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Humantay Lake

Humantay Lake

Humantay Lake
5
About
Located over 2.5 miles above sea level in the Andes mountains, Humantay Lake is one of Peru’s most unique natural wonders. With turquoise water you’d expect from the Caribbean and beautiful rugged terrain, it’s a favorite amongst photographers and outdoors enthusiasts. Don’t forget to keep an eye out while hiking to the top as you might see condors flying above. You can hop on a day-long private tour from Cusco or the Sacred Valley to reach the lake, or opt to complete the Salkantay Trek, which will take you from Humantay all the way to Machu Picchu. – Tripadvisor
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

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  • thiagosgf
    Brazil516 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Stunning landscape!
    This tour with a local tourism agency lasts around 12 hours, leaving early in the morning and returning late in the afternoon, with breakfast and lunch included along the way. From the point where the climb to the lagoon begins, it takes about 2 hours, but it is quite challenging, due to the rocky and steep terrain. Although lower (4600 meters) than the colored mountain (5100 meters), the hike is much more difficult here than there. I recommend taking oxygen and water that Peruvians use on their hands to smell. Up there, in the lagoon, the landscape is stunning. A mountainous setting, with snow peaks, and the lagoon with unique blue water.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 23, 2024
  • Andrea Camila B
    3 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent experience, great guide and driver!
    A thousand thanks to our guide Jorge Cosio and Rafa, for their patience and for taking care of us all the time, we lived through experiences such as a landslide on the road, a lot of rain, but with their experience they gave us a lot of peace of mind. Furthermore, Jorge allowed us to go at our own pace, no one in the group got altitude sickness and there was always a lot of willingness on his part. Also my respects to Rafa, a great driver, very calm in the face of the entire situation we experienced on the road. On the other hand, we really liked the food, both breakfast and lunch. The only thing I can say is that it is worth every peso and the physical effort involved.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written February 2, 2024
  • DanielMtz90
    Monterrey, Mexico459 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Worth the walking
    Laguna Humantay is a gem nestled above 4,200 meters, offering an awe-inspiring sight of turquoise waters set against rugged Andean beauty. The journey to this natural wonder is not for the faint-hearted, with a 6 km uphill trek and a 5 km descent that can be quite challenging. But those who undertake this adventure are rewarded with one of Peru’s most stunning landscapes. The excursion starts early and includes facilities at the mountain’s base, but it’s important to come prepared with sunscreen and layered clothing to adapt to changing temperatures. The effort to reach Laguna Humantay is a testament to the majestic allure of the Peruvian highlands, where every step brings you closer to nature’s masterpiece. It’s a highly recommended experience for those willing to embrace the trek. Even tho if your not willing to walk you can rent a horse that will take you to a close point.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 20, 2024
  • Gonza S
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Uruguayan birthday at Humantay Lagoon
    We went to the lagoon on my wife's Lucy's birthday, when we arrived she was very excited to spend her special day there! Victor and Rafa's group was wonderful, together with the group we were with, a phenomenal family was formed! From Uruguay to the world, thank you very much guys!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 20, 2024
  • Katiana N
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Humantay Lagoon, simply beautiful
    The views are beautiful and incredible. The path is a little difficult to climb but you have the option of getting there on horseback. The views along the way are beautiful: you cross streams, flowers everywhere, you see animals, beautiful vegetation and above all the imposing and impressive snow-filled mountains of Humantay, Salkantay. The lagoon is a beautiful and mystical place surrounded by these mountains and nature is seen in all its splendor. Our guide Johnny was simply spectacular. Very kind, patient, and above all, he taught us to love and be grateful for so many beautiful gifts like this one that Pachamama gives us. It was an extremely beautiful experience.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 24, 2024
  • FarAway15290297254
    Florianopolis, SC17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Humantay Lagoon
    For lovers of adventure, challenges and overcoming, this is a good suggestion. You have the opportunity to stay near the lagoon or travel from Cusco. The route from Cusco is 132 km, on a winding road, if you get easily sick on roads like this, don't forget to take medication for this situation.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 13, 2024
  • ManuCdelaE
    Pasto, Colombia101 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Lagoon
    This is definitely a place on your visit to Cusco that you cannot miss, it is necessary to hire a tourist package which picks you up at the hotel, normally the departures are early between 4 to 6 in the morning depending on the location of your hotel. I recommend doing this tour after acclimatizing a little in Cusco. Since departure is early, ask your hotel to pack breakfast to go. Lunch is normally included in the tour package to the lagoon, make sure of that before hiring. Bring water. Apply sunscreen Don't stray too far from your guide Stamp your passport upon entry to Humantay at the kiosks upon entry Go at your own pace, the guides give you enough time to go and return without any rush.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 20, 2024
  • Alvaro Enriquez
    Spain1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The truth was it was an excellent excursion
    As a family we leave very satisfied and grateful with their welcome and the human warmth of the Terra Quechua Peru team, the love and sense of belonging with which they carry out their work is evident, La Laguna Humantay, It is a very beautiful place, from the walk to being able to reach the lagoon and the animals of the region that make up a set of landscapes that you will not be able to see anywhere, the population with their traditional dresses, It was a wonderful experience to know Peru and its magic, and it was much better to do it with a local agency. A 10 out of 10 experience.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 21, 2024
  • Gilianne F
    6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Challenging trail
    Getting to the lagoon is quite a challenge! There are hours of walking on rocky terrain, with steep climbs and the altitude as another obstacle. It is a hiking trip. I saw people giving up along the way. From the parking lot to the starting point of the trail we walked for 1 hour. After that it took me another 2 hours. It's certainly relative, people with more resistance will arrive faster, however even the most experienced confirm that it is a difficult trail. The view is undoubtedly unparalleled, the landscape is beautiful. There is the option of going up and/or going down on horseback (70 soles).
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written May 22, 2024
  • Aatira B
    55 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great views ; High altitude
    Added this to my agenda at the last minute. Hence booked it through GA adventures. The experience was nothing short of incredible. GA adventures guides (I don’t recall their names ) were very great. I think the breakfast and lunch can be improved.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written June 11, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,067 reviews
Excellent
906
Very good
120
Average
26
Poor
9
Terrible
6

kathinpa
Philadelphia, PA182 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2019
We took a day trip to Humantay Lake from Cusco (a 12 hour trip) with Cusco Local Friend, who we highly recommend. Rather than one of the large bus tours, this was a private trip for our family of three in a comfortable minivan and included breakfast (before) and lunch (after) at the small restaurant at the start of the trail.

The hike is strenuous and gets steeper the closer you get to the top. I'd say the last 1/2 mile is kind of brutal, but you can either take it slow or pay a local for a ride on a horse almost to the top. It took us 2 hours to climb, at our slow pace.

The lake is breathtaking, a lake of beautiful blues & greens at the base of the glacier. Many visitors lounge on the boulders and pose for photos, but I wouldn't call it too crowded.

If you love a good view and a lovely (if strenuous) hike, this is worth your time.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hugh M
60 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
We did this as part of the Saltantak trek. The walk up to the lake was steep but very doable, and there are locals with donkeys for rent if people find it too hard. Once you're there the colours of the lake are amazing and these also change depending on the weather. The mountain and glacier in background are truly impressive and unique. While I would recommend going it might be a long way to drive from Cusco just for a day trip, but definitely worth it as part of a longer visit/trek to the area.
Written March 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Pigtails_Travels
Provo, UT92 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
One of the places we read about to visit was Humantay lake and when we saw the pictures of it, we knew we had to go there. However, we were taking our 4 kids ages 14, 12, 9, & 6 and were worried about having to wakeup at 4 am and traveling in the car 7 hours in one day and so we preferred an overnight stay in Humantay area to split it up a little. Cusco Adventure Transtours was able to set everything up for us for a very reasonable price including a homestay with a local family, food, transportation, and tickets. We loved the more relaxed tour and getting to also spend some time at the Salkantay glacier. We had the hike and lake to ourselves not having to wake up early and drive 3.5 hours! Such an amazing place and experience!
Written July 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rob from Peoria
Arizona35 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
If you go, find a time where 300 to 400 of your closest friends are not going at the same time. In other words, all the tours arrive at the same time and everyone (300 to 400) hike and view the lake at the same time. This makes for a less than desirable outing and takes away from the natural beauty of the environment. Either go earlier or later and avoid the crowd. The park / government need to better regulate this natural resource to improve the experience - I would not recommend going with the standard tour.
Written August 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JonathanN
48 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022
Did this at our last day in Peru and started in Cusco. Left at 4.30am, had to drive for about 2-3 hours before having breakfast, then went about an hour further and started hiking. Easy hike of 45-60 minutes, we arrived before all of the other tourists so we got up a bit higher on the left bank which gave us a superbe spot. Magnificent views, even saw a few condors. While sitting there we saw many (and I mean, MANY) tourists arrive. It is crazy overcrowded. I think if you stay nearby and have to drive for 30-60 minutes, it might be worth it. If you take the Salkantay hike, it is worth seeing. But a whole day trip to see this lake and being in the tourist bus for about 7 hours (which is the standard tourist trip) is just not worth it.
Written October 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Vik K
Ljubljana, Slovenia114 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
We started hiking at around 8 am. The drive from Cusco was 3+ hours and the last hour (maybe an hour and a half) is on a pretty lousy roads... We started hiking at around 8am and the skies were blocked with clouds ... was not happy about it. However soon the clouds disperssed and we had a wonderful clear skies when reaching the top. The hike, eventhough shorter than Rainbow Mountain, was rather steep and I would say it is a medium difficulty. If fit and no altitude sickness, you could do it in a good hour, otherwise 1,5 hour is realistic. When reaching the top, suggest you make a bit more effort and hike those few meters also to the ridge, where the color of the lake is even more beautiful and can make some wonderful photos.

We spent about an hour at the lake, then clouds started again to arrive, and guess this is kind of a similar pattern most of the days in this time of the year (June). If you're not going to Huaraz area, then definitely suggest to visit
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

hbkm
Leverkusen, Germany329 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Solo
Okay, February is not the high season for the Peruvian mountains for a good reason: Lot of rain and fog. The hike up to the lake is a little steep, so be prepared to breath hard when you reach it. Or just take slow steps. The lake itself is nice to see, however, I assume that its true beauty is only revealed when you also see the entire mountain behind the lake. As only parts of the mountain stuck out eventually, more than anything, I enjoyed the hike and the views into the valley. Beautiful place!
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

may triane
Cambria, CA3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
We had a great one day trek to Humantay lake with great views. Would highly recommend Machu Picchu Viajes Peru to anyone looking for a one day hike while in the cusco.
The hike up took us a little over one hour. We ride the horses and made the hike easer. We recommend to bring poles. Also, dress in rain coat and bring sunscreen.
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sophie Rebekah
Huddersfield, UK1 contribution
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2024 • Couples
A short but challenging hike with the acclimatisation/altitude being no joke and definitely something to consider.

In relation to the tour itself, I found it to be incredibly organised with little/no stress involved whatsoever. The day before the tour itself, we were sent a WhatsApp message with a list of instructions/itinerary for the day, and on the day of pick up (yes it’s an early one), we were called 15 minutes prior to being collected and asked to wait outside of our hotel, which overall helped to minimise delays and keep everything running smoothly.

The journey to get there is a long and windy one so I would definitely recommend taking some travel sickness tablets if this is something that you struggle with (you’re looking at about 3hrs there and 3hrs back with a couple of breaks thrown in-between for breakfast and lunch which is a buffet style restaurant with relatively okay food).

Even though the hike is relatively short (recommended time 1hr 30/45), the hike due to the altitude is HARD and this is coming from an avid hiker. This can be done in an hour however depending on your level of fitness/speed of walking etc. There are options for you to take a horse however if hiking isn’t your thing, or you’re happening to struggle (unsure of pricing).

The view at the top itself is absolutely beautiful however, be aware that you only get to spend a short amount of time up there being able to explore it on your own before you are asked to group back together again. Granted, the lake is a very crowded place however, there are ways to work around getting photographs/videos without others in, and there are definitely some spots up there quieter than others.

Things to take into consideration:

- You will have to pay an entrance fee in addition to the initial payment already paid (this is 20 soles however so, around £4 on top of that).
- The hand/altitude sickness sanitiser they offer you has a STRONG smell of cannabis to it and so if you work in an industry where you have the potential to be drug tested, then I would recommend avoiding and using your own just as a precaution. (I cannot confirm as to whether or not this is the case as I did not question this, and there was no labelling on the bottles however, just something to consider if you are thinking about using).
- A lot of the time whilst up at the Lake is spent as part of a group where the guide will try and promote other tours not in relation to the Lake. I completely understand the need and process of promotion however, I also found this quite long and unnecessary, in addition to something that could’ve been done on the long transfers as it took a huge amount of time away from being able to explore the Lake for ourselves and so, going forward, I would skip the group interaction at the top if you feel comfortable with this, and make your own necessary arrangements with the guide and meet them back down by the bus for the agreed meeting time to make the most of your time up there.
- Please take sensible footwear, a couple on the tour had flip flops/sandals and the walking terrain/ground is very rocky, dusty and steep with minimal gripping opportunities so, just something further to take into consideration if you happen to book.

Overall a great day, with enthusiastic and organised guides, and definitely a must of things to do if you’re visiting Peru.
Written October 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Binoya
Nagpur, India2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022 • Couples
Absolutely beautiful. The snow-capped mountain in the background is monstrous and one of the most magnificent sights I've ever laid eyes on. The hike to the top was very difficult but doable. How fast you go will impact how much time you have at the lake itself, so I definitely recommend doing some training before this hike. I would also recommend spending a week in Cusco to get use to a higher elevation if you come from a lower elevation. The road leading to the beginning of the hike is terrible, so prepare for a bumpy ride of about an hour before/after!
Written February 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Humantay Lake - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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