Engelberg ski resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Engelberg
Resort Review
Engelberg sits at the foot of Mount Titlis at 1050m in the Canton of Obwalden, and is the largest winter and summer resort near Lake Lucerne. The resort has a long, eventful history, influenced by the Benedictine Monastery which still stands today and is a popular tourist attraction.
Après-ski
Engelberg is more of a family resort with refined apres-ski although there are several lively bars. One of the best apres-ski bars is the The Chalet at the base of the Titlis base station. It gets busy from 3pm when the local DJ and live bands kick in to action. The Yucatan bar has a happy hour from 5-6pm and gets packed.
For late evening entertainment, there are several music bars and clubs including CC music bar, the Bierlialp-Chäller nightclub and Spindle bar and disco.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1050m |
| Top lift | 3020m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 82 |
| Longest run | 12 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 35 km |
| Season | Oct - May |
| Snowboard parks | 1 |
| Heli Skiing | ✔ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✔ |
| Babysitting | ✘ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Relaxed |
Engelberg ski area guide
There are 4 ski areas providing 82kms of pistes with around two thirds catering for beginners and intermediates.
- Engelberg-TITLIS ski area which offers plenty of variety
- Gerschnialp
- Bannalp
- Brunni
For advanced skiers, the beauty of Engelberg is the back-country off-piste ski touring opportunities. The local guides bureau can advise on the various routes and tours that range from 1 to several days.
Over 60% of the pistes are covered by snow guns guaranteeing great snow conditions on wide open cruising pistes that are ideal for beginners and intermediate skiers and boarders.
Beginners
There are 2 main beginner areas...
- Gerschnialp boasts enchanting mountain panoramas and excellent skiing conditions for families and beginners, with three ski lifts and gentle slopes.
- The Bannalp has 6 blues and 1 red slope serviced by two family-friendly ski lifts for gentle skiing and snowboarding.
Intermediate
Around 60% of the pistes are red although many of these are more like blacks so early intermediates may find them a little challenging. One of the best trails is the 12km descent from the glacial slopes at 3000m in the Engelberg-TITLIS sector, down to the resort giving 2000m of vertical.
Advanced
On piste is limited with just 5 black trails. However, for off-piste lovers, Engelberg is up there with the best resorts in the Alps. There are so many options and its advisable to hire a guide to show you the best trails. Klein Titlis to Trubsee - known as the Steinberg glacier route - offers steep off-piste terrain whilst the tree skiing at Brunni is excellent fun.
Tobaganning
If you like sledging, there are 2 fantastic trails. The Gerschnialp sled run is 3.5kms long and takes you from 1300m at Gerschnialp, through the snowy Gerschni forest and down to the resort. The other very popular runs are at Brunni where you can sled down 2.5kms of trails to Ristis.
Snowboard
Engelberg has invested heavily in its snowboarding terrain parks in recent years including an Olympic sized super-pipe making the resort a very popular destination for freestylers and snowboarders. There are four parks in the Crap Sogn Gion area, catering for every standard from beginner to pro-riders.
Things to see & do in Engelberg
- 49kms winter hiking trails
- 11kms of marked snowshoeing tracks
- Ski touring
- Night skiing
- Igloo building
- 35kms cross-country trails
- Wellness & spa
- Curling
- Tennis, badminton
- Ice climbing
- Skating
Our view on Engelberg
We think Engelberg ski resort is a hidden gem but not for long - its a top resort either for skiing where there are more than enough pistes to cater for a weeks ski holiday. A great resort with so many things to see and do keeping everyone entertained - for a change away from the mass tourist resorts in the French Alps, Engelberg is definitely worth trying .
