Humantay Lake is an icon of peace and serenity on the face of the earth. Humantay Lake is situated in Peru, a beautiful South American country for those who don’t know. Peru contains immense natural beauty and heritage. It’s a real centre of attraction for tourists and geography students from all over the world. In this blog, we will discuss the beautiful blue lake in detail. Camina Los Andes presents a short 1-Day trek tour to Humantay Lake Peru, don’t forget to check it out.
Where is Humantay Lake?
Before even starting a tour with professional guides, it’s better to develop a basic knowledge of tour destinations. At least I do the same, and it’s fantastic to have general knowledge about the place you are visiting.
Humantay Lake Elevation
The blue laguna humantay Lake altitude is about 4200 meters. The humantay lake elevation in feet is 13780. It takes a little toil to hike, but all the toil and effort are worth it.
The lake is 122 kilometers far from Cusco city. There are many options one can avail to reach Mollepata, which is the trailhead of Lake Humantay. You can either take a taxi or a bus to reach Mollepata. If you are unfamiliar, then having a guided tour is the best option.
Cusco to Humantay Lake
So this memorable trip starts from the old cultural capital of Peru, the Cusco city. It’s a beautiful bus journey of 122.5 km from Cusco to Lake Humantay that contains many picturesque views. Luckily the highways are good, so 122.5 km doesn’t feel that harsh. It takes 3 hours and a few minutes, depending upon how fast your driver drives. You won’t feel bored in these 3 hours from Cusco to Humantay. You can also utilize these 3 hours to have a nap to stay fresh while trekking. Usually, touring companies set early in the morning to avoid traffic and crowds.
Cusco is a hub of Peruvian tourism. It has also served as a capital during the glorious days of the Incan Empire. Still, nowadays, Cusco is famous as the cultural capital of Peru. There is an efficient road network from Cusco to other historical places. The travel route to Humantay Lake also comes from Cusco. Most of the famous Peruvian tourist sites go to the destinations from Laguna Humantay.
Humantay Lake, known by many names
Humantay Lake has many names like a blue lagoon, Laguna Humantay, blue turquoise, etc. Laguna Humantay has a Spanish name while the tourists gave it a name, blue turquoise. The lake is crystal clear and clean because no one enters the lake; hence it’s in the purest form. The lake looks like a naturally blue color; therefore, it has its name as blue turquoise.
Lake Humantay has great significance in history. It was considered sacred for Incan people. Still, up to date, Laguna Humantay hosts several spiritual visitors. There is not much data on how the lake came into being, but again, it retains the history. The color appears to be blue or emerald, as it depends on sunlight and weather conditions. The lake treats the tourists with jaw-dropping beauty.
A gigantic Emerald glass
The tall and abreast Andean mountains beautifully surround the lake. The lake appears to be a gigantic emerald glass presenting the reflection of snowy mountains in the background. A little breeze and tiny ripples on the water surface makes the lake so pretty. Due to the respect and nobility, no one enters the lake.
Spiritual trekkers
Laguna Humantay is like no ordinary lake in Peru. As per Incan people’s beliefs, it’s a sacred lake. Even up till now, religious individuals visit the lake and perform their rituals. Shamans and spiritual visitors visit and offer their rituals with great respect. It symbolizes how thankful they are to the mother world for giving such a sense of peace and tranquility.
Apacheds is the spiritual offering that religious and spiritual visitors offer. The spiritual visitors place the small rocks one above the other while sitting beside the lake. While setting early in the morning helps to visit, hike, and return the same day. So it is quite possible to explore a lot with Humantay Lake 1 day tour.
The Lake Humantay Elevation
The beautiful Humantay Lake enjoys an elevation of 4200 meters. In feet, it becomes 13780, which is a serious deal. Such an elevation can be dangerous as it can cause altitude sickness in the worst cases. Laguna Humantay trek is demanding, but the duration and trek trail isn’t that long as other Peruvian treks. Trek difficulty is so small for professionals and regular trekkers. For nonprofessionals, the hike can be rough and tough.
The starting point of the hike is Soraypampa. Although the walk is not that long, one cannot rule out the hike difficulty factor. It takes 1.5 hours from Soraypampa to reach Humantay lagoon. It’s true that Humantay Lake isn’t as long and demanding as the other trek trails in Peru. The hike contains medium level difficulty because of its elevation and the trek duration. For experts and professionals, it’s relatively easy. Upon reaching the destination, you’ll realize that it pays off all the efforts and toil.
Humantay Elevation is more than 13000 feet due to which the air is very thin. Due to thin air, the oxygen level at Humantay Lake is not the same as ordinary places. For beginners or the people who haven’t been in such high areas can feel altitude sickness. Guided tours are safe as there are experts to take care of things in case something goes wrong.
The Humantay Lake Weather
The temperature range of Humantay Lake is a little different from Peru. The high altitude and beyond local inhibition is the main reason for the seasonal cold weather of Humantay Lagoon. Laguna Humantay situates in sky peak mountain skirts. The average yearly temperature lies between 4-12 degrees Celsius.
Most of the time, the humantay lagoon weather remains cold. The winters are cold and sunny, while summers are humid and rainy. From November to March the weather is freezing. Summer lies in between April to October. Before planning the trip, it’s just to look at the weather predictions to have a safe and enjoyable trek tour.
An Unguided tour
Unlike Machu Picchu, one can visit Humantay Lake without guides. So good news for those guys who love to explore alone. Nowadays most people follow a different routine. We remain awake till late at night and get up late in the morning. In cases of guided trips, most of them leave very early in the morning. Even some trips leave as early as 4 am to 5 am. It’s better to sacrifice a guided tour, have a good nap, and set a little late. Grab private taxis and enjoy beautiful views as the journey will be 3 hours long. While setting early in the morning, most of the tourists utilize those 3 hours of sleep.
Laguna Humantay Itinerary
Laguna Humantay follows a straightforward itinerary as it contains no such twist and turns. From Cusco to Mollepata, the road is of good quality while providing a comfortable journey. While traveling from Cusco to the Humantay lake trek trail, you’ll see the following towns. Within the course of 122.5 kilometers, you’ll see 4 main cities. The first one after Cusco city will be the Pucyura town.
Following the order, the second will be Campone after a few kilometers. After Campone, Ancahuasi will welcome you. After Ancahuasi, Limatambo will be the second last before the trailhead. And then you’ll reach your destination from where all the thrill begins. Here’s Mollepata, a beautiful place from where the trekking will start.
What’s the best time to visit Humantay Lake?
Well, the best time for the Humantay lake trek tour is in the dry season. Winter can be useful, but it’s too cold at such altitude. It contains severe gusty blows of wind that might add inconvenience to the trip. We can further categorize the summer season into 2 different weather types as per the nature of the weather. The dry climate and wet weather.
The wet or rainy humantay lake weather starts in December and lasts till March. The wet season is very harsh because it receives heavy stormy rains that make hiking nearly impossible. It’s better not to take such a risk as it can cause an accident. During rainy weather, the ground loses its strength, so it’s exhausting and tough at the same time to trek. Humidity is another factor that amplifies the toughness. It’s nearly impossible to enjoy in such conditions.
On the other hand, the dry season is fantastic for planning a visit to Humantay lagoon. The only biggest challenge during the dry season is the bright sun. At such high altitudes in Peru, the Andean sun is pretty harsh. It’s better to take all the necessary stuff with you while hiking so that no inconvenience occurs. It doesn’t mean that the dry season is entirely rain-free. There are still chances of sudden rains or thunderstorms, so don’t forget to take high-quality raincoats.
FAQ
How to get to Humantay Lake?
Best way to go to Humantay Lake from Cusco is along with a guided tour. The normal Humantay Lake Tour starts very early in the morning (around 3 AM or 4 AM). A tour bus picks you from the hotel sharp at 3AM or 4AM. It includes the entrance fee to the lagoon, guide, transfer, breakfast, lunch and first aid expenses as well.
How Long is the Hike to Lake Humantay?
The one day hike to lake humantay is approximately about 10 km/6.2miles round trip and goes from 3900m/12,795 ft to 4200m/13,780ft. Due to its flexibility the lake is mostly crowded at day time. You should leave your hotel earlier in the morning to reach the top without facing any difficulty due to the heavy crowd.
How Far is Humantay Lake from Cusco?
To get to Humantay Lake from Cusco city you have to travel about 120 km by road. To reach the destination you have to pass through the towns of Limatambo and Mollepata, until you reach the community of Soraypampa. The next stop will be Humantay Lake.
