One of the most beautiful high-altitude trails in Switzerland! Great panorama!

Take the cable car from Engelberg to the Ristis mountain station. Here you can stop for a bite to eat before setting off on the Walenpfad. If you want, you can take the chairlift up to the Brunnihütte, saving about 50 minutes and 270 metres of ascent. (Then the start is at the Härzli lake). At the Brunnihütte, the trail runs almost level through meadows and forest. Then a short descent and ascent again and you reach Walenalp. A fireplace with wood provided and the view far into the Mittelland invite you to linger. From Walenalp to Walegg, the biggest climb is almost 300 metres uphill. The effort is rewarded with a magnificent view of Lake Bannalp and the surrounding peaks. From Walegg, the trail leads steeply downwards over the Walengräben with a short counter-ascent.

At Alp Oberfeld you have done the roughest part and you could make a detour to the Bannalpsee, where there are also fireplaces. Or you could stop at the Bannalpsee mountain inn, which is on the other side of the lake. If you continue straight on, you pass the Urnerstaffel mountain inn and reach the Chrüzhütte cable car station, which takes you comfortably downhill to Oberrickenbach.

Photography tips: There is one fantastic point once you reach Walegg and then further down as seen on the photos (we were not lucky with the view at Walegg since it was cloudy.

Duration: 3:55h Distance: 11.2km Ascent: 758m Descent: 637m