Reaching Humantay Lake is a physical challenge. You start walking from Soraypampa camp at about 3,900 meters. The path is a steady uphill climb for roughly two hours. You gain around 400 meters in elevation before you finally see it. The air is thin up there at 4,200 meters. That first glimpse of the water makes the whole burn in your legs worth it.

The color is unreal. It’s this intense turquoise that doesn’t seem natural. It comes from fine rock particles in the water, sediment from the melting Humantay glacier right above it. The whole place feels powerful and ancient.

The Hike and How to Handle It

This isn’t a casual walk. The trail is about 3.5 kilometers round trip. It’s a constant ascent on a dirt path. The way up takes most people between an hour and a half to two hours. The way down is faster, maybe an hour. The biggest factor isn’t the distance, it’s the altitude. You are starting extremely high and going even higher. Proper acclimatization in Cusco for a few days is not a suggestion, it’s a requirement.

You feel every step in the thin air. The landscape is raw Andean grassland, with the massive Salkantay peak watching over everything.

When to Go and What You’ll Find

The best time for clear skies is during the dry season, from May to October. The path is drier and the views are more reliable. But everyone knows this, so you’ll be sharing the trail.

The rainy season from December to March is a different story. You might have the place almost to yourself. But the trade-off is real. The trails get muddy and slippery. Clouds often cover the mountain views. It’s a gamble.

Some people do it as a very long day trip from Cusco. That means a brutally early start. A better option is to stay overnight at a camp in Soraypampa. This lets you hike up for sunrise, which is a completely different, and much more peaceful, experience. It’s also a common first stop on the longer Salkantay Trek route to Machu Picchu.

A Place of Significance

For the local communities, this isn’t just a photo spot. It’s a sacred place, an apacheta. They have a deep spiritual connection to the lake and the surrounding mountains, which are considered apus, or mountain spirits. You might see small offerings left by visitors as a sign of respect. The water is considered to have purifying qualities. It’s important to be mindful and respect the space.