This 2 days tour to Machu Picchu with Humantay Lake, consider the first day from Cusco to Humantay Lake and return to Cusco. The next day, early from Cusco to Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu citadel.
If you are seeking for alternative hiking experience to Machu Picchu, must be consider the Inca Quarry Trek alternatives like: Moonstone Trek to Machu Picchu 5 days, Ancascocha Trek 5 Days. Also we have Machu Pichu Tours from 2 or 3 days.
Also, if you want to visit the Humantay Lake in one day, you can visit our Tour: Humantay Lake Full Day Tour.
The Humantay Lake
Located in the Vilcabamba mountain range, at the foot of the Humantay mountain, is the fascinating lagoon of the same name, at an altitude of 4484 m. or 14711 feet. Humantay mountain is one of highest in the Cusco region (5910 m or 19389 feet), which in recent years has become the destination of the hikers visiting the southern Peru.
To reach to Humantay lagoon of glacial origin, you have to go from the city of Cusco to the town of Soray Pampa, which is located 3,900 meters above sea level, close to another spectacular mountain: Salkantay . Then, you should take a walk for about 3 hours along a high Andean path on which you can see multicolored landscapes where the areas of local cultivation that harmonize with the snowy mountains predominant.
The Incas worshiped the mountains as protective gods and called them “apus.” Apus Salkantay and Ausangate are the same as brothers, each one has his family, the wife of Apu Salkantay is the Veronica mountain, her children are the (Humantay mountain or Tukarhuay) son younger and (Yanantay or Coyllur) younger daughter.
Humantay Lake Difficulty
There is not much difficulty to do the walk. The trip to Soray Pampa, starting point of the walk, is by bus. When you get to this place you start walking around 1.8 km. The distance is short, however the slope goes from 3900 m. up to 4484 m. (Be careful with Sickness Altitude) It is necessary to stop continuously to breathe. Getting to Humantay lagoon takes 2 to 4 hours.
Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town)
Machu Picchu town, also called Aguas Calientes, is a Peruvian locality located in the department of Cusco, province of Urubamba, district of Machu Picchu. It is the capital of the homonym district, where the District Municipality is based. It is the main access road to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu.
Due to its geographical location, just 9 kilometers from the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, it is the place where tourists who visit the Inca city arrive (by train only). The town has developed an important tourist and hotel infrastructure from simple accommodation to exclusive hotels.
Among its most important tourist attractions are the thermal baths located 800 m from the town, to which medicinal properties are attributed. (The name “Aguas Calientes” – Hot Waters – is origin for the name of the town)
Other nearby tourist attractions are the Mandor waterfall, 3 km from the town following the northwest railway line; the Manuel Chávez Ballón Site Museum, located on the road to the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, 2 km from the town.
You can arrive here, from Cusco to Ollantaytambo by bus, next using the train from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Town).
Is possible to get Humantay Lake from Aguas Calientes?
Going from Machu Picchu Town to the lagoon, technically is possible. However, it is the reverse route of Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu.
The difficulty is quite high and there are no travel operators that make this route that would require at least 4 days of hiking, carrying out camps at night. The altitude to be faced is from 2093 m (Aguas Calientes) to 5075 m (Salkantay Pass).
Aguas Calientes to Humantay Lake Route
It is a route that we do not recommend, if you are interested in making this trip we recommend doing the Salkantay Trek or the Inca Quarry Trail.
Aguas Calientes Humantay Lake Machu Picchu Tour 2 days(Download in PDF: Humantay Lake | Aguas Calientes | Machu Picchu Map)
We want to give you a unique experience of Cusco region, and if you have short on time, this tour will be a great option. It may be the highlight of your trip.
Briefing.
When you arrive at your hotel in Cusco, you will have a meeting with our main guide who will give you ample information about your destination 1 or 2 days before your trip, all about your tour schedule, and you can also ask questions for the last preparation. before starting the trek.
Availability 2022 - 2023
Please contact Us for more information about this Alternative
Please contact Us for more information about this Alternative
Please contact Us for more information about this Alternative
DAY 1: Humantay Lake Tour
Included today: Breakfast, Lunch.
The first day will start by picking you up from your hotel in Cusco at 5:30 AM with our private minivan and head to Humantay Mountain. We will stop along the way at Mollepata community to have breakfast.
After our delicious breakfast, we will continue to Soraypampa (3,850 meters above sea level) situated at the bottom of Salkantay mountain.
Near the Humantay Mountain is the Salkantay Mountain
From there will start our 3 kilometers walk, approximately two hours mostly uphill, to reach Humantay mountain and the crystalline lake.
We will spend time at the lake to relax and absorbs the wonderful energy of the area, but also to learn about its history.
We will then return along the same route to get back to our minivan. Lunch will be taken at Mollepata before heading back to Cusco. We will arrive back in Cusco at approximately 5:30 PM.
- Min Altitude: 3850 m. / 12389 ft.
- Max Altitude: 4020 m. / 13190 ft.
- Distance to walk for today: 3 Km. / 1.87 mi.
- Weather Sensation: Cool, Cold.
- Difficulty of this day: 2.
- Time Statics for this day: Start and End Time: 05:30 am to 05:30 pm, Total enjoying hours for today: 12:0 hours, Total Walking Time: 04:00 hours,
DAY 2: Ollantaytambo – Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu
Again, we will pick you up at your hotel early in the morning and head to Ollantaytambo, a beautiful village in the heart of the Sacred Valley.
From there, we will take the 6:10 AM train to Aguas Calientes, the base town of Machu Picchu. The train journey is about an hour and a half, so we will arrive in Aguas Calientes at 8:35 AM.
Train at Ollantaytambo Station in Machu Picchu and Humantay Lake in 2 days
This train journey will be spectacular because it has a view of the mountains and small communities that it passes through, when we arrive at the famous town of Aguas Calientes and from there we will take a tourist bus to take us to the ancient city of the Incas.
Once we get to Machu Picchu, your tour with a specialized guide will last about 2.5 hours. Don´t worry, you will then have some free time to explore the archaeological site on your own.
We will return to Ollantaytambo on the 5:35 PM train, where our bus will be waiting for us to take you back to your hotel in Cusco. We will arrive in Cusco at approximately 8:30 PM.
- Time Statics for this day: Start and End Time: 04:00 am to 08:30 pm, Total enjoying hours for today: 16:30 hours, Total Walking Time: 00:00 hours,
Included in this Tour:
- Breakfast in Mollepata or Soraypampa.
- Bus.
- Bus one way up from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu Inca City.
- Entrance ticket for Machu Pichu.
- First Day Breakfast.
- First day lunch.
- Round bus trip: Cusco - Humantay lake – Cusco.
- Round Bus trip Cusco to Ollantaytambo – Ollantaytambo to Cusco.
- Tourist guide fluent in English, Spanish and quechua.
- Walking stick for first day.
Not Included
- Breakfast for the second day.
- Bus one way down from Machu Picchu to Aguas Calientes.
- Dinner.
- Lunch for the second day.
- Snacks.
- Water.
Extras for aditional fee
- Hotel.
- Walking Sticks.
What to Bring
- Camera.
- Hat for the sun and for the cold.
- Hiking shoes, trousers and jumpers.
- Hiking sticks.
- Mosquito repellent.
- Original passport.
- Raincoat.
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
Our prices for this tour:
Disccount for this tour:
Departure for: 2024 - 2025
Every Day.
Important:
- Camelbaks ( or water bottle).
- comfortable Daypack.
- comfortable hiking boots.
- immigration card.
- Original passport.
- Personal backpack.
- Personal medication.
- valid student card.
Gear inside your Daypacks
- 2 Hiking pants.
- Camera.
- Fleece.
- For your Duffel.
- Personal backpack.
- Personal medication.
- Personal Medications.
- Rain jacket and pants.
- Rain Poncho.
- sleeping bag recommend down bags for -10c at least.
- Sunscreen.
- Toilet Paper.
- toothbrush and paste.
- water proof jacket.
- Wet Wipes.
TripAdvisor Reviews for our Machu Picchu Tours
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