Humantay Lake Full Day Trek
About this activity
Highlights
- Breathtaking views of Humantay Lake
- Guided hike through the Andes Mountains
- Visit to Mollepata village
- Experience local Andean culture
- Capture stunning photographs of the landscape
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Round-trip transportation from Cusco
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Breakfast and lunch
- First aid kit and oxygen tank
- Personal expenses and tips
Itinerary
Your adventure begins with an early pickup from your hotel in Cusco. It will take about 3.5 hours to get to Humantay Lake from Cusco, but first, we’ll have a stop for breakfast at a cozy restaurant.
Before arriving to the starting point of our hiking, we’ll have a stop In Mollepata for breakfast at a cozy restaurant.
Before starting the trek, our guide will give some useful information so you can walk safely to the top of the mountain. The hike will start at 3,800 m.a.s.l. reaching the 4.200 meters of elevation, which is why we need to take it calmly and slowly. Once at the top of the mountain, you’ll realize that all that hard work has paid off! Our guides will explain the origin of the lagoon and will give you some free time so you can fully appreciate this natural wonder. After our visit, we will return to the buses so we can continue to our lunch stop. It should take about 45 minutes on the way down to the parking lot.
After a whole day full of adventure, now it’s time for a well-deserved lunch. We’ve selected a restaurant where you’ll be able to sample the best of the Peruvian cuisine. After the lunch, we will head towards Cusco where you can choose to be dropped off at your hotel or at the Plaza de Armas. Once we’ve finished with all the activities, we’ll return to Cusco. Drop off will be at your accommodation.
Important information
Know before you book
- This trek involves a moderate level of physical activity; prior hiking experience is beneficial.
- The tour operates in all weather conditions; dress appropriately for rain or shine.
- Children under 12 years old are not recommended for this trek.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable hiking boots and layered clothing suitable for varying temperatures.
- Bring a backpack with essentials like water, snacks, sunscreen, and a hat.
- Ensure you have a valid passport for the trek.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Service Animals Allowed
Good to know
- Use sneakers or light/tennis shoes, a raincoat (long poncho) during the rainy season. Also bring Sunscreen, brimmed hat for sunny days.
Traveler reviews
Overpriced and Unprofessional (Private Tour Experience)
If you’re reading reviews before booking a private tour, I hope this saves you both time and money. I booked a private Humantay Lake tour with this business for late June. The total cost was $450 for two people (and that didn’t even include the guide’s tip). First, don’t assume you have to book online. Once you’re in Cusco, you’ll find plenty of locals offering private tours, and you can negotiate. The cheapest quote I found was around $150, so this company is definitely overpriced. Now for my experience: When I booked, I messaged them that I was staying in the Sacred Valley and not Cusco and if pickup is available there. They confirmed that this was fine and that they would pick us up from our hotel at 4:00 a.m. Then, at 8:00 p.m. the night before the tour (just seven hours before pickup) they suddenly messaged me saying I needed to be at a plaza in Cusco by 3:50 a.m. When I reminded them that my hotel was in the Sacred Valley and showed them our previous messages, they claimed it had been a “miscommunication” and told me to cancel the tour. This was a short trip with every day carefully planned, so imagine having your tour canceled at the last minute and being expected to figure everything out on your own. Fortunately, my hotel was able to arrange another private tour on short notice. It included a private guide, private driver, hotel pickup at 7:00 a.m., and lunch—for $250 total, including the tip! Save your money and book elsewhere. This company was expensive, unprofessional, and careless with their customers’ time.
Challenging but rewarding effort
The Humantay trail is very challenging, especially the climb, with the cold of the beginning of the day and the question of altitude. But I was very happy to be able to finish it. Our guide was Jehomar, very attentive from the beginning of the tour and search at the hotel, as well as during the trail and at the end of it.
Incredible experience
Wonderful staff, Junior guide and driver Jhon, very solicited and attentive. The ride was fast, but I super understand the distance between regions. Super worth it, I recommend the operator.
Good tour and good guide
It’s good! Mila is very nice. She found my lost bag and give it back to me. Riding horse is amazing.
Simply amazing!
Wow! We had a brilliant day - exhausting but brilliant. With a super early start and a bumpy two hour ride to breakfast, we started to wonder if we had made the right choice. Breakfast was great and a good opportunity to get to know the rest of the group. We then continued up the winding road to the start of our hike. Rodger, our guide and McQueen, the driver were lovely and helped to make the day really special. Rodger is so knowledgeable, funny and kind and we felt safe and cared for throughout the experience. He helped and encouraged us when we got tired and encouraged us to rest whenever we needed to. I had no intention of taking a horse initially but by the time we got there, I looked up at the rest of the climb and decided to follow the others in taking a horse - best $20 dollars I spent on the trip! My husband thought he would try walking but after five minutes practically begged for a horse! As we reached the top, we were welcomed by two condors flying over the beautiful lake - simply incredible! The lake is one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever seen - a memory that I will cherish forever. Thank you Rodger!