Skip to content
A glacial lagoon above the trail to Humantay

Journal

Humantay lagoon

Home Journal

A short, steep walk to the water. Sleep at Soraypampa, then the path to Humantay lagoon.

The Humantay walk

Humantay lagoon

A short, steep walk to the water. Sleep at Soraypampa, then the path to Humantay lagoon. The summit stands over the lagoon. The walk stops at the water.

A glacial lagoon above the trail to Humantay
The lagoon is the finish. The triangle on the map is the summit above it, not a climb.

Published particulars of the walk to Humantay lagoon.

Variable Record1
WhereSoraypampa to Humantay lagoon, Cusco region
Duration2 days / 1 night
Start / endCusco — Soraypampa — the lagoon — Cusco
SeasonApril – October
AltitudeA night at Soraypampa, then a steep path. The summit stays above the walk.
GroupSmall groups, twelve at most
DifficultyShort, and steep. One clear day on foot after a night at the trail.

1 Note: Particulars are those we publish for the journeys we operate.

Map of the walk from Soraypampa to Humantay lagoon
Soraypampa to the lagoon. The walk does not climb the summit. Open circle, the start. Square, the finish. A triangle is a summit beside the path.

Why the walk stops at the water

Humantay lagoon is the point. The mountain above it is marked so the place makes sense. We do not turn a lagoon walk into a summit attempt, and we do not sell the crowded morning that starts in Cusco and is back before you have looked at the water.

We publish two days and one night, April to October. The map runs Soraypampa to the lagoon. We will not invent a kilometre count we do not run as a fixed script. The desk writes the hours with you.

The months that hold

April to October is the window we publish. Outside it, the path and the view are less certain, and we say so.

The night at Soraypampa is the point of the second day. We will not put you on that path the morning after an international flight.

How this sits beside a longer walk

It is the short high day beside a Salkantay week, a day to Vinicunca, or the Ausangate circuit. Colca is the southern walk, from Arequipa, when the journey has room.

  1. Cusco, then Soraypampa

    A night in the city for the air, then the night at the trail. We do not walk to the lagoon on the day you land.

  2. The lagoon

    The steep path, then the water. Time there. The summit stays above the path.

  3. The same way back

    Down to Soraypampa, then Cusco. One clear day, not a second expedition.

A hiker with poles below snow peaks
The steep path. Poles earn their place; the lagoon is the reason for the day.

What to bring, and what to ask

Broken-in walking shoes, layers for a cold morning, rain protection, sunblock, and a day pack. Poles help on the steep ground. Personal insurance is yours. The night, transport, and the shape of the day are held by the desk once we confirm — nothing is charged before that.

Frequently asked questions

Do we climb Humantay?
No. The walk finishes at the lagoon. The summit is marked because it stands over the water. It is not part of the path.
When should I book?
April to October is the season we publish. Write the desk with your month; we will say what the path will actually allow.
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough for one steep day after a night at Soraypampa. It is short beside Salkantay or Ausangate. It is still a high path.
Can this join another walk?
Yes. It sits easily beside Salkantay, Vinicunca, or Ausangate, and beside Colca when the journey includes Arequipa.

Journey