{"id":1126,"date":"2023-01-17T03:05:34","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T03:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/?p=1126"},"modified":"2023-01-17T03:05:34","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T03:05:34","slug":"humantay-lake-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Humantay Lake 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The archaeological capital of Cusco is an excellent starting point for the most amazing <strong>tourist destinations in South America<\/strong>. In the city of Cusco you will be surprised by history, its archaeological monuments, natural wonders, food, music and traditions. One of those jewels that remained hidden from most tourists until 2015 was the<strong> beautiful Humantay lake<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Today, this turquoise lagoon has become an unmissable jewel for nature lovers who come to Cusco with the main objective of<strong> visiting Machu Picchu<\/strong>. IncaGo Expeditions has prepared a travel guide to successfully reach the Humantay lake and enjoy this beautiful jewel of water in the middle of the eastern Peruvian Andes.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1131\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/humantay.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1131\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1131\" src=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/humantay-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"humantay-lake-cusco\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1131\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Humantay Lagoon<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_34 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Summary<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><label for=\"item\" aria-label=\"Tabla de contenidos\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1'><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Information_about_the_hike_to_the_Humantay_lake\" title=\"Information about the hike to the Humantay lake:\">Information about the hike to the Humantay lake:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Important_information\" title=\"Important information:\">Important information:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Why_is_the_Humantay_lagoon_popular\" title=\"Why is the Humantay lagoon popular?\">Why is the Humantay lagoon popular?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Where_is_the_Humantay_lagoon_located\" title=\"Where is the Humantay lagoon located?\">Where is the Humantay lagoon located?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Why_is_humantay_turquoise\" title=\"Why is humantay turquoise?\">Why is humantay turquoise?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Is_it_worth_visiting_the_Humantay_lake\" title=\"Is it worth visiting the Humantay lake?\">Is it worth visiting the Humantay lake?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#When_is_the_best_season_to_go_to_the_lagoon\" title=\"When is the best season to go to the lagoon?\">When is the best season to go to the lagoon?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#How_is_the_weather_in_the_Humantay_lagoon\" title=\"How is the weather in the Humantay lagoon?\">How is the weather in the Humantay lagoon?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Are_there_bathrooms_on_the_way_to_Humantay\" title=\"Are there bathrooms on the way to Humantay?\">Are there bathrooms on the way to Humantay?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Can_you_see_the_Salkantay_snow-capped_mountain_from_the_Humantay_lake\" title=\"Can you see the Salkantay snow-capped mountain from the Humantay lake?\">Can you see the Salkantay snow-capped mountain from the Humantay lake?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Can_you_ride_a_horse\" title=\"Can you ride a horse?\">Can you ride a horse?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#How_did_the_visits_to_Humantay_begin\" title=\"How did the visits to Humantay begin?\">How did the visits to Humantay begin?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Recommendations_to_safely_reach_the_lagoon\" title=\"Recommendations to safely reach the lagoon\">Recommendations to safely reach the lagoon<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/humantay-lake-2023\/#Is_there_a_cell_phone_signal_in_the_Humantay_lagoon\" title=\"Is there a cell phone signal in the Humantay lagoon?\">Is there a cell phone signal in the Humantay lagoon?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Information_about_the_hike_to_the_Humantay_lake\"><\/span>Information about the hike to the Humantay lake:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Distance from Cusco: 124 km<\/li>\n<li>Driving time: 3.5 hours one way. Approximately 6 hours in total.<\/li>\n<li>Entrance fee: 20 soles.<\/li>\n<li>Elevation, start of the trail: 3912 meters.<\/li>\n<li>Difficulty: Medium level hike.<\/li>\n<li>Trail Terrain: Flat trail for about 30 minutes and the next 2 hours a steep, undulating and rocky section.<\/li>\n<li>Walking distance: 6 km round trip.<\/li>\n<li>Mules rental: At the beginning of the walk for 70 soles.<\/li>\n<li>Walking time: 2 hours and 30 minutes to reach Humantay Lake. And 1 hour to return.<\/li>\n<li>Maximum altitude: 4200 meters.<\/li>\n<li>Tour duration: 12 \u2013 13 hours.<\/li>\n<li>Height gained in the hike: 400 meters<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Important_information\"><\/span>Important information:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>The earlier you leave Cusco, the better it will be, since you will arrive at the lake before everyone else.<\/li>\n<li>The Humantay lake is the third most visited place after Machu Picchu and the Rainbow Mountain.<\/li>\n<li>It is completely forbidden to take a dip in the Humantay lagoon.<\/li>\n<li>We recommend that you visit the lagoon on a sunny day, that&#8217;s when the colors become more vivid. When it rains or is foggy, the lake tends to lose the turquoise color in its waters.<\/li>\n<li>Know that there are horse or mule rentals to go up and down the Humantay lagoon.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t forget that health and safety always come first. If you start to feel dizzy, nauseated, have a headache or feel tired during the trek, let your guide know immediately so they can give you the best possible suggestion.<\/li>\n<li>The Humantay lake is also the starting point for the 5-day Salkantay trek.<\/li>\n<li>Humantay and Salkantay have been known as sacred mountains since time immemorial in this part of the Andean region.<\/li>\n<li>The Soraypampa camp is home to several camps, with geodesic dome tents popular today, which offer night views of the Andean sky.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_the_Humantay_lagoon_popular\"><\/span>Why is the Humantay lagoon popular?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>Humantay lake is a small high Andean lagoon<\/strong>, what makes it very popular is that, on sunny days, visitors can appreciate an impressive turquoise, blue and greenish color in this body of water, adorned by the impressive snow-capped Humantay. This lagoon is of glacial origin. This means that when the Humantay Glacier formed and eroded the land, it melted a bit, filling the depression created by the glacier.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_is_the_Humantay_lagoon_located\"><\/span>Where is the Humantay lagoon located?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>This natural wonder is located 124 kilometers northwest of Cusco, in the district of Mollepata, province of Anta.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_is_humantay_turquoise\"><\/span>Why is humantay turquoise?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>There are two main reasons why the lagoons acquire different colors. One of them is the presence of mineral particles transported by the ice and melted as they descend from the snow. When these tiny mineral particles finally end up in the <strong>waters of the Humantay lake<\/strong>, they never sink to the bottom, creating these beautiful colors. Another reason is the presence of micro algae (<strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Microcystis_aeruginosa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Microcystis aeruginosa<\/a><\/span><\/strong> and <strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oscillatoria\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oscillatoria<\/a><\/span><\/strong>), which, when reflected by the sun, create those turquoise tones.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_it_worth_visiting_the_Humantay_lake\"><\/span>Is it worth visiting the Humantay lake?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>The Humantay lagoon is one of the most instagrammable places in Cusco<\/strong>, just look at the photos posted by people who have already had the privilege of knowing this natural wonder. Once you arrive at the lagoon, ascend for 15 more minutes to one of the viewpoints, from where you will have a panoramic view of the place.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1132\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/humantay-instagrammable.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1132\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1132\" src=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/humantay-instagrammable-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"instagrammable-humantay-lake\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Instagrammable Humantay<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_is_the_best_season_to_go_to_the_lagoon\"><\/span>When is the best season to go to the lagoon?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The weather in the mountains is very changeable, however, the best date to <strong>visit the Humantay lake<\/strong> is between the months of April to October, a time that is known locally as the dry season. This season undoubtedly offers very sunny days, with perfect solar lighting. Without a doubt, if you have one of those days you will enjoy the blue &#8211; turquoise color of Humantay with greater clarity. In any case, the Humantay lagoon is accessible all year round and of course, in the rainy season, getting a perfect photo is a matter of luck.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_is_the_weather_in_the_Humantay_lagoon\"><\/span>How is the weather in the Humantay lagoon?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The climate in the dry season, which runs from April to October, is frigid, especially in the mornings and nights, and very hot during the day. In the rainy season, which runs from November to March, the weather is somewhat temperate, but if it rains, you walk on slightly muddy trails, and this is not only on the <strong>Humantay tour<\/strong> but also for the other hiking trails. The average temperature in the dry season is 18 degrees Celsius.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_there_bathrooms_on_the_way_to_Humantay\"><\/span>Are there bathrooms on the way to Humantay?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The bathrooms are located in the parking area of the Soraypampa village. After hiking between 30 and 45 minutes you will find the last baths of the route. It is important to know that for the use of these bathrooms you pay 1 sol. The last 1 hour and a half of hiking, you will not find any bathroom.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_see_the_Salkantay_snow-capped_mountain_from_the_Humantay_lake\"><\/span>Can you see the Salkantay snow-capped mountain from the Humantay lake?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>From the town of Soraypampa you will have a spectacular view of the snowy Salkantay, an imposing sentinel of 6273 meters of elevation. On a perfect sunny day, you can see the snow-capped mountains of Humantay and Salkantay perfectly aligned.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_you_ride_a_horse\"><\/span>Can you ride a horse?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>In the surroundings of the Soraypampa camp there is a large group of mules placed in a wire fence and wooden fences. All these animals are destined to work on the road, taking <strong>visitors to the Humantay lake<\/strong> on their backs.<\/p>\n<p>These animals are used for their physical strength and great resistance to altitude. These mules are also used as pack animals on the <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/salkantay-trek\/\"><strong>Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu<\/strong><\/a><\/span>. Once you arrive at the Soraypampa hamlet, you will find a lot of muleteers offering their services. The cost from Soraypampa to almost the Humantay lagoon has a cost of 70 soles.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_1133\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/riding-humantay-lagoon.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1133\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-1133\" src=\"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/riding-humantay-lagoon-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"riding-humantay-lake\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1133\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Horse back riding to Humantay<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_did_the_visits_to_Humantay_begin\"><\/span>How did the visits to Humantay begin?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Around the year 2000, tourists began to <strong>arrive to Machu Picchu<\/strong> in large numbers, most of these adventurers did so using the train to Machu Picchu or doing the classic 4-day Inca trail. However, the Inca trail has a limit of tourists per day. In this sense, the travel agencies looked for other alternatives to <strong>go to Machu Picchu on a hike<\/strong>. This is how the trekking route through the snowy Salkantay, became increasingly famous.<\/p>\n<p>Later, the tour guides who did the Salkantay trek found out from the local people about the existence of the <strong>Humantay lagoon<\/strong>. They pointed out that there was a turquoise lagoon that was behind the hills and that it was close to the Humantay base camp. So it was that, just as it happened with the rainbow mountain, visitors posted a large number of photos on social networks so that it finally became an <strong>important tourist destination in Cusco region<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recommendations_to_safely_reach_the_lagoon\"><\/span>Recommendations to safely reach the lagoon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>You must be very careful in each step you take, because the path to the Humantay lake is full of gravel and slippery in some sectors.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid being too close to the mules, you never know when these animals may get scared or react defensively. A kick from these powerful animals could be fatal.<\/li>\n<li>Do not be scared by the small avalanches that usually fall daily in the Humantay lake.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_there_a_cell_phone_signal_in_the_Humantay_lagoon\"><\/span>Is there a cell phone signal in the Humantay lagoon?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>So far there is no operator with a data connection in Humantay, however if it is an emergency, you can access a WI-FI connection at the Soraypampa base camp.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The archaeological capital of Cusco is an excellent starting point for the most amazing tourist destinations in South America. In the city of Cusco you will be surprised by history, its archaeological monuments, natural wonders, food, music and traditions. One [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[122,124,121,123,125],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1126"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1126"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1126\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1135,"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1126\/revisions\/1135"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/incagoexpeditions.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}