Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake

The renowned Machu Picchu is always a must-visit place for every tourist who comes to Peru. While there is no shortage of things to do when you are here, two of the most popular attractions – Rainbow Mountain and Humantay Lake are not to be missed while you are here.

So, we suggest that you should at least visit one of them – Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake. Even if you are here for a short period. Now let us look into what hike suits you the best….

The Popularity of the Hike

Rainbow Mountain is a favourite spot of Instagrammers. However, it was recently added to Cusco’s attractions list, only in 2018. Although it is very popular fewer crowds are making it much more appealing for the solitary traveller.

Humantay Lake is surrounded by snowy peaks. A striking, unearthly tone of blue characterizes the water in this location. It is much more crowded than Rainbow Mountain because you can also do many activities like swimming and paddle-boarding here.

The Difficulty of the Hike

Similar to that famous proverb, approaching something beautiful is rather tough, you’ll have to do a bit of a difficult hike to reach these two places. If you are wondering whether it is Rainbow Mountain or Laguna Humantay that is closer to Cusco. Both will have the same distance, taking about 3 hours to reach by car. 

Rainbow Mountain can be hiked easily in 1-2 hours depending on your fitness level. Humantay Lake takes much more time around 2-3 hours and when compared to Rainbow Mountain it can be challenging.

Spending the night at Soraypampa is an option if you have the time because the most picturesque times to view Humantay Lake are around sunrise or sunset. So, if you are in Cusco for less than 3 days, Rainbow Mountain will be an easier option for you.

The Nature of the Hike

Red, orange, purple, yellow and brown colours are scattered across Rainbow mountain making it truly a magical place to be. These unique rock formations were revealed when the snow melted in the surrounding areas, and since then it has become a popular attraction in Cusco. As the altitude of Rainbow Mountain is about 5200 meters above sea level you need to be more prepared for altitude sickness. 

The alluring blue colour waters along with the scenic beauty of the snowy mountains are what captivate the hearts of its visitors. However, Humantay Lake is located at 4200 meters above sea level so when considering the weather it won’t be as hard as Rainbow Mountain.

Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake?

Both the Humantay Lake and Rainbow Mountain are incredibly marvellous tourist destinations in Peru. But if you are more of a solitary loving traveller, Humantay Lake is what you should go with.

However, if you want a more picturesque trek and see tiny villages along the way, push towards Rainbow Mountain. Above all make sure to select a location that best fits the hours left in your itinerary.