Humantay Lake Private Hike with Gourmet Picnic

We drive 2 hours through rolling Andean valleys to the small town of Mollepata, where you’ll sit down for a fresh, homemade local breakfast: quinoa porridge, freshly baked bread, eggs to order, and coca tea to gently prepare your body for the day’s hike.

A 45-minute scenic drive takes you past cloud forest edges and open mountain meadows, with stops along the way if you want to pull over and photograph distant views of Salkantay Glacier.

Your personal guide leads you up the trail at your pace, pausing to point out tiny wild flowers, show you how local farmers use native plants, and share stories about the ancient Andean respect for the mountains. There are no timers, no pressure to keep up with a crowd.

When you reach the shore of Humantay Lake, you’ll find our pre-set picnic spot laid out with soft blankets, reusable plates, and a spread of seasonal Andean fruits, artisanal cheeses from local farms, roasted quinoa salads, homemade empanadas, warm canelazo, and a small bottle of sparkling Peruvian cider to toast the view. You can eat slowly, walk around the lagoon, or just sit and watch the light change on the turquoise water for as long as you like.

If you feel up to it, your guide can take you on a quick easy walk to a higher nearby viewpoint for unobstructed panoramic photos of the lake and Humantay Mountain glacier. If you’d rather stay and relax at the picnic spot, that’s completely fine too.

We take the downhill trail slowly, stopping to rest and chat about your favorite moments from the day before meeting our private driver back at the parking area.

On the drive back to Cusco, we stop at a cozy family-run spot in the countryside for a warm, traditional lunch of Andean stew or grilled trout, made with ingredients grown right in the surrounding fields.

We drive you back to your hotel, arriving refreshed and full of photos, with plenty of time to rest after your day in the mountains.