Hiking in Engelberg

Enjoy scenic routes and relaxing walks

Hiking in Engelberg

For visitors during the summer months, hiking is a must in Engelberg. For newcomers, the closeness to the impressive mountain tops is breath-taking. And during the middle of the year, the leafy valleys come to life.

In and around Engelberg, there are numerous well-marked hiking trails, for the experienced outdoorsperson and those wanting to keep things simple. Venture into tough terrain (with the right equipment and knowledge of course) or experience the crystal-clear lakes and crispy Alpine landscape during a quiet walk.

 

See woods and mountains while walking in Engelberg

Whether you are 7 or 70 years old, Engelberg has a trail that will fit your interests and ability. There are plenty of creeks to dip your toes in and benches to have a rest on, but also opportunities to test your limits if that is something that you would like to do. Activities in Engelberg tend to offer a taste of the extreme, and hiking is no exception. Best of all – there are so many hiking opportunities in Engelberg that you will most likely never have time to try them all!

 

Hike around the four lakes

The Four lakes hike is a classic in Engelberg. It will immerse you in spectacular views and calmness radiated from the powerful nature. The main attractions of this route, the lakes, are called Trübsee, Engstlensee, Tannensee and Melchsee. Like gemstones interspersed in the landscape, their waters shift from deep blue to turquoise. While going up and down the hillside on this route, you will hear the sound of cowbells from animals gracing nearby. Perhaps foremost, you will get away from everything that you are used to for about five hours, alone with your thoughts or together with someone you care about.

The Four lakes hike stretches from Trübsee to Melchsee-Frutt, and you can begin in either end. Being 21 kilometres long, this hike might seem like a huge undertaking. But the amount of time spent walking can be decreased significantly if you use the available cable ways and the cute road bound train. This is perfect if you are travelling with young ones or want to save your strength. Do not forget to take breaks along the way to appreciate the scenery. And take the opportunity to sample the nice restaurants en route.

If you choose to start at the Trübsee lake, you can get there from Engelberg on foot or with the cable way. From Trübsee, you can hike or take the chair lift to Jochpass, where you can take another cable way down to the valley and Engstlensee. From the cable way, you will get a great view of the lake’s emerald waters from above. The hike continues uphill towards Tannenalp, on a narrow path with increasing incline. Further along, you will pass the impressive lakes Tannensee and Melchsee. If your feet are tired, you can jump on the Fruttli Train at Tannenalp and ride all the way to Melchsee-Frutt. The road bound Fruttli train departs between 9 am and 4 pm with intervals of around two-hours, or once an hour if there are crowds. Please ask us if you would like a precise timetable.

When you reach Melchsee, you are done! Make sure to plan how you are going to get back to Engelberg before setting off on this hike. Feel free to ask us or the tourist information in Engelberg if you would like some help with this.

 

Buiräbähnli Safari - multi day hiking trail

Buiräbähnli Safari is a lengthier hike that takes multiple days to complete, but can be handled by children and adults with a relatively good level of fitness. It is a great hiking trail to choose if you like day hikes and want to try something a bit more challenging. In total you will hike for around 20 hours and stay overnight twice on the way. The hiking trail begins and ends at the railway station in Engelberg. Feel free to ask us if you would like some help planning your overnight accommodation and making sure you pack the right things.

Day 1: Engelberg to Brändlen

The first stretch of the hike from Engelberg will take you past the gorgeous lakes Zingel and Lutersee. When you arrive in Eggendössli, take a cable way to Mettlen. Continue by following the river Aa to the Büelen Valley station, where you take another cable way up the mountain. During the next section you can breathe a bit easier, going down a mostly moderate downhill slope towards Diegisbalm. Once there you jump on a cable way, followed by more trekking along the Aa river until you reach the village Wolfenschiessen. You then walk past the village to the Brändlen Valley station. A stone's throw away you will find Berghof Brändlen, where you will spend the night. The first day of hiking on Buiräbähnli Safari takes about 6 hours.

Day 2: Brändlen to Alp Oberfeld

The second day of the hike starts of by tramping to Haldigrat via Gigi. Then, you will trek down a zig-zag path to Haghütte before going uphill again towards Bannalp. The Buiräbähnli Safari will then connect to the Walen trail, which leads you to Alp Oberfeld where you will spend the night. The second day you will hike for about 6 hours.

Day 3: Alp Oberfeld to Engelberg

The next morning you get back on the Walen trail, en route for Brunnihütte. Once there you will find a nice restaurant with a sunny terrace. From Brunnihütte you can get to Engelberg on foot. Or, you can make things easier by jumping on the chair lift to Ristis and continuing by cable way to Engelberg. On the third day you will hike for about 4 hours.

To use the cable ways along the Buiräbähnli Safari, you will need a special pass. It is valid on all the cable ways and lifts along the hiking trail (except the ones on Brunni). You can buy this pass at the tourist centre in Engelberg or online.

 

Alpine cheese trail - family friendly hiking trail for cheese enthusiasts

Trek the Alpine cheese trail, and sample plenty of local cheese while burning off the calories on foot. The hiking trail passes eight artisan dairies around Engelberg, all serving tempting treats. You will also be able to feast your eyes on stunning views over the surrounding mountains. 

Remember to bring cash and leave room in your backpack for cheese that you might want to buy along the way. The season for this hiking trail stretches between June and October, but keep in mind that the weather may impact if the dairies are open or not. Please ask us if you would like some help planning your hike.

The route covers over 40 kilometres and takes about 16 hours to walk, but do not worry. The trail can easily be broken up into smaller and more manageable sections. This way you can try cheese from some places one day, and visit other place on another day. There are also multiple cable ways available to make hiking easier.

The hiking trail starts at the Benedictine abbey in Engelberg, the only Swiss monastery dairy where you can see the cheese being made live. Do not miss their mild Engelberger Klosterglocke cheese. Going slightly uphill, you will then continue to the Untertrübsee dairy, which offers tremendous panoramic views and lovely cheeses such as sbrinz, spalen and schlüsselkäse. Then, you continue to the Gerschnialp dairy and their several white mould cheeses, goat cheeses and much more. From there a downhill walk brings you back to Engelberg. This is a good time to call it a day and continue the hike another day.

To continue, follow the river Aa from Engelberg towards the Stäfeli dairy. After your tasting (do try the rare alpgeisskäse) you will continue through the mountains towards the Surenen Pass, where you will find the Blackenalp dairy. Here you can sample Blackenalp mutchli, homemade butter and more. If you want to go straight to the Blackenalp dairy, take the bus from Engelberg to the cable way Fürenalpbahn, take the cable way and walk from there.

The next stop is the Steinäbnet dairy, with specialties such as Urner alpkäse and raclette cheese. This is followed by the Surenen dairy, with treats such as Surener alpkäse and homemade yoghurt. Then you will reach the highest peak of the hike, Fürenalp, before heading downhill again.

The last stops are the dairies Hüttismatt (with a multiple award-winning half hard cheese) and Langenboden (offering raclette cheese and alpkäse). From here you walk back to Engelberg. These two last stops are a great mini tour if you are travelling with children, as visits to the dairies can be combined with visits to a playground and a picnic area. To streamline the hike, take the cable way Brunnibahn from Engelberg.

 

Hiking with a guide in Engelberg

If you are not used to hiking or want to learn more about local history and geography, a guided hiking tour in Engelberg is perfect. We recommend guided hikes with: