On the second day of our journey along the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu, we rose early for our hike to Lake Humantay, a picturesque turquoise glacial lake located at the foot of the Humantay glacier in the Cusco region of Peru. We were amply warned by our guides that the hike to Lake Humantay is one of the most popular day trips from Cusco (which accounts for the endless series of white vans filled with sleeping passengers that we saw on our drive to Mollepata the previous day).  Many tourists come to celebrate the glorious colors of Lake Humantay, some hiking up the steep terrain from Soraypampa, while others ride horses. Unfortunately, it has also become a popular place for staged Instagram shots and other “influencers” who brought popularity, traffic, and overtourism to this beautiful natural place. If we wanted to see it in its glory, then we had to start early, and our guides were right.

Day 2 The Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu: Hike to Lake Humantay

We rose to a glorious day in the Andes with a brilliant blue sky and an amazing day of hiking ahead. We slept fairly well on full bellies yet constant waking due to the altitude. Today, we would start our hike at the base of the mountains from our lodge at Salkantay at 12,690’ / 3,869m) and continue up to reach the lake at 13,780 feet (4,200 meters). The up and down was preparing us for the next day where we would traverse the Salkantay Pass at 15,213 feet (4,636 m).

Looking out the window of the Sankantay Lodge

We began our hike after breakfast, ascending the slopes that border the plateau behind the Salkantay Lodge. The views were magnificent and the air was fresh and pure as we climbed higher and higher above the lodge. It was slow going as our lungs adjusted to the altitude, but the views were so serendipitously spectacular that it motivated us to continue.

After an hour or so, we were rewarded with our first glimpse of Lake Humantay’s glistening turquoise waters and the Humantay glacier overhead. We were happy to be there early, before the herds of other hikers and have the place almost to ourselves.

My daughter Sophia takes in the stunning view

Our smiling guide, Claudio

We climbed higher above, took several photos above the lake, and these of my daughter turned out to be my favorite photos of the entire trip.

After our photos, we climbed down to a protected area behind the lake and participated in a special traditional Quechua ceremony to honor “la Pachamama” (Mother Earth). Our outfitter, Mountain Lodges of Peru, includes cultural elements throughout the hike, and this ceremony was quite magical.

Sebastian, a local Quechua elder, comes from a small village in the high Andes near the town of Mollepata and the Soraypampa community. His people consider themselves the last of the Incan ancestry. Their culture continues to keep these traditional ceremonies (dating back to Incan times) alive.

As Sebastian laid out the items for the ceremomy it started to drizzle, making it all the more mystical. Our guides Claudio and Gilberto translated for us as Sebastian chanted his prayers. The ceremony is an offering to say “thank you” to Mother Nature.  August (the month we were there on the hike) is considered the month of Mother Earth.

At the end of the ceremony, each one of us are blessed with a cocoa leaf. I caught it all on film in this reel, but it doesn’t do it justice. It was quite moving.

It was a stunning day on so many levels – the beauty of our hike, the magic of the ceremony and the time I got to spend with my daughter. That evening, after a delightul dinner we went out to see the stars and have one more ceremony where Sebastian blessed the offering he made earlier that day up on top of the mountain, and set it on fire to wish us a safe journey on our trek. What a magical day!

Details of the hike:

Trekking Time: Approximately 4 hours

Hiking Level: Moderate

Overnight: Salkantay Lodge (12,690’ / 3,869m)

Outfitter: Mountain Lodges of Peru