Cusco is an incredible destination among tourists who visit the city of the Incas. Auri Peru helps you decide on your 2024 trip whether to decide for the Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, providing you with important information that you will value during your trip.
Whether you choose Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, you will discover that a pleasant surprise awaits you. Every step you take on this journey will help you overcome the challenge that the mountains and the ancient Inca roads impose on you.
Hiking Route Humantay Lake
We recommend you to read our article: Facts About Peru: Surprising facts what you may not know
1. SHOULD I CHOOSE THE HUMANTAY LAKE OR RAINBOW MOUNTAIN?
This is the most important moment in our planning, the moment to decide whether to visit Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain. For this we show you what are the benefits and cons of choosing these destinations.
1.1. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE HUMANTAY LAKE
Among the snowy valleys of the Salkantay you will find a magical place that seems straight out of a dream. The Humantay Lake is a natural beauty of turquoise images that simulate a perfect mirror of the environment at a height of 4200 meters above sea level located in the Soraypampa sector at a distance of 4 hours from Cusco. In recent years it has become an unmissable and obligatory destination to visit for all travelers.
Traveling Couple Appreciating the Humantay Lake
1.1.1. WHY CHOOSE THE HUMANTAY LAKE?
We know that you have not yet decided whether to visit the Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, which is why we offer you the following tips and reasons why this destination may be the ideal option for you.
- An incredible panorama, the combination of colors that awaits us when we reach the base of the snow-capped mountain will make the entire walk worth it, without a doubt you will not see anything like it in your life.
- You will know the indomitable mountain, the snow-capped Salkantay is the most important mountain in the entire valley, you will be able to see the path that takes us to the world wonder of Machu Picchu.
- Although its popularity is wide, you will not find many people in this place, it is not as crowded as Rainbow Mountain. You will enjoy a unique peace and connection with nature.
- It is believed that the places located at the base of such an imposing mountain emit an energy that is somehow shared among all visitors.
Nature Humantay Lake
1.2. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE RAINBOW MOUNTAIN
This is the second option in your decision whether to visit Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain. This is considered the highest point of all the destinations. Located between the communities of Cusipata and Pitumarca, the rainbow mountain is a dream place and for many a new height record, at 5200 meters above sea level will be a unique sensation.
Girls Smiling on Top of Rainbow Mountain
1.2.1. WHY CHOOSE THE RAINBOW MOUNTAIN?
The Internet is full of information about this destination, as well as photos, but they don’t tell you everything, so it is not easy to choose between Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain. Here you will find some reasons why you should choose this destination.
- In the whole world there is no mountain the same, although in Cusco there are some similar options, they are not the rainbow mountain, added to the mixture of colors that shows us and simulates a view of the rainbow.
- Around we can see the imposing chain of snow-capped mountains, part of the Andes mountain range. Here you can also see llamas and alpacas in their natural habitat.
- Getting to the top is undoubtedly completing a very complex challenge, a 1 hour and a 30 minutes walk makes it very demanding, but at the highest point you will see that it was worth the effort.
- Get a photo that can go viral on social networks, there are people who would pay a lot to have this opportunity.
- Live with local people, you have the opportunity to meet people who live in this place and adapt to such a difficult climate.
2. DIFFICULTY LEVEL
To correctly choose between Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain you should know that in a comparison of requirements:
- The Humantay Lake is a more extensive and longer experience on the way, it can last up to 2 hours of walking each section. Since the rainbow mountain only lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes, the new access through Cusipata made the trip easier.
- The rainbow mountain is higher, it has a height of 5200 meters above sea level, on the other hand the Humantay Lake is at 4200 meters above sea level.
- Only at the Rainbow Mountain the horse can get around 10 min away from the mountain, but it is not the same at the Humantay Lake.
Important information: As a rule, horses can only carry one person at a time, in case they are small children they can go up to 2 together. Limit weight that horses can carry is around 70 kg- 75 kg.
A traveler at the base of the snowy Salkantay
This makes it easier for you to decide whether to visit Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain. For the first option you need to have better resistance to walk a longer distance, on the other hand in the second option you will need to be better adapted to the height.
| “I didn’t know whether to choose the Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, so I chose both.” |
3. THE DECISION
You are one step closer to knowing whether to choose Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, the recommendation is simple. If you are the type of traveler who likes extensive walks to appreciate nature then the Humantay Lake is the ideal option for you. In both options, people walk almost the same time, the difference is that to get to the Rainbow Mountain you walk in a flat area, but to get to the Humantay Lake you need to climb up a steep mountain.
Andean wildlife
4. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMANTAY LAKE AND RAINBOW MOUNTAIN
| DETAILS | HUMANTAY LAKE | RAINBOW MOUNTAIN | ||||||||
| MINIMUM HEIGHT | 3900 masl / 12 795 f | 4630 masl / 15 190 f | ||||||||
| HIGHEST POINT | 4200 masl / 13 779 f | 5200 masl / 17 060 f | ||||||||
| DISTANCE | 2.5 km (each way) | 4 km (each way) | ||||||||
| WALKING TIME | 2 hours (each way) | 1 hour and 30 minutes (each way) | ||||||||
| TEMPERATURE | Between -1°C to 10°C | Between 5°C to 12°C | ||||||||
| BEST SEASON | April – November | April – November | ||||||||
| WEATHER | Sun – Snow – Rain | Sun – Snow – Rain | ||||||||
| DIFFICULTY LEVEL | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| ADDITIONAL | Spend 1 night in a glass dome | Visit the Red Valley | ||||||||
| RECOMMENDATIONS | Whether you choose Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, if you are a person with hypertension or heart issues it is not recommended that you do it. | |||||||||
5. FAQS ABOUT THE HUMANTAY LAKE OR RAINBOW MOUNTAIN
When choosing whether to visit Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, the most common questions that arise are:
5.1. WHAT TIME DOES THE HUMANTAY LAKE OR RAINBOW MOUNTAIN TREK BEGIN?
Whether you choose Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain on your 2024 trip, both destinations begin at a similar time.
- The rainbow mountain begins at 04:30 am from Cusco and takes a period of 2 hours to reach the first point where you will enjoy breakfast, then continue an additional 40 minutes to reach the checkpoint where the walk begins. It is the same time for the return.
- The Humantay Lake begins at 04:00 am from Cusco and the trip lasts approximately 3 hours to the first point, where you can have breakfast calmly and then continues 30 minutes to the starting point of the hike in the town of Soraypampa.
Soraypampa Village
Whether you choose the Humantay Lake or Rainbow mountain, you will have to get up early, so the best recommendation is to rest early one night before.
5.2. DO YOU NEED AN AGENCY TO VISIT THE HUMANTAY LAKE OR RAINBOW MOUNTAIN?
If your decision is to visit the Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, you necessarily need to contract the service with a travel agency, this is due to the location where both destinations are located, in addition to the fact that a professional guide must always accompany you. It is better to be cautious with all the details and prevent something that can happen. We are specialists in this type of experience, so if you want to add the hike to Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain to your visits, just contact us now to provide you with all the necessary information.
Traveler Heading to Rainbow Mountain
5.3. WHICH IS MORE EXPENSIVE, HUMANTAY LAKE OR RAINBOW MOUNTAIN?
Whether it is Humantay Lake or Rainbow Mountain, they have a similar price. It depends on the size of the group, inclusions you require, type of service and travel dates. Before choosing the option that best suits you, please also take your safety into account. Being a hiking adventure requires special preparation, not all travel agencies meet this requirement.
Travelers Enjoying the Landscape of the Andes
A DOSE OF ADRENALINE
We spent 12 days in the Cusco region and happily we had the chance to take both tours, the Humantay Lake and also Rainbow Mountain. And both areas were amazing! Come during the dry season, where the route is more accessible and weather is nice :)”
Lucy Raynold, March 02nd, 2024.
There is no excuse, now you know whether to choose Humantay lake or Rainbow Mountain. Auri Peru will help you no matter your decision, it has options for you in both experiences, contact us now and discover the personalized experiences we have for you.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
