Explore
Soraypampa is the 3,900-meter (12,795-foot) base camp where your hike begins.
All tour buses and taxis drop visitors off at this wide valley. From here, you begin the 3.8-kilometer (2.4-mile) round-trip hike up to the lake.
You handle final preparations here before the ascent. This area offers the last available restrooms and the option to rent a horse for the steep climb.
15 minutesTrail start
This wide valley serves as the parking area for tour vans and private taxis. Hikers start the 300 to 400-meter (1,000 to 1,200-foot) elevation gain from this specific spot. Use the basic restrooms here for 1 to 2 Peruvian Soles. There are no facilities further up the trail.
10 minutesCash required
Local muleteers wait near the parking lot to offer horse rentals for the steep sections. A horse helps bypass the hardest early inclines. Horses only go about 80 percent of the way up. You must walk the final steep, rocky section to the lake yourself.
5 minutesTrail fork
The path forks shortly after the base camp area. One route goes to the lake, and the other continues along the multi-day Salkantay Trek. Keep a close eye on the trail signs. Make sure you stay on the day-hike route instead of heading toward the Salkantay Pass.
