Humantay Lake Tour: Is A Day Trip Worth It? (2024 Review)

The vivid turquoise waters of Humantay Lake, which sits high in the Peruvian Andes, you know, it’s almost become one of those gotta-see spots for folks visiting Cusco. A bunch of tour companies offer this 1-day trip, and very, very naturally people are thinking, “Is it genuinely worth it?” ‘Cause, frankly, it’s an early morning, a decent hike, and, well, the altitude, that too is quite something! Here, I am gonna give you my experience, complete with details to assist you figure out if this day tour ought to be on your itinerary.

What You Can Expect on a Humantay Lake 1-Day Tour

So, almost every Humantay Lake tour starts super early; most are picking you up from your Cusco accommodation between 4:00 and 5:00 AM. The aim is that this is so you get ahead of, kind of, the crowds and give yourself enough time for the day’s adventures. The drive is reasonably long, usually like three hours, very frequently in a minibus or van, to a village where you can get some breakfast. Now, that meal is typically included in the tour price, so it is a convenient touch. Usually, expect the basics, a bit like eggs, bread, and coffee, to kinda get you ready for what’s to come.

Post-breakfast, that next leg of the drive, you see, it will take you closer to the trailhead. Don’t think that because the driving is done the tour’s difficult bits are over. Very soon you have got to get ready for the actual trek up to Humantay Lake. It’s that section is what makes the trip that demanding.

The hike itself tends to be about a 1.5 to 2-hour climb, covering, in a way, just a few kilometers, still, do consider the altitude. The beginning altitude at the trailhead is around 3,900 meters (12,800 feet), and you are going to climb to nearly 4,200 meters (13,780 feet) at the lake. This really can make things harder than they appear. The path begins gradually, anyway it does have some steeper sections towards the finish. You will get unbelievable views of the valley, and you know that tends to take your mind away from that burn in your legs. The climb has, basically, two ways of being completed. Horse riding is a popular method that folks adopt if they do not feel up to it.

Coming up on the lake; that’s when things seem to, you know, get fairly incredible. The turquoise water of Humantay Lake, which is sitting beneath the Humantay Glacier, looks absolutely amazing; and that’s no overstatement! Now you can get your photos, explore that area and also give your tour guide an audience as they often have things that they wish to explain, in short, you’ll have time, like, an hour or so to enjoy the view. Bear that in mind when you start planning the pics.

The route down’s noticeably simpler than ascending; just because, that being the case, take it carefully; just in case. Next you get back on your bus; it then takes you back to that town where you initially had your breakfast. Post sustenance and a break the vehicle will then take you back to Cusco to round off what’s more or less been an entire day out of town.

The Altitude Factor: Is Humantay Lake Too High?

Ok, altitude sickness, as I was saying; that is something you ought to consider rather seriously before you decide if a Humantay Lake tour, in fact, is suitable for you. 4,200 meters, or 13,780 feet; very, very often that’s tall enough for people to get indications of altitude sickness, like headaches, lightheadedness, exhaustion, and nausea. The altitude really can make the climbing a lot tougher than you may have expected. If you’ve spent a bit of time acclimatizing in Cusco, or another, sort of, high-altitude spot; you may well feel like it is going to be OK.

Yet, do ensure that that altitude will likely have some degree of impact on you. A bit like bringing altitude sickness pills, hydrating more and bringing plenty of, you know, coca leaves for tea or chewing; you know; these strategies should certainly help. Most tours carry oxygen, in case it is needed.

What to Pack for the Humantay Lake Tour

Being prepared for your Humantay Lake adventure can make, that’s for sure, a big change to how much you like that. So that’s why I reckon it really makes sense to get the right gear with you; just to ensure you are prepared for any eventuality. This would be, essentially, what I might have advised:

Hiking Boots: Robust and comfy footwear is what is most crucial here, actually, given the rocky path. So that’s why you have to go and buy them; for the best hike.
Layers of Warm Clothing: The temperature can shift, seemingly, very, very quickly. Therefore, wearing layers will enable you to adapt, should conditions change, rather quickly.
Rain Gear: A waterproof coat and pants might be valuable, because mountain weather is actually usually erratic and, clearly, quite unpredictable.
Sunscreen and Sunglasses: The sun at high altitude may, literally, be intensely strong; that’s why you must protect your skin and your eyes.
Hat and Gloves: To cope with that cold weather.
Water and Snacks: Having plenty of water is vital in fighting dehydration. Also, bringing high-energy snacks is wise, this means you keep your power up for that trek.
Coca Leaves or Altitude Sickness Pills: Both of them are going to assist reduce altitude sickness signs.
Small Backpack: So that way you can lug all these things, you know, pretty comfortably.
Camera: Capture those spectacular scenes!

Choosing the Best Humantay Lake Tour Operator

Lots of tour companies offer this Humantay Lake Day tour, but, actually, not everyone is made in the same way. Below are some tips which could prove invaluable whenever it’s your intention to pick which vendor to utilize:

Read Reviews: Have a scan online through sites such as TripAdvisor and also review Google for feedback concerning folks that did the very same trips. Feedback usually gives invaluable, in a way, thoughts about what the degree of dependability appears to be of that business, plus just how excellent customer support seems.
Check Inclusions: See exactly what it is that the cost protects. Just make absolutely sure that it provides meals (like breakfast and lunch), transport; and admittance charges and additionally whether the trip price incorporates a bilingual advisor; too.
Safety Measures: So please do find out regardless of whether a business holds emergency gear for example oxygen tanks as they do so they address altitude health problems to ensure tourists who need some help are not overlooked.
Group Size: Know; at most; how many others could potentially be going to join tours considering reduced sets often provide more personalised settings to see things closely.
Price Comparison: Although; usually one may have some urges to only choose the cheaper versions be very careful mainly because very cheap services sometimes sacrifice standard somewhere along with just making confident you obtain exactly that level where they have safety measure considerations while ensuring respectable client experiences through such cost trade offs if ever picking the more cost effective trip.

Is a Day Trip to Humantay Lake Right for You?

Basically, so I’m asked is the single day round trip from places for instance Cusco worth it? Below I describe most variables the decision hinges round to enable just about anyone thinking over this kind thing choose objectively considering their inclinations together side their circumstances :

For Fitness Level: Evaluate by which the stage of physical state occurs; by which some elevation might potentially strain you while being up on ascents considering at those specific height it’s tough at which such exertions have some heavy physical stress applied because of thinned out pressure and less supply quantities associated per respiration pattern taken
Acclimatization: By which have been enough span allocated at more elevations while closer such towns the moment allowing well ample number allowing themselves familiarised with this thinned climate preventing occurrences typically brought onto in absence because elevations shift very speedy at some point which occurs in sickness.
Time Constraints: Day long tour at Humatay lake serves fantastic for travellers restricted while having restricted day long options; that provides quick exploration related around landscapes in nature; especially which do not cause the duration long multiple journeys through diverse locations simultaneously
Photography Enthusiasts: Visual and nature devotees might genuinely enjoy as they’re at Humatay pool owing of it delivers spectacular vistas rendering photos remarkably striking and quite magnificent, therefore that allows any visitor who does like those particular sceneries value most in exploring for good scenic landscapes

Other Things to Know Before You Go

There you are a couple more pointers worth keeping just before setting off on an adventure to Humatay river which enable travels with assurance with some better chances during excursions

Cash is King: Some lesser businesses tend not always use card; and having certain amount which is tiny gets particularly useful getting snacks along with just tipping guides etc when demanded.
Restrooms: The restrooms on path which lead towards pond end typically prove extremely primitive while getting hardly any comforts which exist. Arrive mentally adjusted combined getting personal material such toilet material in this case sanitizers available always.
Pace Yourself: Since being conscious while during rising elevation; don’t run or strain that hard, walk a bit; then relax intermittently preventing elevated cardiac beat that may easily start with acute altitude complications otherwise and try not moving too fast up ascents that exist on trips uphill considering height elements that tend to fatigue one’s endurance when strained aggressively

Key Takeaways

After taking every item into consideration before taking off and flying directly at this journey down the road here, in a way, remain some very good takeaways with tips to make journeys which will take care that day for your viewing more exciting and exciting one down by all those mountains along which Peru’s found

The Humatay Pond gives off views to observe as for a certain number one touring the south American nations on which world the pond comes located upon it providing very striking surroundings just on landscapes; despite if which includes tall pressures that could easily render journeys difficult though.
By having meticulous preparations; in form gear packing while being bodily geared makes positive adventure occurs while keeping safety standards within such trips and the security related issues that need addressing while venturing higher at top levels
Choose journeys in careful fashion after comparing businesses when taking consumer responses feedback while trying on finding aspects on gear offered plus protection approaches with price comparisons after this time the making informed selections