A treat for tired eyes, the Humantay Tour will delight your sight with at least three shades of blue: sky blue, glacial blue, and turquoise blue.
Why do this tour?
The Humantay 1-Day Tour is a short hiking adventure that takes you to a small yet stunning turquoise lake fed by the melting snow atop glacial Humantay Mountain, after which the lagoon is named. The mountain is in the Vilcabamba mountain range at 4,261 meters above sea level.
It’s a surreal experience to rest your eyes on the lake’s rare shade of turquoise blue brought about by the harmonious blend of unique algae found in the lake, the reflection of the surrounding greenery, the blue sky, and the light of the Andean sun.
One of the highlights of this tour is participating in a millenary ritual to honor Pachamama (Mother Earth) and convey your gratitude for allowing you to enter and arrive safely. The ritual consists of positioning stones and coca leaves to show your respect.
The actual hike to Humantay Lagoon takes approximately an hour and 45 minutes. However, it’s a three-hour bus trip from Cusco to the hike’s starting point in Soraypampa.
The Humantay Tour is a high-altitude hike, so we recommend acclimatizing in Cusco a few days before the tour to avoid altitude sickness. And since Humantay Lagoon is also one of the most popular destinations (with about a thousand visitors a day), check with your tour operator for days when there is less traffic for a more restful experience.