A Salkantay trek that includes Humantay Lake
A Salkantay trek with Humantay Lake gives the lake visit a place within a wider mountain programme. The main choice is between a two-day outing with an overnight stay and a longer trek continuing towards Machu Picchu. Choose by the actual itinerary, sleeping arrangements and included transport, rather than assuming every Salkantay package follows an identical route.
The offers on this page all include a Humantay visit in their programmes. If the lake alone is your priority and an overnight trek does not fit your plans, compare the day excursions from Cusco. For the lake's individual walking section, the Soraypampa hike guide explains why route-specific distance figures need their starting point attached.
Salkantay treks with Humantay
Choose a two-day trip for an overnight mountain visit or a four- or five-day trek for Machu Picchu. Check accommodation options and extra entrance costs before booking.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Humantay and Salkantay with Sky Camp
- Experienced Mountain Guide
- Salkantay and Humantay entry ticket
- Sleeping bag and trekking poles
The trip includes one night at Sky Camp and meals on the trail.
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Two-day Humantay mountain trip
- Trekking guide
- 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches
- Andean cabins or glass domes
Lake admission is extra. The accommodation depends on your selected option.
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Salkantay trek with trekking stays
- Professional bilingual trekking guide
- 2 nights in trekking accommodation
- Hotel night in Aguas Calientes
Humantay and Machu Picchu entry and return transport are extra. The Machu Picchu guided visit depends on the assigned entrance circuit.
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Salkantay trek with Machu Picchu
- English/Spanish speaking professional tour guide
- Professional chef and cooking equipment
- Hotel in Aguas Calientes
Choose four or five days; meals and cabin nights vary. Humantay and Machu Picchu entry cost extra, and the latter is subject to availability.
Check availability →Salkantay programmes with a Humantay visit
Compare two-day mountain stays with four- or five-day trekking options. Cabins, glass domes, camping equipment, admission and return transport differ between programmes.
Two days with the lake and pass, or a longer trek
A two-day programme suits a plan built around the lake, the Salkantay mountain setting and an overnight stay. The cabin-or-dome excursion includes return transport between Cusco and Soraypampa, a trekking guide, two breakfasts, two lunches and dinner. Lake admission, a sleeping bag and trekking poles are extra. The accommodation changes with the option selected.
The two-day camp programme includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a mountain guide, meals, a night at its organised camp, lake and Salkantay entry, and basic hiking equipment including a sleeping bag and trekking poles. Its personal duffel allowance is up to 5 kg. These are practical differences to weigh if you want equipment and admission within the package.
For a longer journey, the four- or five-day cabin programme includes a guide, cooking team, meals according to the chosen duration, cabin nights and a hotel night in Aguas Calientes. Its duffel and pack-horse allowance covers 6 kg of belongings. The separate four-day programme includes two trekking accommodation nights, a hotel night in Aguas Calientes, meals, guide and a 7 kg luggage allowance.
Salkantay mountains and the pass
An operator's undated five-day brochure places Humantay before the Salkantay Pass and gives the pass height as 4,630 m. That brochure describes a particular progression through Soraypampa, the pass, Wayracmachay and Chaullay, then Lucmabamba, Llactapata, Hidroeléctrica and Aguas Calientes towards Machu Picchu. Use it to understand that programme's geography, rather than assigning every stop to every offer.
The lake visit is associated with the Humantay glacier; Soraypampa and the pass section place Salkantay within the broader trek. Mountain views remain part of the setting rather than a promise of clear summits. Read the altitude preparation guide before choosing an itinerary with a high pass or mountain overnight stay.
Where to stay near Humantay Lake
Soraypampa is a programme base for overnight trekking. An operator describes a fixed camp there at 3,900 m on an undated itinerary. Treat the camp as part of that organised programme when planning accommodation. Select your sleeping arrangement through the trek you intend to take, rather than planning a separate stay on the lake shore.
The two-day cabin-or-dome offer has an Andean cabin under one option and a glass dome under another. The other two-day offer provides an organised camp night with dining and kitchen facilities and basic sleeping equipment. On the longer cabin programme, the five-day version includes three cabin nights and the four-day version two, followed by the included Aguas Calientes hotel night. These distinctions help you compare what you will actually book.
Additional costs and the journey back
Lake admission and Machu Picchu admission are extra in both longer programmes. In the cabin programme, a Machu Picchu reservation depends on availability and is paid separately. In the other four-day programme, the guided visit follows the assigned entrance circuit. Budget for the tickets as separate components rather than treating a low starting price as the total cost of the journey.
The four-day programme with two trekking nights also charges separately for return transport. Its overland return and optional train return are distinct choices. The longer cabin programme excludes the Lucmabamba to Hidroeléctrica transfer on its four-day version and the bus between Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu. Put the final transport arrangements alongside the accommodation and entry costs when comparing your overall plan.
Season, access and preparation
One operator's mountain-dome programme lists March to January operation and a February pause for rain and maintenance, on a page reviewed in November 2026. This is the season of that particular programme. Use the weather guide for the regional climate context, and seek current access instructions for the specific trail sections, bridges and onward walking route in your itinerary.
Andina's reports of 24 and 30 September 2026 described snow and ice movements and avalanche concerns around Humantay, including exposure near the lake outflow and lower areas with camps and vehicles. No end date was given. Include current local directions in your departure planning. The CDC's general advice on gradual ascent and stopping with altitude symptoms remains relevant on a guided trek.
Trekking questions
Do all these programmes end at Machu Picchu?
The longer programmes continue towards Machu Picchu. The two-day options focus on the mountain outing and overnight stay, so choose by the route you want.
Is lake admission included?
It is included in the two-day camp package. It is extra in the cabin-or-dome offer and both longer trekking packages.
Does a private vehicle mean a private trek?
A private transfer is a transport inclusion. Choose a private guided visit from the separate private tours page if that is your priority.