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Humantay Lake


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Humantay Lake Day Trek

Duration: 1 Day

Places to visit

  • Cusco
  • Mollepata
  • Humantay lake
Group Size Up to 8 people
Max Altitude: 3869 m.s.n.m
Type Service: Group/Private
Transportation: Van, Trekking
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 1 Day

Considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in Peru, Humantay Lake is a incredible turquoise lake that is situated at the base of the glacier covered Salkantay Mountain Range. Enjoy breathtaking views and take your time to hike to the lake. Take many photos of this stunning natural lake. Pass through local villages on your way back to the Inca city of Cusco.

  • Duration: Full Day 4:30am- 5pm
  • Distance: 7 km (4.4 Miles) Round Trip  – 3 hours of hiking
  • Elevation: 3,869m (12,690 feet) / 4,200m (13,779 feet)
  • Difficulty: difficult (altitude and uphill climb)

Humantay Lake Tour – Trip Details

ITINERARY

DAY  1 – CUSCO – HUMANATAY LAKE – CUSCO 

This marvelous day begins at 4:30am when the guide will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. We will drive 3 hours to the trailhead of Soraypampa located in the lush valley of the Apurimac River.

Hike along a path called the “Camino Real,” which slowly gains altitude. After reaching a tiny traditional village, we continue for another hour and a half, ascending 1,200ft/366mt in just 2 miles up a steep path. After conquering the last hill, we will gaze down on a turquoise lake below, which is surrounded by steep peaks and an impressive glacier.

On the trek you are looking directly up to the Salkantay Mountain, one of Peru’s most sacred mountains, towering 20,600ft/6,279mt with a sheer and snowy face. The equally impressive Humantay Peak, rising 19,412ft/5,917mt, is also within view. Shamans and others who follow traditional Andean beliefs, give blessing when reaching the crystal-clear waters of Humantay Lake.

Once we reach the lakeshore, we relax, enjoy a snack, or give thanks to Pachamama (Mother Earth). When you are ready to hike back down, we descend to Soraypampa and have a hot lunch while enjoying the breathtaking panoramic views of the snowy peaks. Tired from such a beautiful day, we drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel at about 5pm.

“What’s included in the hike to Humantay Lagoon?

Included

  • Breakfast & lunch.
  • Private transportation to and from your hotel in Cusco
  • Professional trekking guide fluent in English & Spanish
  • Fees to access private land
  • First aid kit & emergency oxygen tank
  • Small group experience (max 8 guests)

Not Included

  • Water: please bring 1 liter per person
  • Tips for guide, driver and cook

*We run our trips daily with a 2 person minimum. We take only small groups & private trips, to enhance the experience giving you the full attention of our guides and staff.

PRICES

GROUP PRICES

# OF PERSONSPRICEPER PERSON
2 persons$150 pp
3  persons$125 pp
4 persons$99 pp
5 persons$80 pp
6 persons$70 pp

The Humantay Lake Trek 1 day it’s available on any date that it’s best for you as long  as we have a minimum of 2 hikers. For private service of 2 or more add $50 per person.

IMPORTANT INFO

Please read carefully the following information; it will help with your questions about our services and Humantay Lake trek. 

ARRIVAL TO  CUSCO

You will be greeted at Cusco airport and taken to your hotel, please ensure that you inform us of your full flight details at least 14 days prior to arrival. Look out for our representative holding an orange SAM Travel Peru board at the exit from the arrival terminal.

HOW TO BOOK THE TREK

FIRST, to book your Humantay Lake trek, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here the link BOOK NOW.

SECOND, we require a deposit of $53.00 USD per person.  You can make you deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on our booking page.

WHAT ABOUT THE BALANCE?

If you would like to avoid the high credit card fees in Peru, you may pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. There are many ATMS within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service fee, charged by VISA and PAYPAL.  To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account and use our email address samtravelperu@gmail.com. 

BRIEFING

The briefing will take place the night before the trek at 6pm in our office, which is located at Calle Garcilaso 210, office 213 (second floor) in the La CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center.

DO I NEED MY ORIGINAL PASSPORT?

Yes! You have to bring your original passport and it is very important that it is the same passport number you sent to us to book your trek, other entrances and reservations.

TIPPING

If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary in your country, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the trek. It inspires them to give excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many SAM Travel Peru destinations. Of course you are free to tip as much as you feel appropriate, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.

ARE WE SUSTAINABLE? 

Yes, we are a local, sustainable & responsible tourism operator that incorporates universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our local staff to know and understand, respect the places and the local people.

PACKING LIST

WHAT TO BRING FOR A DAY HIKE

  • A lightweight, waterproof day pack
  •  Sturdy hiking boots
  •  Warm clothes and hiking pants, not jeans
  •  Layers of clothes for variable temperatures
  •  Camera with extra film and batteries
  •  Sun protection: sunscreen, sunhat, sunglasses
  •  Thermals, wool socks, gloves, scarf, wool hat in cold season
  •  Insect repellent
  •  Waterproof clothing and or a rain poncho
  •  Water bottles
  •  Personal medical kit with a simple whistle
  •  Extra money for souvenirs, drinks, tips
  •  Walking sticks if needed (rentable)
  •  Favorite snacks
  • Hand sanitizer
  •  Toilet paper
  •  Passport

Humantay Lake Day Trek
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Join SAM Travel Peru for an Unforgettable Travel Experience In Peru

  • 100% Locally Owned and Operated
  • Years of Experience in all Areas of Peru
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Why Travel with SAM travel Peru?

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  • Small Groups with a maximum of 8 people
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5.0 Rating out of 5.0 based on 5.107 reviews

Join the Thousands of Satisfied Customers who Rate us #1 on TripAdvisor

Bernie s 2023/03/02

Had a great trip with our guide Ray Herrera and driver Alfredo. Lots of good experiences in a short period of time 4 days. Learnt a lot not just about the main tourist destinations but Peru in general by Ray. Ray has a passion for Inca history and local produce. Ray knows all the good photo spots and we managed the sun out every day .. Good culture and if you want to get on a tour ask for Ray at Sams Travel = amazing

Tanya H 2023/03/02

Ray was our Tour Guide and Alfredo was our driver for a 4 day tour we did with SAM Travel Peru. Ray's knowledge of the history of Cusco and Machu Picchu was outstanding. Ray was very accommodating with all our needs. He stayed alongside us when trekking and helped where he could. His sense of humour was pleasant to be around. Ray spoke very good English. He is such a nice guy. I would strongly recommend Ray to be your tour guide to visit Machu Picchu. Ray explained everyday what the plans were for the next day, which was reassuring what we needed to take etc

Captanjack 2023/01/012

Our 1 day tour thru the Sacred Vally with Danny was wonderful. He was very knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions in detail. I would recommend asking for him personally if you are able.

Sherry 2022/12/26

We booked the Classic Cusco to Machu Picchu tour with SAM travel which we really had a good experience. SAM travel is very responsive during the communication and cater to our changes needed. Our guide is Ray who is also an very awesome guide. He is knowledgeable, patient, humorous as well reliable, he help us take many good photos and also go extra mile to help with our request. Thanks Ray! Thanks SAM travel that gave us good memories in Peru! Highly recommend if you consider booking any tour in Cusco.

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C Clark 2023/01/20

Wow. We had such an incredible experience in Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. Our guide, Dayvit, is the most knowledgeable guide we have ever had. He has such an extensive knowledge of the history and is very friendly and helpful. If you are planning a trip to Peru, I highly recommend SAM travel and be sure to request Dayvit!

Emma Dinzebach Clark 2023/01/10

2 day tour sacred valley / Machu Picchu highly recommend! David was the best tour guide. He knows an incredible amount about Incan culture and is personable and funny. He also kept us up to date on a political situation happening when we were there and was informative. Overall, this tour checks all the boxes. Thank you!

Nupur Joshi 2023/01/02

We used SAM Travel for a 2D/1N trip from Cusco to Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu on Dec 25-26, 2022. The team was good with communication from the start - both Saul and Junior were very helpful and professional with answering any questions and clearing up any misunderstandings. Our guide, Miguel, was prompt, pleasant, and quite knowledgeable. We enjoyed his company and insight over the 2 day trip and recommend him to anyone booking with SAM Travel.

Xueying Chen 2022/12/20

We booked the Classic Cusco to Machu Picchu tour with SAM travel which we really had a good experience. SAM travel is very responsive during the communication and cater to our changes needed. Our guide is Ray who is also an very awesome guide. He is knowledgeable, patient, humorous as well reliable, he help us take many good photos and also go extra mile to help with our request. Thanks Ray! Thanks SAM travel that gave us good memories in Peru! Highly recommend if you consider booking any tour in Cusco.

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Cheri Buccino April 21, 2024
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Powerful! This journey tests your humanity and leaves you in awe of yourself and the beauty that Pachamama provides. April 2024 We conquered the Inca trail and it was only made possible with the help and guidance from our expert guides Jean Pierre (JP) and Jimmy. The knowledge these gentlemen shared was admired by all of our group and the envy of other trail hikers who stopped to listen. The hike has many layers of challenges including language barriers, altitude sensitivities and food specifications. The team at Sam travel exceeded the needs and went above to ensure our comforts were met. A special mention must be made to Mario, the Chef who somehow performed magic with nutritious flavourful meals to satisfy even the pickiest consumers and Francesco who was our lead porter who orchestrated the harmony that happened behind the scenes to get everything done. Nothing less than marvellous from this team. Thank you to each of the group who made our trek a remarkable experience.

BL
Bhavana Lalwani April 18, 2024
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Jose and Henry were great guides for our first time exploring machu pichu! They were very attentive and kept everything on a smooth schedule. Highly recommend!

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Ryan April 9, 2024
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The whole experience was amazing. Ray, our guide answered all of our questions and definitely had our best interest in mind the whole time. Timothy the cook made fantastic food and somehow found a way to prepare a birthday cake with no notice! Boni our head porter and his whole crew were kind, accommodating, and had such upbeat attitudes which really made the experience great!

Isabel Batteria April 17, 2024
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I spent two days with Sam Travel’s guide Raymier, who guided us through the one-day 12-km stretch of the Inca trail and then took us to Machu Picchu the next day. In my group, I was always the last one on the trail because I come from the coast and I’m not used to altitudes, and honestly I could also have prepared physically a little better. Raymier respected my pace, never rushed me, and supported me throughout the ardous trail. He had much knowledge to share. I speak Spanish, but ended up in an English tour, and Ray’s English was very good. He was funny, respectful, and versatile. He knew where to take all the best photos and patiently took photos of all of us. I would trust Sam Travel again especially if I was lucky enough to have Ray as a guide again.

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Sam Travel is a renowned local travel agency based in Cusco -Peru, recognized for its commitment to customer satisfaction, expert travel advice and personalized itineraries that meet the needs and preferences of each traveler.

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