Laguna Humantay Trek – How to Visit from Cusco
If you’re visiting Peru, chances are you will be going to Cusco. Often referred to as the “Sacred Valley” Cusco is a travel hub in South America. There are many ancient sites and hikes to do around the area. We decided to do the 5-day Trek to Machu Picchu in the Salkantay Trek. The first stop on this excursion was the Laguna Humantay Trek.
The tour company we decided to go with was Salkantay Trekking and they did not disappoint. Although I did this trek with a guide, I could gather the information needed as if I was doing the sections of this trekking trip solo. Laguna Humantay Trek is a top-rated and easily accessible destination for you to visit while traveling in Peru.
In this guide, I will go over how to get to the trailhead solo and the details of the trek itself.
Where is Laguna Humantay Trek Located?
The closest town located in comparison to this lake is Soraypampa and this is where you’ll start your trek. The overall length of the hike is very short from this point. The main thing contributing to its difficulty is the altitude you are hiking at. Below, I will give you the details of the cheapest way to arrive in Soryapampa.
How to Get to Laguna Humantay Independently
The cheapest way is to take a collectivo from Cusco and then a cab to the trailhead. This will cut the price in half compared to a tour company. The added benefit of going solo is that you’ll be able to start this hike a little bit later in the morning.
- Cusco to Mollepata one-way by Collectivo = 20 Soles (each)
- Mollepata to Saoryapampa one-way by Cab = ~30-40 Soles (total)
- Entrance to the Laguna Humantay = 10 Soles
- Pay the Entrance Fee in Mollepata
- Humantay Trek w/ Tour Group = ~400 Soles
Laguna Humantay Hike Details
For more information and reviews on the Laguna Humantay Trek then, you can check it out on Alltrails
Things to Know
My Suggested Hiking Gear
If you’re looking for a more in-depth guide on what to bring while hiking in this area, I suggest checking out my Salkantay Trek Packing List.
How to Get to Cusco, Peru
There are many different ways to get to Cusco from throughout the country. Many people fly straight from Lima as their first stop. Below, I will give the other options from different towns.
The cost of travel in Peru between cities and in them is affordable and easy. This is a big reason why I love Peru so much, and it gave me a glimpse of local life while riding in the colectivos.
Lima to Cusco
Prepare for a long bus journey from Lima to Cusco, which will take approximately 22 to 24 hours in total. For a smoother ride, splurge on the VIP seats—it’s a worthwhile investment for a more comfortable and enjoyable trip, especially when it comes to catching some shut-eye along the way.
- If the bus terminal isn’t your scene, snag your ticket hassle-free through Redbus—it’s the top choice for online bus bookings in Peru.
- While Julio Ceasar stands out with stellar ratings, rest assured that most companies offer reliable service.
- For departure points, Terminal Plaza Norte and La Victoria are solid picks.
- Expect a lengthy 22-hour bus ride. Early birds catch the savings, with tickets available for as low as $30 when purchased in advance.
Arequipa to Cusco
Arequipa sits southeast of Cusco and is notably closer compared to Lima. As a result, bus fares tend to be more manageable, making the journey much more feasible.
- Once more, I recommend browsing Redbus to scope out options and prices.
- Expect a 10-hour journey at just $14—a steal, really.
- I recommend opting for the night bus; not only does it trim lodging expenses, but it also maximizes your time on the road.
Is Laguna Humantay Difficult?
The length of this hike isn’t what makes this trek difficult. What makes it difficult is the elevation gain combined with the altitude. At the trailhead of the Lake Humantay trek, you will start at 12,900 feet or 3,900 meters.
The steepness of the hike also makes it difficult. Over the two miles up to the lake, we gained close to 457 meters, or close to 1,500 feet.
If you think the hike up to the lake will be too difficult, then you have an option. You’ll see men with horses at the base of the hill that leads to the lake.
It costs around 80 soles or $22 USD. I personally would never suggest anyone take these horses but if you need them, they are there.
Laguna Humantay Altitude
Reaching the Laguna means climbing 400 extra meters. Lake Humantay is around 4,250 meters. This is why it is highly suggested that visitors take extra precautions to prevent altitude sickness when visiting Peru.
Other Hikes in Peru You’d Enjoy
Tips for Altitude Sickness
Many travelers share a common concern when venturing into these Peruvian regions: the risk of altitude sickness. It’s a real downer and can put a damper on any journey. Fortunately, the hikes around Huaraz are excellent acclimatization exercises for tackling other treks in Peru, such as Humantay Lake.
To help you sidestep this issue during your Peruvian travels, here are some top-notch tips:
- Hydrate like there’s no tomorrow (personally, I shoot for a gallon a day)
- Prioritize rest—seriously, it’s the holy grail of recovery and well-being
- Coca products are a Peruvian favorite, so stash some candy or cocoa leaves
- Listen to your body—pause and take breaks whenever needed
- And don’t forget the trusty ibuprofen—it’s a lifesaver on the trail
If you’re in Cusco, hiking to Cristo Blanco during your first few days will help. I suggest hiking to Laguna Wilcacocha in Huaraz to help with acclimatizing there.
Best Time to Hike
For an optimal trek to Humantay Lake, target the dry season, typically spanning from April to October—although, as noted earlier, this can sometimes fluctuate.
Our own expedition, including the Salkantay Trek, took place in August, with blissful clear skies dominating most of the journey.
If you’re up for a challenge, embrace the rainy season, but brace yourself for cloudy skies and tougher terrain.
Going with a Guided Tour
With Laguna Humantay being one of Cusco’s most popular day tours, there are plenty of guided tours to choose from. These tours are great too!
You’ll be picked up from your accommodation from Cusco early in the morning and drive a few hours until breakfast. After this, you’ll be guided through Soraypampa up to the lake.
Then after the lake, there will be a buffet lunch for everyone in the same town as the breakfast. It’s a long day but you must add this to your Peru itinerary!
Best Places to Stay in Cusco, Peru
- Kokopelli Hostel Cusco: This is the most popular hostel in all of Cusco. It’s not the cheapest place but the atmosphere makes up for that.
- Wild Rover Cusco: If you’re looking for a more social atmosphere with partying, then Wild Rover is your choice.
- Intro Hostels Cusco: With free breakfast and only $8 a night, the Intro hostel is a great choice for backpackers and travelers alike.
My Experience
My experience might be a little different than yours. This is because we did the complete Salkantay Trek with a tour group. Doing this with our tour actually increased the length of this hike. It didn’t bother me much as I wanted to warm my legs up for what was ahead.
In a way, the Laguna Humantay Trek was an acclimation hike for the rest of the adventures we’d be going on.
Arriving at the Trailhead
Instead of arriving at the closest town to this hike, we stopped at the town a little bit south, Challacancha. Although the trail was flat for the majority of it, it added around 2.5 to 3 miles for us that day.
As I said, this was a perfect way to get warmed up to this high altitude again after a couple of weeks off.
Once we got to the town of Soyrapampa, we stopped for a long lunch and a light nap. We then began our short trek up to Laguna Humantay.
Cheap Transportation to the Trailhead
I spoke about this a little bit earlier but a lot of avid hikers love to do these things independently. You will have to take a Collectivo from Cusco to Mollepata and then a cab to Soraypampa.
Mollepata is where you’ll buy your entrance ticket for the Laguna Humantay trek.
Alternatively, you could get a cab to take you to Challacancha instead. This will add time to your hike but it could save you some money in the process.
The Hike Up
After our amazing lunch and re-energizing nap, we made our way up the trail toward the lake. It is around one mile from the sky camp that you’ll see at the bottom. It really isn’t a hard hike up, but this is the day that I felt the most out of breath. My guess is that it was my first hike at this altitude in a couple of weeks.
If you are worried about the altitude, there will always be someone at the bottom of the hill who can take you up to lake instead of doing the trek.
Once we reached the top, we were rewarded with turquoise-colored water and an amazing backdrop of the Mountain peak Humantay.
If you want, you can hike up another few meters to get more of an ariel view of the lake.
Humantay Lake Weather
When doing this hike, the weather will vary greatly depending on when you travel to Peru. We went in August and had no rain, partly cloudy, but overall amazing weather.
If you travel outside of April to Oct/Nov, you will have a higher chance of cloudy with a chance of rain.
Final Thoughts
I never have a bad thing to say about these hikes in Peru and it is the same with this one. Visiting this lake is a must when visiting for this reason. With its popularity and ease of access, there are really not many other hikes around the area that can compete. Overall you will have an amazing time with many great views along the way. You will regret it if you don’t add this to your Peru bucket list immediately.
