Humantay Lake Hike: The Climb Hour by Hour, Difficulty and Altitude

Near the end of the climb the zigzags stop. One more step over a lip of gray gravel and the lake is right there below you, a flat sheet of milky turquoise pressed against the foot of a glacier. Nobody talks for a moment. Then everyone reaches for a camera with cold fingers, because the wind off the ice has found the gap between glove and sleeve.

Short answer: The Humantay Lake hike climbs from Soraypampa, at about 3,900 m (12,795 ft), to the lake at 4,200 m (13,780 ft), a gain of roughly 300 m (1,000 ft) in about 1 hour 40 minutes. It is moderate: short but steep at altitude. Tours leave Cusco at 4:00 a.m., US$137 with us, best May to September.

Our Humantay Lake destination page covers where the lake is and when to go. This page is the hike itself: the climb told hour by hour, the hardest stretches rated, the horse question, what to wear for each temperature, and a straight comparison with Rainbow Mountain for travelers who only have room for one.

Humantay Lake hike: quick facts

Fact	Value	Source
Lake altitude	4,200 m (13,780 ft)	MINCETUR tourism inventory
Trailhead, Soraypampa	About 3,850 to 3,900 m (12,630 to 12,795 ft)	Trekking operators, figures vary
Elevation gain	About 300 m (1,000 ft)	From the two altitudes above
Time up	About 1 hour 40 minutes	Our day trek itinerary
Time down	About 1 hour	Our day trek itinerary
Day length	4:00 a.m. pickup, back 6:00 to 6:30 p.m.	Our day trek itinerary
Road from Cusco	About 122 km (76 mi), via Mollepata	MINCETUR tourism inventory
Lake size	About 618 m long, 164 m wide, 17 m deep	MINCETUR tourism inventory
Entrance fee, foreigners	S/10 (record updated October 2022)	MINCETUR tourism inventory
Our day trek	US$137 per person, shared service (as of October 2026)	Our package page

How hard is the Humantay Lake hike?

Humantay is a moderate hike, 3 on a scale of 5, and it is the altitude, not the distance, that earns it that rating. The climb takes about 1 hour 40 minutes and gains roughly 300 m (1,000 ft), which at sea level would be a brisk walk up a hill. At 3,900 m (12,795 ft), with each breath carrying far less oxygen than at home, the same hill makes most people stop every 30 or 40 steps on the steep part.

We rate the day by stretch, because the effort is not spread evenly. The first half is easy. The middle is a steady grind. The zigzags on the last stretch are the only hard part, and the walk down is where people actually slip.

Humantay Lake difficulty, stretch by stretch (our scale, 1 easy to 5 very hard)

Stretch	Time	What it is like	Effort (1 to 5)
Soraypampa to the end of the wide path	First part of the 1 hour 40 minutes up	Broad track, steady grade, room to walk side by side	2
The zigzags to the rim	Last stretch of the climb	Tight switchbacks on loose, dusty ground, the altitude bites	4
At the lake and the ridge above it	10:15 to 11:00	Short climb on the ridge, cold wind off the glacier	2
Descent to Soraypampa	About 1 hour	Loose gravel, hard on the knees, poles help	3
The whole day	About 14 hours door to door	Early start, six hours in the van, three on foot	3

Who manages it: anyone who can walk two hours uphill at home, at a slow pace, after two nights in Cusco. Who should think twice: travelers with heart or lung disease (see your doctor first), anyone who landed in Cusco in the last 48 hours, and people with bad knees who have no trekking poles for the descent. Children who hike at home usually do fine, and they often beat their parents to the top.

What does the climb look like, hour by hour?

The day runs about 14 hours door to door, with roughly three of them on foot. Here it is as our groups live it, with the times our guides keep on the Humantay Lake day trek.

04:00, Cusco. Pickup at your hotel in the dark, between 4:00 and 4:30. Wear the warm layers from the start, because the van is cold until the heater wins. Most people sleep across the Anta plain.

06:30, Mollepata. Breakfast in the farming town of Mollepata, about 2,850 to 2,900 m (9,350 to 9,500 ft) according to trekking operators. Eat bread, eggs, coca tea, whatever goes down. Travelers who skip it are the ones who stall on the zigzags.

07:15, the road up. A narrow mountain road climbs from Mollepata to Soraypampa, about 25 km (16 mi) and a little over an hour per Peru's tourism inventory. The valley closes in and the first snow peaks appear through the windshield.

08:30, Soraypampa. The van stops at a high meadow with domes, campsites and a few stalls selling water and snacks. Use the restroom here. Horses wait at the start of the trail if you want one. The air is cold and the grass is often white with frost.

The wide path. The first half follows a broad track up the slope, steady and easy to share. You warm up quickly. Take off the jacket before you sweat into it, because you will need it dry at the top.

The zigzags. The path narrows and turns into tight switchbacks on loose, dusty ground. These zigzags are what people mean when they say Humantay is hard. Pick a rhythm you could keep for an hour, even if it feels absurdly slow, and stop on the corners, not in the middle of the path where horses pass.

The rim. The trail tops a moraine and the lake appears below the Humantay glacier, at 4,200 m (13,780 ft) per MINCETUR's tourism inventory. The inventory measures it at about 618 m (2,030 ft) long and 17 m (56 ft) deep. On the far side of the valley, when the cloud allows, stands Salkantay, the highest peak of the Vilcabamba range at 6,271 m (20,574 ft).

10:15, at the lake. Time for photos, a snack and the view. Our guides take groups up the low ridge on the left as you arrive, where the whole lake fits in one frame with the glacier behind. Along the shore you will see small stacks of stones. Visitors build these apachetas as an offering to the Pachamama, in thanks for arriving safely, as the tourism inventory records. Leave them as they are.

11:00, the descent. About an hour back down the same path. The loose gravel on the zigzags rolls under your boots, and this is where trekking poles earn their place. Knees take the strain now, not lungs.

13:00, lunch in Mollepata. Soup and a hot plate, eaten in the warm, with the climb behind you. Most people sleep again on the drive.

18:00, Cusco. Drop-off near the Plaza de Armas between 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. Drink water, eat a light dinner and go to bed early, especially if Rainbow Mountain is on tomorrow's list.

How high is Humantay Lake, and how will the altitude feel?

Humantay Lake sits at 4,200 m (13,780 ft), the figure in Peru's official tourism inventory, which is about 800 m (2,600 ft) above Cusco at 3,399 m (11,152 ft). Soraypampa, where the walk starts, is about 3,850 to 3,900 m (12,630 to 12,795 ft), with figures that vary slightly between trekking operators. The name Humantay is translated in the inventory as "the head of the gods".

The CDC Yellow Book treats sleeping altitudes above 2,450 m (8,000 ft) as a risk for altitude illness, and you will already be sleeping well above that in Cusco. A day trip to 4,200 m is easier on the body than sleeping there, because you return to Cusco the same evening. Even so, expect short breath on the zigzags and possibly a mild headache at the lake.

Turn around if the headache gets worse as you climb, or if nausea or dizziness join it. The CDC notes that symptoms usually ease with a descent of 300 m (1,000 ft), which on Humantay means walking back down to Soraypampa. The CDC also lists acetazolamide to prevent altitude illness. It is a prescription drug, so talk to your doctor before the trip. Read our guide to Cusco altitude for the first days in the city.

The timing rule we give everyone: Humantay on your third day in Cusco or later. If your trip also has Rainbow Mountain, do Humantay first. It is 836 m (2,742 ft) lower and works as the test run.

Should you take a horse up to Humantay Lake?

Take a horse if you are over 65, if you arrived in Cusco less than two days ago, or if the first, easy part of the path from Soraypampa leaves you dizzy. Local families rent horses at Soraypampa, and MINCETUR's inventory lists horse rental among the services there. You pay the owner in cash, in soles, and the owner walks beside the horse.

We do not print a horse price for Humantay. Our trip data has none, and the prices published online vary with the season and how far up the horse goes. Carry about S/100 in small bills, ask the guide to agree the price before you mount, and settle it at the top. The horse is not included on our day trek.

A horse is a ride, not a rest. You still sit in cold wind at walking pace, so keep your gloves and hat on. And if you feel ill on the horse, the answer is the same as on foot: tell the guide and go down.

How cold is it at Humantay Lake?

Cold at dawn, warm while you climb in sun, and cold again at the lake. The tourism inventory describes May to November as cold with strong sun by day, and December to April as milder with rain. Frost at Soraypampa at 8:30 a.m. is normal in the dry months.

Dress in layers you can change while walking. Start with a base layer, a fleece and a windproof jacket, plus a hat and light gloves. Strip to the base layer on the wide path. Put everything back on at the rim, because the air coming off the glacier is the coldest of the day. Add a rain shell from October to April, and sunscreen and sunglasses in every month, since the glare off the water is strong. Our Peru packing list has the full list for the Andes.

Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain: which hike is easier?

Humantay is easier. It tops out at 4,200 m (13,780 ft) against 5,036 m (16,522 ft) at Rainbow Mountain, both per Peru's tourism inventory, and it starts lower too. The walk is a little steeper in places, but the thinner air at Vinicunca makes it the harder day for almost everyone.

Humantay Lake vs Rainbow Mountain, as day hikes from Cusco

	Humantay Lake	Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)
Highest point	4,200 m (13,780 ft)	5,036 m (16,522 ft)
Trailhead	About 3,900 m (12,795 ft), Soraypampa	About 4,600 m (15,092 ft), Chillihuani
Gain	About 300 m (1,000 ft)	About 430 m (1,400 ft)
Time up	About 1 hour 40 minutes	About 1 hour 45 minutes
Hardest part	Tight zigzags on the last stretch	Switchbacks in the last 20 minutes, in thinner air
Cloudy day	Lake keeps its color	Stripes lose their color, snow hides them
Back in Cusco	6:00 to 6:30 p.m.	4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Horse	Available at Soraypampa, price set on the day	US$24 (S/80) per stretch on our tour
Our day tour	US$137	US$137

Our opinion: if you can do only one, do Humantay. It is gentler on the body, it works in the rainy season because the lake keeps its color under gray skies, and it gives you a taste of the Salkantay route. Pick Rainbow Mountain instead if the striped hillside is the photo you came for and you have three nights in Cusco behind you. Our honest take on whether Rainbow Mountain is worth it and the Rainbow Mountain altitude guide cover the other side of the choice.

Can you do Humantay and Rainbow Mountain on the same trip?

Yes, on two separate days, with Humantay first. Doing both on back-to-back days is common and fine for fit travelers who have already spent two or three nights in Cusco. Never try both in one day: the trailheads are on opposite sides of Cusco, each about three hours away.

Our Machu Picchu and Humantay Lake package in 6 days, from US$1,028, puts Humantay on day 4 and Rainbow Mountain on day 5, after Machu Picchu. The 9-day Peru tour with two Andes hikes, from US$1,660, runs them on days 7 and 8. If you want the lake as the first day of a longer trek, the Salkantay trek guide explains the five-day route that passes Soraypampa on day one.

Still deciding which colored mountain to add? Our guide to which Rainbow Mountain to choose compares Vinicunca, Palccoyo and Pallay Punchu.

Humantay Lake tour or a hike on your own?

A tour is simpler, and we think it is the better choice for a first visit. Going alone means a minibus from Cusco to Mollepata, then a public minibus or a shared car up to Soraypampa, as the tourism inventory describes the route, the entrance fee at the gate (S/10 for foreigners in the tourism inventory, updated October 2022) and the same route back before dark. The inventory lists visiting hours of 5:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., which leaves little margin for a slow walker using public transport.

Our Humantay Lake day trek from Cusco costs US$137 per person, shared service, and includes hotel pickup and drop-off in central Cusco, the entrance fee, an official guide who speaks Spanish and English, breakfast and lunch in Mollepata, and a first aid kit with oxygen. It does not include tips, travel insurance, personal trekking gear, dinner or a horse. The tour runs every day of the year. From June to August, send your free quote request two to three weeks ahead and a planner on our team in Cusco confirms your seat and pickup time.

Updated October 2026. Altitudes, fees and visiting hours from MINCETUR's tourism inventory (record updated 11 October 2022), tour times from our package page, read 20 October 2026.