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Buiräbähnli Safari in Engelberg

This two- to three-day round walk has you following a challenging route through the Engelberg hinterland. The Buiräbähnli cable cars save you from having to walk uphill and downhill; they also take you to mountain inns where you can stay the night.

The route starts and ends at Engelberg railway station. Depending on your level of fitness and your preference, the 12.5 hours of walking can be done over two or three days. There are mountain refuges serving meals along the way.

What are Buiräbähnli?

Buiräbähnli are aerial cableways operated by local people – often mountain farmers, who maintain them and carry visitors in addition to their daily work on the alp farms. There are information boards about the operation at each railway. The cabins are small and accommodate between two and eight persons. Some of them, like the Spies-Sinsgäu cableway, are open to the elements, so you have to take your courage in both hands.

Engelberg Buiräbähnli Safari
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Engelberg Buiräbähnli Safari

Engelberg Buiräbähnli Safari
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Engelberg Buiräbähnli Safari

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Information

The walk can be done between June and September, depending on the weather, and is at an altitude of between 511 and 1952 metres above sea level. The level of difficulty is between medium and difficult.

Route

Engelberg – Egendössli – Mettlen – Grafenort – Bielen – Diegisbalm – Wolfenschiessen – Brändlen – Oberrickenbach – Fell – Sinsgäu – Bannalp – Alp Oberfeld – Brunni – Oberbord – Engelberg

Buiräbähnli pass

For the ultimate walking adventure, the Buiräbähnli pass can be purchased for CHF 47 at the Engelberg Tourist Centre. It gives you unrestricted travel on the following cableways:

  • Mettlen - Rugisbalm - Lutersee
  • Geissmattli - Bielen
  • Diegsibalm - Wolfenschiessen
  • Oberalp - Diegisbalm
  • Zälgli - Brandlen
  • Schmiedsboden - Oberrickenbach
  • Fell - Spies
  • Spiess - Sinsgäu
  • Oberbord - Engelberg

The Buiräbähnli pass is not valid for the following cableways, which are nevertheless useful for the Safari:

  • Brunnihütte - Ristis chairlift
  • Ristis - Engelberg aerial cableway