Witness Rainbow Mountain in all its glory, take some photos and explore the area on a day trip from Cusco with a guide. Set out on an adventure in the early morning with a hotel pickup. Head up the mountain, cross small villages, immerse yourself in the local culture, and have lunch after your hike.
Begin your full-day tour in Cusco city, where you will be picked up between 4:15 AM and 4:45 AM. You will then drive in a comfortable van for 3 hours to the town of Cusipata, where you will have breakfast in a local family house. Following breakfast, head to the starting point of your hike. There are approximately 3 kilometers of flat land uphill, leading to the majestic "Mountain of Colors".
The hike will take about 1.5 hours, depending on your level of fitness. Along the way, enjoy panoramic views of the valleys, wild llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas, as well as of the Andes and the nearby glaciers. Rainbow Mountain: Once here, if the weather is good, get the first views of Rainbow Mountain. At the top, take a well-deserved break, which will also be your chance to catch your breath and enjoy the stunning views.
After taking beautiful photos, begin your descent, where you will enjoy a delicious lunch upon your return. You will then take private transportation back to Cusco, where you will arrive at approximately 5:00 PM.
OR Lake Humantay
Lake Humantay is
currently listed as #4 on the list of the Top Attractions in the Cusco
Surroundings, making Humantay one of the most coveted day trip destinations for
travelers in Peru. On the day Humantay
Lake tour, you will admire panoramic views over the lagoon and the Apurimac
River and learn about the region’s Inca and pre-Inca history. Make the
most out of your day Visiting Lake Humantay in Peru!
Lake Humantay
or “Lago Humantay” – in Spanish – is a gorgeous body of water located at the
foothills of the snow-capped Humantay Mountain at an altitude of 4,200 meters
or 13,779 feet above sea level. The lake is nestled into a secretive and hidden
location like a precious gemstone that you can only see once you arrive
directly upon it. The tropical-colored turquoise water contrasts strikingly
against the snowy mountain in the distance. In the past, only people hiking
the Salkantay
Trek were lucky enough to admire this amazing natural wonder, but in
recent years the tour or
hike to Lake Humantay has become a popular day trip open to all
travelers.
Visiting Lake Humantay in Peru
Lake Humantay
Tour
The full-day Lake Humantay Tour starts in the center of Cusco. The bus departs around 5:30 AM and arrives at Soraypampa, the start point of the trek, around 8:30 AM. After a quick briefing from the guide the first part of the hike starts; after about 25 minutes there is breakfast at a small encampment. Up till here, the walk is almost completely flat. The breakfast consists of coffee, *a variety of teas, a hot chocolate drink with oatmeal, bread, butter, jelly and simple pancakes.
Around 10:00
AM the guide gives a briefing with tips to get the best Lake Humantay
experience. You will be given walking poles and there’s also an option to rent
a horse. *
The hike up
to the lake offers a gorgeous view of the uneven and rocky terrain scattered
with little vegetation that is typical of the high Andes Mountains. The hike
itself is moderate and will take the average hiker between 45 minutes to an
hour and a half to arrive at the lake from the encampment. Take your time
walking because the high altitude can make you feel fatigued or even dizzy.
Once you
arrive at the top, you will be amazed by the piercing colors within the lake.
The colors span from a light yellow to a dark mix of emerald and turquoise. At
Lake Humantay, you can feel that you are in two places at once. The varying
hues of green, blue and yellow are due to the combination of the minerals and
algae present as well as the reflection from the blue sky and the strong
radiation from the sun.
You will be
given plenty of time to take photos and walk to different vantage points to get
the perfect shots. The lake truly is gorgeous and worth the strenuous hike up.
The amount of tourists is not overwhelming and you can take photos without
seeing another soul in the frame.
The walk down
is much faster, but it can be hard on the knees as the terrain has many rocks
and at times is quite steep. After approximately 30 minutes of walking down you
will be back at the encampment where lunch is served. The lunch is mostly a
hearty barley soup to start, a buffet-style main course with the traditional
Lomo Saltado with French fries, rice, a cucumber and tomato salad and many
vegetable options. Before heading back to Cusco, drink a warming and relaxing
muña (a typical Andean herb) and honey tea. According to the Incas, muña helps
digestions as well as adjusting to the high altitude.
What do you
need to know when Visiting Lake Humantay in Peru?
Below is a
short overview with the best tips and suggestions on how to make the most out
of your day Lake Humantay Tour!
1-Bring
layers:
The morning
is very cold, so you should wear multiple layers, including a long sleeve
shirt, a fleece and a warm jacket and a hat for the cold as well as a hat for
the sun later in the day. Once you start moving and hiking you can take off
your layers. Once the sun goes behind the clouds, the temperature can drop very
quickly. You should be ready for many varying temperatures. You can also bring
a small blanket for the bus ride if you want to sleep.
2-Bring
sunscreen:
You are going
to be at a high altitude which means the radiation is very strong and you can
get a horrible sunburn unless you protect your skin with sunscreen and a hat.
You should also bring sunglasses to help protect your eyes from the strong
radiation. There is hardly any shade or protection from the sun at the Lake.
3-Get enough
sleep:
Make sure you
get enough rest the night before your the Lake Humantay tour. You will probably
struggle physically with only a few hours of sleep as the tour pick-up time is
around 4:50 AM. Travelers should have a moderate fitness level to enjoy the
hike to the lake.
4-Bring
medicine or a remedy to help prevent motion or car sickness:
At times the
bus ride can be winding and if you get car sick easily you should prepare by taking
some medicine beforehand.
5-Bring a
snack, water or other drink of your choice:
As the Lake
Humantay tour starts about 4 hours before breakfast I would recommend bringing
fruit, granola bars, nuts, cookies, crackers or a small sandwich along with
you. After the excursion you will most likely be thirsty and bringing water,
fruit juice or an energy/electrolyte drink can help you replenish your body.
Breakfast and lunch are included during the tour.
6- Book the
Lake Humantay Tour with a travel agency in Cusco:
Navigating on
your own can be challenging, so we recommend you take an organized day Lake
Humantay Tour. Full-day guided tours include round-trip transportation from
Cusco, entrance fees, breakfast and lunch, medical kits and oxygen. Everything
is taken care of for you so you have more time to enjoy your trek.
7- Rent
Horses: *
If you are not very fit, are tired, or you simply enjoy riding horses, you have the option to rent a horse which is led by a local member of the community up to the top. Tourists who choose this option will only need to walk a short distance after the horse ride to be able to view the lake. Renting a horse also helps support the livelihood of the local inhabitants. Please contact us for a price indication.