Peru » Cusco

Cusco to Humantay Lake: Guided Trek, Breakfast & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.70 (10 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/6

Duration12h

GroupUp to 10

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

Guided trek to Humantay Lake from Cusco with meals included

You’ll start before dawn in Cusco with hotel pickup and a local guide leading your group up into the Andes for breakfast in Mollepata. Trekking from Soraypampa to Humantay Lake brings crisp air and mountain silence before time at the turquoise lagoon itself. Includes lunch with local flavors before returning tired but full of new memories.

12h

Step-by-step itinerary

Pick up from hotel early morning
Travel to Mollepata town
Breakfast in Mollepata
Continue trip to Soraypampa
Start trek to Humantay Lake
Enjoy free time at the lake
Return trek to Soraypampa
Lunch in Soraypampa
Return to Cusco

The Experience

The first thing I remember is the cold air on my cheeks as we stepped out in Cusco before sunrise—my phone said 4:45 a.m., but it felt earlier. Our guide, Maribel, greeted us by name (I’m still not sure how she remembered everyone) and handed out coca tea packets for the drive. The van was quiet at first, just the hum of tires and someone’s soft snoring behind me. By the time we reached Mollepata, the sky had cracked open into that pale blue you only get in the Andes. Breakfast was simple—eggs, bread, hot coffee—but honestly, I was just grateful for something warm to hold.

Soraypampa sits high up—almost 3,900 meters—and you feel it in your lungs right away. I’d read about the altitude but didn’t expect my legs to feel so heavy so quickly. Maribel kept a slow pace and pointed out tiny wildflowers along the trail; she called them “the mountain’s confetti.” There was this moment when we rounded a bend and suddenly Humantay Lake just appeared below us—so green-blue it looked fake. The wind picked up and I could smell wet earth mixed with something sharp, maybe eucalyptus? People got quiet for a bit, just taking it in. There were locals making offerings by the water’s edge—coca leaves laid out on flat stones—which made me pause longer than I thought I would.

We had almost an hour at the lake itself. Some folks took photos; others just sat on rocks and watched clouds drift across Salkantay’s snowy peak. My hands were freezing but I didn’t want to put my gloves back on—I wanted to feel everything. On the way down, Maribel told us stories about the Apus (the sacred mountains) and laughed when I tried to pronounce “Soraypampa” correctly (I definitely didn’t). Lunch back at Soraypampa was hearty—rice, chicken stew, something sweet made from corn—and everyone ate like they’d hiked twice as far as we did.

The ride back to Cusco was mostly quiet again; people dozed or stared out at fields rolling past. My boots were muddy and my calves ached in that good way that means you actually did something today. Even now, days later, I keep thinking about that flash of turquoise water under all that sky—you know?

What’s included

Your day includes early morning hotel pickup in Cusco followed by private transport through mountain valleys.
Enjoy breakfast in Mollepata before trekking with a professional local guide up to Humantay Lake via Soraypampa.
After exploring the lake’s edge you’ll return for a traditional Andean lunch before heading back to Cusco by evening transport.

Good to know

Demanding physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by salkantay trail peru