Four Lakes Walk

Engelberg railway station is the starting point for the four-lakes walk, one of the high-level hiking classics. Just a five-minute walk away (signposted) is the lower terminus of the Titlis cableways. Once there, you have a choice: either take the waymarked footpath past the Untertrübsee cheese dairy up to picturesque Lake Trüb, or take the Titlis Xpress gondola to the Trübsee midway terminus. The latter option involves you then heading back downhill to the lake and along it to the Alpstübli restaurant. Continue by chairlift or on foot to the first vantage point of the outing, the Joch pass. With the Titlis behind you and views of the majestic Bernese Alps before you, bask in the sunshine on the terrace of the Berghuis Jochpass. The restaurant serves good food, including "Urner Häfelichabis" (a traditional stew), homemade maize croquettes, traditional hamburgers and warm chocolate cake; you're spoilt for choice. The path now heads down the valley towards deep-blue Lake Engstlen in the direction of Melchsee-Frutt. The section from here to above the lake can also be done using the chairlift. From the Engstlen alp, the ascent starts via an increasingly steep and narrow path along the slope to Tannalp. The rocky terrain gives way to hilly moorland scenery. On the high plateau to Melchsee-Frutt you walk past Lakes Tannen and Melch (or board the Fruttli road train from Tannalp). The Melchsee-Frutt - Stöckalp stretch once again presents you with a choice: you can reach Stöckalp by gondola cableway.

With its pure walking time of 6.5 hours, the four lakes walk calls for a good level of fitness. Incorporating all the cableways cuts the walking time down to two hours. Alternatively, you can make this two-day excursion and spend the night in one of the guesthouses on the way. This then gives you plenty of opportunity to savour the views on restaurant terraces and indulge in a little boating or fishing.

The following cableways and public transport are available for you to use: • Titlis Xpress (gondola) Engelberg – Trübsee • Chairlift Trübsee – Jochpass • Chairlift Jochpass – Engstlenalp • Fruttli-Zug (road train) Tannalp – Melchsee-Frutt • Gondola Melchsee-Frutt – Stöckalp • PostBus Stöckalp – Stans • Zentralbahn railway Stans – Engelberg

 

Before or after the 4-lake hike, you can book transport between Engelberg and Stöckalp with the Titlis-Taxi Engelberg. Reservations by telephone, price on request.