver will pick you up from your hotel..
The first stop of the day will be at Mollepata to have breakfast and fill us with the energy we'll need to continue our trip up to Soraypampa at 3950 m a.s.l. Here you will have the opportunity to see parts of the Salkantay and Humantay mountains. After a brief rest, we will prepare to begin the ascent to the highest point of the trail, passing through beautiful landscapes surrounded by a complex of mountains.
The panoramic view of the turquoise lake at 4200 masl, 13779 ft, close to an amazing glacier will undoubtedly impress you..
After, we will return to Soraypampa, where we will get our lunch. At around 3 p.m. our transport will be waiting for us to return to Cusco.
At Vidal Expeditions, we are transparent and provide specific details of what is included and excluded from our tours. We know this is very important so that you know exactly what to bring and don’t miss anything. We provide this information to ensure that you have an incredible experience during your 7 Lakes Trek.
WE INCLUDE
Vidal Expeditions Team Provide
Pre-departure briefing
Once you book the tour with us, you will get a notification about the pre-departure briefing, where you will meet with your adventure guide and the tour group in our office the night before your Sacred Valley of the Incas departure. During this briefing, you will receive important details about the tour.
Professional Cultural Guide
All our tour guides have a great reputation for customer service. Our tour guides have graduated with a tourism career from the National University San Antonio Abad of Cusco. They have also studied English at a private language institute. Through their patience, responsibility, knowledge, passion for adventure, and pride in having been born in the land of the Incas, we ensure our tour guides provide an excellent experience for you when you explore the famous sacred valley of the Incas.
Entrance Fees
Once we receive your details and the deposit for your tour, we purchase all the necessary tickets for your adventure it will be for a specific date.
Transportations
Private Transport
We included all the transportation during your tour. We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and take you to the trail head (Pacchanta Town). The bus returning to Cusco once you are done with this activity will drop you off at your hotel.
Equipment
Medical First Aid Kit
All tour guides at Vidal Expeditions are very well trained in first aid. They received training courses every six months on how to assist someone who is in an emergency situation. Also, they are trained on how to supply balloon oxygen if someone requires it.
Meals
Meals
At Vidal Expeditions, we know food is such an important part of any vacation, and getting the right fuel on an active holiday is crucial. We include one buffet breakfast and lunch during this tour, of course, and we cater to all dietary restrictions: vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and others. Just let us know.
WE NOT INCLUDED
Water bottle
Every customer needs water during this tour, and for that, we will stop in a shop where you can purchase some water bottles and snacks.
Travel Insurance
We recommend buying travel insurance before leaving your country in case something happens during your visit to Peru.
Tips for our team
Tips are not included. Tipping the team is usual on any excursion in Cusco, and although we pay good salaries to our entire team, tips are welcome as a token of your appreciation for the team's hard work.
At Vidal Expeditions, we focus on making your trip an unforgettable experience, and we want to provide all the details you need to know before leaving your country and starting your life experience in Peru.
What you need to pack? Important- Passport
- Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
- Water storage: Water reservoir like Camelback is encouraged - but enough for at least 2-3 liters.
- Comfortable hiking pant
- Trekking poles
INSIDE YOUR DAYPACKS:
A daypack can be any size for hiking, but we always say the smaller, the better. If it is larger, try to make it as light as possible.
- Rain gear
- Sun hat
- Sunscreen
- Camera
- Water bottle
- Bug spray
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
- Extra Money for Souvenirs, Drinks & Tips
- Personal medication or Own first aid kit
- Snacks (Chocolate, energizing bars, caramels, etc.)
PREPARING FOR YOUR DAY TOUR!
Here some frequently asked question about our day tours in CuscoBOOKING SYSTEM
At Vidal Expeditions, we try to make the booking system as easy as possible for you. Once you decide to do some of our day tours, we will send you a booking form where you need to complete all the required details that we need to book your tickets. We also need a previous deposit of 50% of the price per person. As soon as you pay it, we immediately book a spot for this tour. Once we are done with it, we will send you your invoice and a confirmation form that all the booking processes have been satisfactorily set up.
IS VIDAL EXPEDITIONS TEAM CONTACTING US BEFORE FLYING TO PERU?
Yes, our work policy is to be in contact with our customers as long as necessary to inform them of all the details and changes that could occur after they have confirmed the reservation. Please check your email constantly, and if you have any issues, let us know so we can solve them as soon as possible.
WHERE TO STAY IN CUSCO?
Cusco is a big enough city to find different categories of hotels, from 2 stars to 5 stars. There are also Airbnb places where you can stay without any problem. Cusco streets are narrow, especially near the main square, and some streets are pedestrian with some stairs. We will send you a notification for the pick-up if it is not possible to access them with our car and arrange another place to pick you up and drop you off. Also, a night before your tour, you will meet with your tour guide, who will tell you all the details about the tour. If you want some recommendations, please ask the Vidal Expeditions sales team.
ALONG THE TOUR
IS THERE BATHROOM OR PUBLIC TOILETS ALONG THE TOUR?
Yes, our car will stop in some places where you can use the restroom (toilets) also in the restaurants you will find these, if you will need it as emergency just let your tour guide knows to stop in the nearest bathroom.
HOW CHALLENGING IS THE TOUR?
Well, our day tour is not particularly challenging, but our tours of Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake are challenging, especially for people who do not have experience hiking in the mountains. We recommend training with some exercises a few times per week to avoid problems, and it is also recommended to spend a few days in Cusco to acclimatize to the altitude because part of the segments along this tour are located over 3500 m (10859 ft).
WHAT HAPPEN IF I GOT ALTITUDE SICKNESS?
No worries, our guide and team are professionals, and they know how to solve this kind of problem. Your guide will have a first aid kit with some medications for these and an oxygen balloon in case you need it. Also, during our trips to Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake, there will be an extra emergency horse to take you to the best place where you can recover. Our team always has radio.
DO YOU NEED HIKING BOOTS?
Definitely, it is always recommended to wear light hiking boots if possible. However, for our traditional day tours, where you do not need to hike for hours, you can go with sneakers. On the Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake tours, you need ones with ankle support, which are extra helpful, especially for the inexperienced hiker. Because you will be climbing and going down slippery stairs, some of which could be muddy, uneven, and at varying heights, the extra support helps prevent twisting your ankles.
SHOULD I USE WALKING STICKS?
Yes. Walking sticks are always helpful to trekkers, especially if is raining along the trek. Using walking sticks can help take the pressure off your knees while doing some portion of the trek. Plus they will help you get up the mountain as well.
WHERE DO I STORE MY LUGGAGE?
In case you have extra luggage that you do not need to bring to the trail, all the hotels in Cusco have storage where you can leave your luggage completely free. If you change hotels after the trek, we have storage available in the Vidal Expeditions office. Get more information from our office team.
WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AS FAR AS WEATHER
The weather in Cusco and parts of the Andes is unpredictable, even if the weather forecast says it’s sunny. We can’t trust it. It is an impossible question for us to answer. Historically, April through September is the dry season; November through February is the rainy season; and March and October are bridge months—a mixture of both. But the clouds have not followed these rules in the last few years. Prepare for sun and rain, no matter when you come. As far as temperatures go, that is consistent throughout the year. Mornings and evenings are always cold. Make sure to bring a fleece jacket for the mornings and a down jacket for the evenings. Once the sun is up, you should be comfortable hiking in short sleeves. Long pants (for yoga or hiking) are encouraged to protect against the mosquitoes, which can be a nuisance in some parts of the trail.
From: USD 75.00 per person
USD 66.00: from 4 people to more
Thank you for your interest in having an adventure travel experience in Peru curated by Vidal Expeditions. Please take a moment to complete our short form, so one our friendly Adventure Consultants could provide you all the information for your trip of a lifetime in Peru.
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Full Day
Humantay Lake Tour
What's it like
Humantay Lake Tour One Day Map
WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?
At Vidal Expeditions we offer the best service for all our customers and here is what makes us different than others.
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Small groups: Along our excursion group size is a capped at 8 people. This guarantees that you will enjoy every step of our excursion
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Hotel: During our excursion to Machu Picchu, we offer a 3 stars hotel stay for the last night. This ensures you are well rested and ready to explore Machu Picchu.
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Bus to Machu Picchu: To enjoy Machu Picchu, we provide a round trip ticket on the bus from Aguas Calientes to the main entrance of the archaeological site.
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Local Tour guides: Our team consists of 100% local tour guides, who have expert knowledge in our ancient culture.
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Best Camping Equipment: We have the state-of-the-art camping equipment for our excursion. The equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before and after every excursion.
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Best Trekking team: At Vidal Expeditions we focus to create the best experience during our excursions. Our team that consists of tour guides, cooks, porters, horse drivers are handpicked. We train our team to offer you the best service. We take care of our team by providing them with good equipment and paying them fairly.
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