Humantay Lake

Humantay Lake is located about 3 hours away from the city of Cusco, Peru by car at an altitude of about 4200 meters. The hike is steep and challenging because of the altitude but definitely rewarding in the end. Humantay Lake can be reached through a tour or via a private taxi. It is also possible to drive yourself, but due to the nature of the road, which was winding and narrow for a 2 way road, I would advise against it. We took a taxi for 6 of us for 400 soles. Our driver was kind, patient, and helpful on the way to the trail and on the hike itself. He spoke to us of Peruvian culture and made sure we were comfortable at all times. Personally, I think a taxi is more preferable because it allows you to take your time on the way up, spend as much time as possible at the lake, and take your time coming back down, instead of having to adhere to a tour schedule and feel rushed.

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Almost right at the beginning of the trail, there were many horses with their owners waiting. They tried to convince us to take a horse, telling us the way ahead was grueling. At first, we only hired 1 horse for my grandfather, who is older now and would have had a hard time. The rest of us, however, took the challenge of walking all the way up. At first the trail was not very steep. My sister and I took off excitedly, but after a while, we were struggling with the altitude. Looking back, it would have been better if we had taken a slower, steady pace from the beginning! The rest of the way up only became more difficult. I was really glad that I had worn layers; as we climbed more, the sun felt even hotter and it was a relief to be able to peel off extra clothes. About halfway up and just before the trail became considerably steeper, there were horses and their owners waiting for those who preferred to take it easy the rest of the way up.

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We made it to the lake from the bottom of the trailhead in just under 2 hours. The hike to Humantay Lake is very interesting in that it is not possible to see the lake in the distance at all during the hike. The only time it is possible to see the lake is a couple of meters before actually arriving. This aspect of the hike makes seeing the lake at the very end especially rewarding!  

The lake itself is absolutely breathtaking with its blue green clear water and the snowy mountains in the background. It is well monitored, and there are rangers making sure nothing funky goes on. While there, we witnessed a young woman take a hefty rock from the ground and place it in the water so she could step on it and take a picture. The ranger close by ran down to put a stop to it and returned the rock to its original position. This incident was a reminder to respect the state of nature and that a great picture is not worth disrupting the environment!

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After admiring the lake for some time, we went back down. The horses do not take people down, since the steepness of the hike would make it dangerous. The return was reasonably much more simple than the way up. Once at the bottom, we enjoyed a choclo (corn) we bought from a local woman. It was a delicious treat after the strenuous hike! Humantay lake is definitely a gem that should not be missed during a trip to Peru and makes for a truly a fulfilling experience.

 

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