Trekking Humantay lake

A turquoise mirror rests at 5473 meters above sea level, in the province of Anta, in Cusco. Between snowy and rocky places, the traveler stops from time to time to take a postcard of the beautiful landscape or simply to inhale the pure air of the Andes.

The walk to the lagoon is a magical journey that travels between trails trodden by the Incas. It stops next to puquiales or fragrant bushes and ascends under a blue sky dotted with cottony clouds. The terrain is rough and the temperature can drop a lot near the Apu Salkantay, but patience and a passion for adventure can do more.

The walk relaxes the muscles, sometimes stunted by the daily routine. The lungs are oxygenated, the heart works happily and the beautiful postcards follow one after another under the influence of the Inti or God of the Sun.

Along the way, travelers share nuts and funny anecdotes as they watch condors fly off into the distance. There are also herds of alpacas, sheep and vicuñas frolicking near the route.

In Salkantay Pampa, travelers often stop to rest under a star-studded sky. The next day, they have to continue one more hour. Suddenly, like a blue eye, the lagoon comes into view at the foot of the Humantay, in the middle of the Vilcabamba mountain range.

There, in the green reflection of its waters, the traveler can recognize the traces of a well-invested effort. Humantay rests still. Will anyone enter its icy waters to blend in with the landscape? The answer is at the end of the road.