25 Things to Do in Engelberg 2024

In our travel guides Titlis and Brunni Engelberg you can read detailed descriptions of these mountain peaks. You can reach both directly from Engelberg comfortably with the mountain railroads.

9 Highlights Engelberg

• The Titlis (3239 m above sea level) is located south of Engelberg. It can be reached in less than half an hour by cable car from Engelberg.
• The Titlis glacier also offers winter adventures in summer.
• The glacier lake Trübsee (1764 m above sea level) attracts especially families for summer fun.
• World Cup ski jumping regularly takes place in Engelberg on the weekend before Christmas
• Brunni (1850 m above sea level) is a sunny mountainous area north of Engelberg. Especially popular are the Brunni Härzlisee and the Brunnihüttli.
• In Brunni, people hike in summer and in winter it turns into a sunny winter sports area.
• 82 kilometers of slopes are offered by the skiing area at Titlis, 8.5 kilometers of slopes are offered at Brunni
• the longest downhill run in the Titlis ski area stretches over 12 kilometers and 2000 meters of altitude.
• Engelberg is only 43 minutes away from Lucerne by train

Engelberg excursion destinations

Only 43 minutes by train separate the alpine resort of Engelberg from Lucerne. Today Engelberg is a popular excursion and tourist destination.

Titlis south of Engelberg

In the south of Engelberg, the three-thousand-meter Titlis and its glacier are reached via the Rotair gondola lift. Summer and winter alike, a wide variety of activities are possible on the Titlis and at the glacier lake Trübsee.

Approach from Engelberg

From Engelberg you can reach the Titlis mountain station in 22 minutes. Even the journey with the Titlis Rotair mountain railroad is an experience in itself: it turns around itself during the journey. This gives every guest the opportunity to experience all sides of the glacier. The Ice Flyer chairlift takes you directly to the glacier.

Titlis Cliff Walk

From the top station of the Ice Flyer you can directly reach the Titlis Cliff Walk. This is a suspension bridge that allows you to walk above the glacier at an altitude of 3,041 meters.

Glacier Grotto

You can reach the Glacier Grotto from the top station of the Rotair cable car. It leads ten meters below the surface of the glacier. The passage is 150 meters long. The ice in the cave is up to 5,000 years old, and the temperature is a constant minus 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Glacial Lake Trübsee

The Gletschersee Trübsee is especially popular with families. They come here not only for swimming, hiking and fishing. Around the lake, the Trübsee Adventure Park, the Smuggler & Mule Trail and the Zipline Trübsee Flyer offer additional fun.

The Brunni north of Engelberg

The Brunni in the north of Engelberg is reached via the cable car to the Rustis midway station at 1600 meters above sea level. Here there is a summer toboggan run and a children's playground. If you take the chairlift from Rustis, it will take you to the Brunni Härzlisee. Here you can also find the Brunnihüttli of the Swiss Alpine Club. The Brunni with its southern slopes is also called Engelberg's sunny side

Directions from Engelberg

From Engelberg you first take the cable car to Ristis. Here you change to the chair lift to the Brunnihütte. The Härzli lake is right next to the mountain station. It is also easily accessible as a hiking destination from Engelberg or Ristis

Brunni Härzlisee with tickle trail

The Härzlisee is idyllically situated at Brunni at 1.861 m above sea level. It got its name because its shape reminds of a heart. Families like to walk around it and enjoy the mountain panorama during the leisurely hike. Around the lake there are five fireplaces with seats. Here you can barbecue yourself. If you don't want to do that, there are two huts with catering at the Härzli lake: Brunnihüttli and Chruiter Hüttli.

Next to the small mountain lake there is a so-called tickle path. This barefoot path is 220 meters long. Pebbles, sand, wood chips and water massage the feet. It begins and ends at the herb hut (Chruiter Hüttli) and is open from June to October. In addition to the tickle trail, a barefoot hiking trail has also been created that leads to the Hüttismatt above Ristis.

The Härzli lake was artificially created and serves as a water reservoir. It provides the water that is needed in winter for snowmaking on the ski slopes.

Bannalp and Lake Bannalp

The Bannalpsee is a reservoir at 1586 m above sea level, located in the north of the mountain range. You can reach it on hiking routes like the Walenpfad, which connect Brunni and Bannalp. The mountain routes via Rot Grätli and Rugghubelhütte to Engelberg (or vice versa) also lead past Bannalpsee. The Bannalp itself is a pre-Alpine high valley. It lies at 1600 to 2800 m.a.s.l. near Oberrickenbach Wolfenschiessen.

Swiss Activities Tips Engelberg

We have collected these insider tips for you during our research.

Free bus

In Engelberg, a free bus runs to the mountain railroad stations and the Engelberg train station. You can get on at various bus stops. So your vacation without a car will be completely stress-free. The bus runs in several lines and short intervals both in summer and winter.

quiet Bannalp

The Bannalp as a pre-Alpine high valley is rather quiet and still an insider tip for those seeking relaxation in summer as well as in winter.

Trübsee adventure for active families

Lake Trübsee at the Titlis middle station is a paradise for active families. The Zypline, the Adventure Park with Jump Tower and Trampoline offer lots of fun. The smuggler's path around the lake (3.4 km) is especially suitable for smaller children. You can also walk it with a stroller. At the last station (Säumerlager) you will find several picnic areas.

• Activities in Engelberg for families

Activities Engelberg

Around Engelberg you have a lot of possibilities to be active all year round. Some activities you can even do all year round.

Some activities you can do all year round:

• Bettlerstock climbing garden
• Paragliding at Brunni

Bettlerstock climbing garden near Engelberg

The Bettlerstock climbing garden (2100 m above sea level) can be reached from the top station of the Brunni chairlift. It takes about 30 minutes to get there via the white-blue marked hiking trail. The climbing garden has two routes, both of which are open from January to December.

The south route with a 70 meter high pillar made of rough limestone is considered very difficult. However, it warms up quickly even in winter when exposed to sunlight. The west route is easier with a height of 20-25 meters.

Paragliding at Brunni

There are three take-off points for paragliding at Brunni. They can be reached via the aerial cableway and the chairlift. Due to the Titlis massif, the Engelberg valley is sheltered from the wind. Therefore, weather and flying conditions are excellent here on an above-average number of days.

• Paragliding in Engelberg

Summer activities in Engelberg include:

• Hiking and mountain walking
• Trübsee Adventure and Smugglers & Muleteers
• Zipline Trübsee Flyer
• Summer toboggan run with alpine playground at Brunni
• Mountain biking, Trotti Bike or Devil Bike
• Via ferrata, climbing gardens, climbing stick Graustock
• Rowing and kayaking on Lake Trübsee

Hiking and mountain walking in Engelberg

In summer, the area around Engelberg is a huge hiking area. A new barefoot hiking trail has been laid out at Brunni on the stretch between Hüttismatt ob Ristis and Härzlisee. It contains eleven spots that have been set up for barefoot walking. However, you will still need hiking boots for the connecting stretches. The walking time is 30-45 minutes.

On and around the Titlis, in addition to four official hiking trails, 20 official mountain trails are listed. Their length varies from one to almost nine hours. The path from the Ristis mountain station to the Brunnihütte at the Härzlisee is one of the easy hikes. You can even walk it with a stroller.

A particularly difficult hike, on the other hand, is the glacier ascent from Trübsee to the Titlis summit. It is best to do the tour with a mountain guide. Crampons and ice axe are required.

Trübsee Adventure and Smugglers & Muleteers

You'll find the Trübsee Adventure at the middle station of the Titlis Achter gondola lift. Until mid-October, activities such as BagJump, Trampoline2Bag, bouncy castle, slackline and Bike Pump Track take place here. Guides are available to assist you in the Adventure Park.

The Smugglers & Muleteers Adventure World at Lake Trübsee can be walked through in about an hour. It includes a smugglers' playground, a muleteers' camp with barbecue area and riddles to be solved on the way around Lake Trübsee. The comfortable trail is also passable with strollers or wheelchairs.

Zipline Trübsee Flyer

The 500 m long zipline takes you from the Berghaus Trübsee down to the lake in the afternoon. You are strapped in and overcome 40 meters of altitude.

• Engelberg Hiking

Summer toboggan run with Globi's Alpine playground at Brunni

The 660 m long summer toboggan run in Ristis is open daily on dry days from spring to autumn. The entry point is at the Berglodge Ristis. The toboggan run circles the 3000 m2 alpine playground. Children from the age of eight may ride alone, younger children need an escort of at least 12 years old.

In Globi's alpine playground there are for the children for example:

• a Murmeli tunnel slide and two other slides
• a small rope park
• a trampoline
• a climbing wall
• three seesaws
• three swings
• an alpine hut and a milking cow
• Globi's wild water world with pumps and tilts
• two carousels and a climbing carousel
• a large climbing and balancing landscape

Within the playground you will find three fireplaces with ten seats each. Wood is available. Globi is the mascot of Brunni Engelberg. Globi figures are present at Brunni as helpers for the children.

Swimming, rowing and kayaking near Engelberg

Lake Trübsee and Lake Brunni Härzli invite you to swim, row and kayak. At the boathouse Trübsee you can get helmets and life jackets. Here you can also book a guide. So you can go kayaking on the lake and enjoy the mountain scenery. Don't forget your swimsuit and a change of underwear.

Mountain biking, Trotti Bike or Devil Bike

Mountain bike tours are very popular both on the Titlis and in the Brunni area. Mountain bikes are rented in Engelberg in the village and at the Titlis mountain station.

At Titlis, the mountain bike may be transported on the mountain railroad. Here there are at least fifteen tours of varying difficulty. The tours are rideable from June to October.

At Brunni you can do some tours by mountain bike, but also by bike or e-bike. The approach from Engelberg to Rigidalalp via Ristis is easy. This route is available as an asphalt road. From Rigidalalp a partly difficult gravel road continues. The last part before the Brunni hut becomes very steep. The Brunni gondola lift takes folded bikes. With the chairlift, however, no transport of bikes is possible.

Four popular tours:

• 4-Lakes Tour Engelberg: Engelberg-Trübsee-Jochpass-Engstlenalp-Tannalp-Melchsee-Frutt, 32 km in length, difficult, 920 meters in altitude
• Arnialp-Engelberg: 6 km length, easy, 343 vertical meters
• Brunni Hut Trail: Brunni Hütte SAC-Engelberg, 13.3 km, moderate, 862 vertical meters
• Stäfeli Trail: Brunni Hütte SAC-Engelberg, 9 km, moderate, 394 vertical meters

On the Titlis you can also ride downhill with the Trotti-Bike (mixture between bike and Trottinette). Helmets are compulsory, the helmets will be lent with the bike. You can rent scooters at the intermediate station Gerschnialp or at the restaurant Untertrübsee. After the ride you return them at the valley station of the TITLIS mountain railroads. The ride is 3.5 km long and covers 260 meters in altitude. Trottibikes are rented daily (only in dry weather) between May and October.

A Devil Bike or Monster Bike has extra wide tires and goes down faster. You can rent them for the stretch from Jochpass to Trübsee. The ride takes 15 min and overcomes 410 meters in altitude.

Via ferrata, climbing gardens, boulder spots

Around Engelberg you will find 8 climbing gardens, 6 via ferratas, various bouldering spots and countless alpine climbing routes.

A partly difficult via ferrata is the Klettersteig Graustock on the Titlis. It starts at the Berghaus Jochpass at 2222 meters above sea level and takes you to the 2661 meter high summit of the Graustock. From here you have a good view of the Titlis. The via ferrata is only accessible in summer until about October, after which the wire ropes are removed.

The Klettergarten Äbnet is very suitable for families and beginners.

For bouldering there are 15 boulders with 170 routes in the Surenental. Climbing is also possible in the Sportingpark and the Seilpark Engelberg. The Rope Park is located at the valley station of the Fürenalp.

Difficulty level for climbing gardens, via ferrata and bouldering routes around Engelberg

Trail	Difficulty level
Leitistein	3c bis 5b
Graustock	4c bis 7a
Wissberg	4c bis 7a
Brunnihütte	4a bis 5c
Schlänggen	6a bis 8b
Äbnet	4a bis 5c
Laucherenstock	4c bis 7a
Ruchstock	6a bis 7a
Titlis Südwand	6a bis 7a
Bettlerstock	4a bis 7a
Sättelistock	5c bis 7a
Schlossberg	5c bis 7a
Boulderrouten im Surenental	4a bis 8b

The via ferratas Fürenwand and Brunnistöckli are rated with a different scale in Engelberg.

The Klettersteig Brunnistöckli is rated with a difficulty of K2 (easy) on the scale from K1 to K5. It is suitable for beginners and families and includes a suspension bridge as a highlight: 1.4 km in length, 171 meters in altitude, 1:10 hours. Above this via ferrata begins the Klettersteig Rigidalstock, rated K3 as moderately difficult.

The Klettersteig Fürenwand is rated K4 to K5 (difficult) on this scale. Beginners should only climb here with a mountain guide: 6.2 km in length, 775 meters in altitude, 4:40 hours.

The climbing equipment can be rented in Engelberg in the village center or at the valley station of the Titlis Xpress.

Ski resorts near Engelberg

The ski area at Titlis lies at altitudes between 1003 and 3020 meters above sea level, at Brunni between 1050 and 2040 meters above sea level.

Acrivities in the ski resorts:

• Skiing and snowboarding (on Titlis until the end of May), Globis Winterland Klostermatte and Yetipark on Brunni
• tobogganing, Trübsee slide park, TitlisSnowXPark
• Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter hiking
• Avalanche Training Center and SnowEpic at Titlis

Skiing and snowboarding, Klostermatte and Yetipark

In winter you can enjoy over 82 kilometers of slopes on the Titlis. In some places it is even possible to ski until the end of May. The longest run goes over twelve kilometers and 2,000 meters of altitude down to Engelberg. For children and the inexperienced, there are about 23.5 kilometers of easy runs on the lower slopes around Untertrübsee, Gerschnialp and Trübsee.

Difficulty of the 82 kilometers of slopes on the Titlis

difficulty	km of pistes	% ual portion
easy	23.5 km	29%
medium	45.5 km	55%
heavy	13.0 km	16%

At the Brunni the 2 km from Klostermatte are easy. The Klostermatte is also the leading ski practice area in Central Switzerland. The Yetipark is located behind the Restaurant Ristis. It is a practice area for skiing and sledding for children.

Difficulty of the 8.5 km of slopes at Brunni

difficulty	km of slopes	% -ual portion
easy	2 km	24%
medium	4.6 km	54%
heavy	1.9 km	22%

• Ski ticket from Engelberg to the Titlis

• Ski school in Engelberg

Tobogganing, Trübsee slide park, TitlisSnowXPark

On the Titlis, a 3.5 km-long toboggan run leads 250 meters downhill. Starting at Gerschnialp, it leads through the snow-covered Gerschni Forest and ends in Engelberg.

At Brunni you can start your tobogganing tour directly at the Brunnihütte. Two toboggan runs lead from here 2.5 km down to the Ristis. The route via Rinderbüel is easier to ride.

In the Yeti children's park you can rent classic toboggans, skigibles and airboards incl. pads and helmets. You can also rent toboggans at the top station of the chairlift at the Brunnihütte.

The Trübsee slide park also offers balancers, snowtubes and bobsleds, and at the neighboring SnowXPark you can try out one of the six e-snowmobiles.

• SnowXpark snowmobiling Engelberg Titlis

Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and winter hiking

From Engelberg, cross-country skiing is possible on several trails in the valley. On the Titlis, the Gerschnialp trail is a popular cross-country skiing tour. It is eight kilometers long and is classified as an easy to medium tour. At Furggelenstock, two Brunni cross-country trails are popular, each taking about 3.5 hours to complete. They are six and nine kilometers long respectively.

You can rent snowshoes and cross-country skis in Engelberg at the valley station Titlis and in the village.

Snowshoeing

There are two official and avalanche-safe snowshoe trails at Brunni: Schönenboden trail Brunni: from Berglodge Ristis to Ristis, 3.5 km, 2 hours, 170 vertical meters Riedalp-Trail: from Ristis via Ruchweg and Riedalp back to Ristis, 2.9 km, 1:30 hours, 130 vertical meters There are also two official snowshoe trails on the Titlis:

• Gerschnialp-Untertrübsee trail: parallel to the cross-country ski trail, the trail is well marked, 4.2 km, 1:20 hours, 138 vertical meters
• Obertrübsee trail: from Berghotel Trübsee in the direction of Engelberg, Älplerseil and back, arrival and departure are via the TITLIS-Xpress cable car between Engelberg and Trübsee, 5.5 km, 2 to 2.5 hours, 252 vertical meters

Winter hiking

The summer hiking trails can often also be walked in winter. In any case, these include the hiking trails between Ristis and Brunnihütte as well as Ristis and Engelberg. On the Titlis and around Engelberg there are about 50 kilometers of winter hiking trails.

Special winter hiking trails at Brunni and Titlis:

• Panorama trail Rigidalalp with view of Titlis and Hahnen: 3 km, 1 hour, 265 meters altitude difference
• Schneetandliweg Brunni: from Berglodge Ristis along the pink trail signs to Ried and back to Ristis mountain station, 2.4 km, 0:45 hour, 130 vertical meters.
• Gerschnialp-Untertrübsee: from Hotel Bänklialp to Gerschnialp and down to Untertrübsee, 4.2 km, 1:45 hours, 304 vertical meters ascent, 57 vertical meters descent.
• Trübsee circular trail: from the middle station of the TITLIS Xpress cable car along the pink signposts, 3.2 km, 1 hour, 28 meters of altitude gain

Avalanche Training Center at Titlis

In winter, an avalanche training camp is offered free of charge at Trübsee. On Schlächtismatt (Trübsee), participants can practice searching with an avalanche transceiver under realistic conditions.

• Ski tours from Engelberg

Events Engelberg

There is always something going on in Engelberg.

Night skiing on the Klostermatte, night sledding and a night cross-country skiing: the evening atmosphere is unforgettable. Mountain railroads and huts are of course open for this. You can also go snowshoeing, snow tubing or winter hiking.

On Trübsee the regular Trübsee Saturday Night Event is already legendary. Between Christmas and Easter it takes place every Saturday evening. The cable cars between Engelberg and Trübsee then travel in convoy, always 12 gondolas in a row. The Trübsee slide park opens, as does the Lago Torbido restaurant, the Fonduestübli and the Trübsee Bar.

Whether Mafia Dinner at the Hotel Terrace, Early-Bird, game watching, StrongMan Run by Fisherman's friend or the annual concert of the music society: there is always something to experience in Engelberg.

Hotels Engelberg

For overnight stays in Engelberg you can find several hotels and guesthouses, but also vacation apartments. Even a religious hotel can be found in Engelberg. The Hotel St. Josefshaus is located in the village center of Engelberg and is owned by the Benedictine monastery.

Yurt Mountain

How about an overnight stay in a yurt including a hot outdoor bath? Yurt Mountain offers overnight accommodation for one to two people in a yurt. This includes a breakfast basket and, if desired, a dinner. In winter, fondue or raclette is also served.

Berglodge Ristis

The Berglodge Ristis is only accessible by cable car from Engelberg to Ristis. The big advantage: it is located in the middle of the hiking and skiing area Brunni at 1600 m.a.s.l. You can admire the beautiful view of the Titlis and the rest of the surrounding mountains in the morning or at sunset. The ski and toboggan slopes as well as the Yeti park for children are in the immediate vicinity of the lodge. In summer you have to walk only a few steps to the summer toboggan run and the children's playground. The via ferratas also start in the immediate vicinity. The lodge is primarily suitable as group accommodation. There are 2 four-bed rooms, 3 five-bed rooms and two dormitories with shared bathrooms. In the evening the restaurant is opened exclusively for overnight guests or registered groups.

Restaurants Engelberg

Besides the restaurants in the village of Engelberg, almost every hotel has its own restaurant. In addition, you will find some mountain huts on the Titlis and on the Brunni, which mostly offer smaller meals as catering on the mountain.

Brunnihüttli at the Härzli lake of Brunni

The Brunnihüttli is reached directly by chairlift. It has a large outdoor terrace. You can also spend the night here. It is closed during the maintenance times of the Brunni lifts, but the shelter is always open. It belongs to the Swiss Alpine Club and offers 32 sleeping places. In winter, this is the center of winter sports, especially since winter sports equipment is also available for rent. A sledding trail starts right at the hut. In the other months you can hike here, go around the Härzli lake or walk the tickle trail. Not far from the hut there is also a starting point for paragliders in winter. In summer, several high-altitude trails and climbing tours start here.

Chruiter Hüttli (herb hut) at Lake Härzli

The Kräuter Hütte is also located at Lake Härzli. It is open daily in summer from 08:30 to 17:00. At the snack stand you can get snacks and drinks (cold and hot). Sausage and bread for grilling are also sold here. Climbing sets can be rented here.

Alpstübli at Trübsee Titlis

The Alpstübli is located directly at the Trübsee and has a large sun terrace. Here you will primarily find Swiss specialties, but also homemade cakes. This is particularly popular. The Alpstübli opens in summer until 17:15. During the rest of the year it is generally closed. In winter, however, you can get a homemade cheese fondue in the Chässtübli.

Arrival Engelberg

Engelberg is centrally located in Switzerland. The place is easily accessible from everywhere, whether by public transport or by your own car.

Arrival by public transport

The journey to Engelberg takes about 43 minutes on the Zentralbahn from Lucerne. From Zurich it takes about an hour longer by train. A nice variant is the combination of ship and bus or train. For this you take a boat from Lucerne to Beckenried. From there you take the bus 311 to Stans. From Stans you take the train/bus to Engelberg.

Within Engelberg there is a free bus that takes you to all valley stations of the railroads or to the train station. It is called Dorf Express, but six other bus lines also take you there for free in winter and summer. Here you can find the current timetable.

Arrival by car

If you are coming by car, it will take you about one hour and ten minutes from Zurich via Lucerne on the A4, A14 and A2. Leave the freeway at the Stans exit and continue on the cantonal road. Parking spaces are available in Engelberg for a fee.

• Rail tickets Titlis or Trübsee