Humantay Lake and Mount Salkantay Guide

Humantay Lake (Laguna Humantay) is a turquoise, glacier-fed lake at 4,200 m (13,780 ft) below the ice of Humantay mountain (5,473 m), near Mollepata in the Cusco region. You reach it on foot from Soraypampa (about 3,900 m), a walk of 3 to 4 km that takes about 1.5 to 2 hours up, after a drive of about 122 km (around 3 hours 20 minutes) from Cusco. Most travelers visit it on a full-day trip from Cusco or at the start of the Salkantay Trek. Above it rises Salkantay, at 6,271 m the highest mountain of the Vilcabamba range.

Humantay Lake at a glance#

Sources: Peru’s tourism inventory (MINCETUR) and PromPerú.

Visiting Humantay Lake with us#

We visit Humantay Lake on the Salkantay Trek and also as a day trip from Cusco. We try to arrive before 7:00 am, ahead of most groups. The entrance fee, around S/ 20, is paid separately by each traveler.

For the altitude: arrive in Cusco one or two days earlier, drink plenty of water and coca tea, and walk slowly on the climb to the lake.

How to get to Humantay Lake#

From Cusco the road follows the Cusco–Abancay highway through Limatambo, then turns off to Mollepata and climbs to Soraypampa: about 97 km to Mollepata and 25 km more to Soraypampa. Day tours leave Cusco very early, usually between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m., and return in the late afternoon.

From Soraypampa a clear path climbs about 300 m to the lake. It is steep in places and you are already near 4,000 m, so walk slowly. The way down takes about an hour.

Is the Humantay Lake hike hard?#

The walk is short but steep, and the altitude makes it harder than it looks. If you have spent two or three days in Cusco first, most travelers in reasonable shape can do it at their own pace. If you have just arrived, the altitude can give you headaches and shortness of breath; see our guide to altitude sickness in Cusco.

Entrance fee and opening hours#

A community fee is paid in cash at the control point at Soraypampa: around S/ 20 for foreign visitors on our recent visits (Peru’s tourism inventory listed S/ 10 in 2022). Visits are in the morning and early afternoon; the official sources give closing times between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. Arrive early for the calmest light and fewer people.

Why is Humantay Lake turquoise?#

The lake is fed by meltwater from the Humantay glacier. Glacial lakes usually owe their color to rock flour, very fine particles ground by the ice that stay suspended in the water and reflect sunlight; Peru’s tourism inventory also mentions the clear water, green microalgae and the reflection of the sky.

Safety and closures#

Humantay is a high mountain area that changes with the weather:

• Rainy season: the access road from Mollepata crosses Balcompata, a stretch prone to landslides. Visits were suspended in early 2025 and again in February 2026, and in March 2026 an alternative path was opened.
• Avalanches: in July and September 2026 visitors filmed ice avalanches falling from the glacier into the lake, and Peru’s glacier research institute (INAIGEM) recommended a risk assessment and an early warning system. Stay on the marked paths and away from the water’s edge below the glacier.

Check the conditions before you go, and between January and March keep your plans flexible.

Mount Salkantay#

Salkantay (6,271 m / 20,574 ft) is the highest peak of the Cordillera Vilcabamba and the great snowy mountain you see from Soraypampa, Humantay Lake and the Salkantay Pass. Its name is usually explained as coming from the Quechua salqa, “wild”, and the mountain has been revered in the region for centuries, at least since the 16th century.

• Salkantay and Machu Picchu: the anthropologist Johan Reinhard showed that Salkantay’s summit lies due south of the Intihuatana stone at Machu Picchu, although it cannot be seen from there; seen from Machu Picchu, the Southern Cross stands directly above the mountain at its highest point.
• First ascent: on 5 August 1952, by a Franco-American expedition. Fred Ayres, George Bell, Graham Matthews, David Michael, Claude Kogan and Bernard Pierre reached the summit.
• Where to see it: from Soraypampa and Humantay Lake on day 1 of the Salkantay Trek, up close from the Salkantay Pass (4,630 m) on day 2, and together with Machu Picchu from the Inca site of Llactapata on day 4.

Humantay Lake on the Salkantay Trek#

Humantay Lake is at the start of the Salkantay route, above Soraypampa, where Salkantay treks stop on the first day. If you want more than a day trip, the 5-day Salkantay Trek continues over the Salkantay Pass and down through cloud forest and coffee farms to Machu Picchu. Read our Salkantay Trek guide, see the Salkantay Trek map or our Salkantay Trek tours.

Frequently asked questions#

How high is Humantay Lake?

4,200 m (13,780 ft) above sea level, according to Peru’s tourism inventory. The hike starts at Soraypampa, at about 3,900 m.

How long is the hike to Humantay Lake?

About 3 to 4 km each way: around 1.5 to 2 hours up and about an hour down.

How far is Humantay Lake from Cusco?

About 122 km by road, around 3 hours 20 minutes each way, so a day trip from Cusco is a long day.

When is the best time to visit Humantay Lake?

The dry season, from May to October, has the clearest skies. In the rainy season, from about November to March, landslides can close the access road for days or weeks.

How tall is Salkantay mountain?

6,271 m (20,574 ft). It is the highest mountain of the Cordillera Vilcabamba and was first climbed on 5 August 1952.