The ski and monastery town of Engelberg lies at an altitude of 1,050 metres in the canton of Obwalden in central Switzerland, where a true winter sports paradise awaits skiers and snowboarders! In addition to slopes with guaranteed snow, centuries-old culture and an environmentally conscious destination, another highlight awaits high up on the Titlis: the glacier. SnowTrex knows why a visit here is particularly worthwhile in the cold season and lists 10 good reasons for skiing in Engelberg.
1. Pure skiing bliss on 82 kilometres of slopes
Skiers looking for an intense experience on the slopes are in just the right place in the Engelberg-Titlis ski area – on both sides of the valley, on the Titlis and on the sunny side of the Brunni – with its 82 kilometres of slopes. Here you will also find one of the longest runs in Switzerland, the 12 km long piste from the Titlis glacier down to Engelberg, which covers over 2000 metres in altitude. The piste is guaranteed to have snow throughout the season, as it can be artificially snowed with snow cannons if nature does not provide enough snow.
Please also note that by using our services and integrating the YouTube API Services, the YouTube Terms of Service and the YouTube API Services Terms apply and your use of our website is deemed to be acceptance of these terms.
2. Speed like a real ski star?
Marco Odermatt grew up in the Engelberg region and attended sports middle school in the monastery village. And winter sports enthusiasts can now follow in his footsteps in the very place where the best skier in the world skied his first metres and has since risen to the Alpine Skiing World Cup. Because in the Engelberg-Titlis ski area, one of the highest ski areas in Switzerland, the “Marco Odermatt Speedcheck” awaits. Skiers and snowboarders can measure their personal top speed on a specially secured piste between Stand and Trübsee. And it’s very easy: simply scan your lift pass at the start, start your run and have your final speed photographed by a high-resolution camera at the finish line free of charge.
3. The “Big 5” or pure powder
Engelberg-Titlis is world-famous as an off-piste destination and is proud of its status as a top deep snow area, making the ski resort the “place to be” for all freeriders. And that’s exactly what they can look forward to with the “Big 5”, five unique freeride routes that can all be reached directly by gondola or lift.
This is ideal for all diehard freeride fans, who can easily ski the “Big 5” in one day in the best weather conditions and cover around 10,000 metres in altitude! The highlight is of course one of the most famous freeride pistes in the world, the “Laub”. Due to its width, it is already visible from Engelberg and, with a gradient of 32 to 38 degrees, is a real challenge even for professionals.
Please also note that by using our services and integrating the YouTube API Services, the YouTube Terms of Service and the YouTube API Services Terms apply and your use of our website is deemed to be acceptance of these terms.
In addition to the Laub, the Steinberg with its glacier piste, the Steinitäli, the Sulz and the mighty Galtiberg are also part of the ‘”Big 5″. The latter is actually one of the longest freeride slopes in the world, leading from Klein Titlis over almost 2,000 metres in altitude back into the Engelberg Valley and, like the Laub, is only recommended for experienced freeriders. Away from the big “five”, there are of course several other peaks in Engelberg that entice you to go freeriding with breathtaking mountain panoramas and steep deep-snow descents.
4. A 360° experience up to the glacier
With 29 lifts, the Engelberg-Titlis ski area is perfectly accessible for winter sports enthusiasts. One of the absolute cable car highlights is the “Rotair”. Even the ride up from the middle station to the 3,020 metre-high summit of the Kleine Titlis is a special experience. This is because the cable car operated by Titlis Bergbahnen is the first revolving gondola lift in the world that rotates 360 degrees, thereby completely on its own axis, during the five-minute journey. This allows passengers to enjoy the Swiss Alpine panorama in all its splendour on the way to the summit, with views of rock faces, crevasses and snow-covered mountain peaks.
5. Unique glacier experience on the Titlis
A visit to Engelberg is only complete when every guest has seen the Titlis Glacier up close at least once. Exploring the large ice field at an altitude of up to 3,020 metres is simply a must, as the glacier grotto awaits, which leads up to 20 metres deep into the ice and is accessible free of charge. Thanks to the refraction of light, you can immerse yourself in a completely blue world along a 150-metre-long corridor with several branch-off points. Another highlight on the glacier – adrenalin kick included – is the “Cliff Walk”, the highest suspension bridge in Europe.
6. Officially family-friendly
Engelberg is one of the officially certified family holiday resorts in Switzerland. The monastery village received this accolade for its various beginner ski areas, among other things, where children will also find ideal skiing conditions and where the little ones will never get bored thanks to the wide range of activities on offer. This also applies in bad weather, as parents can visit an indoor swimming pool and a climbing hall with their children or experience an exciting day at the cheese dairy.
7. Outdoor activities and après-ski aplenty
In Engelberg there are many varied winter sports options for everyone, both on the mountains and in the valley: sledging, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, horse-drawn sleigh rides and other snow hikes. And culinary highlights are always just a stone’s throw away. Whether during a long day of skiing in one of the numerous mountain restaurants in the ski area, where priceless views and pure relaxation await on marvellous sun terraces, or in the restaurants in Engelberg itself, delicious, traditional Swiss cuisine awaits everywhere.
And for après-ski, winter sports enthusiasts and locals meet up in bars such as the Yucatan, the Chalet, the Gletscherspalte or the Ski Lodge, where the latest après-ski hits and classics are always on.
8. The high alpine monastery village
The combination of the village of Engelberg, situated at 1,015 metres above sea level, and the Titlis glacier is unique in many respects. Ski fans find themselves in a small monastery village in the middle of a high alpine arena, surrounded by an impressive mountain world. Accordingly, guests in Central Switzerland’s largest winter sports region can always look forward to a breathtaking panorama. And, of course, the town scores culturally with its Benedictine abbey, Engelberg Monastery, founded in 1120, where monks still live today and which is adjoined by a magnificent baroque church with the largest organ in Switzerland. Apart from that, Engelberg offers international flair and yet still impresses with its Swiss tradition and cosiness.
9. Engelberg is fully committed to sustainability
In the Engelberg-Titlis ski area and in the monastery village itself, people value the impressive nature of their homeland and do everything they can to preserve it for future generations. Engelberg is therefore fully committed to sustainability and has been awarded the “Swisstainable” label for this commitment as part of Switzerland Tourism’s sustainability programme. Engelberg also holds the title of “Energy Town” and will realise further “green” projects in the coming years. All lifts are already powered 100 per cent by hydroelectricity. In addition, Brunni Bergbahnen is the first and only CO2-neutral lift in Switzerland.
10. Getting there: easy, fast and sustainable
Engelberg is literally located in the heart of Switzerland. Accordingly, the monastery village is easily, quickly and sustainably accessible for visitors by various means of transport. On the one hand, the Engelberg-Titlis ski area is well-connected to the road network for motorists thanks to its proximity to neighbouring Swiss countries. And for those arriving by plane at Zurich Airport from further afield, the Powder Express and the Titlis Taxi as well as other shuttle buses are waiting to take you from the terminal to Engelberg in just one hour. Winter sports enthusiasts who opt for an environmentally conscious journey can also reach the Titlis quickly and comfortably by train. Travellers arriving via Zurich only have to change trains once in Lucerne and can be on the glacier on skis in just two hours. And from Basel it’s only 90 minutes!
FAQ’s on skiing in Engelberg
Why is Engelberg a popular winter sports resort?
Engelberg-Titlis is a popular ski resort because it offers winter sports enthusiasts a total of 82 kilometres of varied pistes. One highlight is the 12 km long descent from the Titlis glacier down into the valley, which has over 2,000 metres of altitude difference to conquer and is very snow-sure thanks to continuous snowmaking. The ski area is also suitable for skiers of all abilities and offers both challenging pistes and gentler descents.
What special skiing experiences are there to discover in Engelberg-Titlis?
A unique skiing experience in the Engelberg-Titlis ski area is the ‘Marco Odermatt Speedcheck’, where winter sports enthusiasts can have their speed measured on the piste and receive a free photo. In addition, the ‘Big 5’ freeride routes attract ambitious freeriders who – if they want to and are fit enough – can tackle challenging descents of up to 10,000 metres in altitude in one day.
Why is the Engelberg-Titlis ski area so attractive for families?
Engelberg is an officially certified family holiday resort, where there are special beginner areas for young skiers, for example, where they will find the ideal conditions to complete their first metres on the slopes. And even when the weather is bad, there are plenty of things to do in Engelberg, such as an indoor swimming pool, a climbing hall and a cheese dairy, to ensure an entertaining, family-friendly day out.
What is so special about the cable car to Titlis?
The “Rotair” cable car on the Titlis is the world’s first rotating aerial cable car that moves 360 degrees around its own axis during the journey. This provides an impressive view of the Swiss Alps and makes the journey a unique experience that winter sports enthusiasts should not miss out on.
How does Engelberg promote sustainability in ski tourism?
Engelberg is strongly committed to sustainable practices and has therefore been awarded the label of the Swiss sustainability programme “Swisstainable”. For example, all cable cars in the ski resort are powered 100 per cent by hydropower and Brunni Bergbahnen is even the first CO2-neutral cable car in Switzerland. These initiatives emphasise the resort’s commitment to environmental protection and a sustainable, green future.
