Summer Activities in Engelberg, Switzerland

Brunni, Engelberg, is a fun place for families with children in summer, especially with their large climbing playground and summer toboggan run, plus the Globi Treasure Hunt.

Brunni, Engelberg

Engelberg is located just over 1 hour away from Zurich and is an ideal place to visit, whether as a day trip, a weekend getaway, or longer.

It is a popular destination for skiing in winter, but there is also a wealth of activities on offer in summer, especially for families with children.

One place which our children particularly loved was the playground area at Brunni, which sits at approximately 1,600 m elevation.

Globi’s Alpine Playground (“Globis Alpenspielplatz”)

The Globi’s Alpine Playground includes the following:
* small climbing playground for toddlers
* large climbing playground for older children (i.e. age 5 and up)
* water playground with wells and troughs (but not available during seasons with water restrictions)
* large slide
* a milking cow (not real, of course, but there are lots of real cows nearby!)
* toboggan run (see more below)
* picnic tables and benches
* grilling area

You can view more photographs and impressions from Engelberg on my Instagram Stories.

climbing playground with mountain views at brunni engelberg switzerland — {A large climbing playground at Brunni, Engelberg, including a small climbing wall.}

climbing playground with mountain views at brunni engelberg — {Scenic playground at Brunni, Engelberg.}

small tunnel at playground at brunni engelberg — {Young children can crawl through this small tunnel at the playground at Brunni, Engelberg.}

water playground at brunni engelberg — {The playground at Brunni, Engelberg, includes a large water playground where children can play and experiment with the taps and troughs.}

water playground with wells and troughs at brunni engelberg — {The water playground includes wells, taps and troughs. However, the water might not flow during times of water restrictions.}

mountain views from the playground at brunni engelberg — {View of the surrounding mountains from the playground at Brunni, Engelberg, plus a wide and flat walking path suitable for prams and strollers.}

view of berglodge restaurant ristis in engelberg — {View of the Berglodge Restaurant Ristis from the playground area at Brunni, Engelberg.}

Summer Toboggan Run (“Sommerrodelbahn”)

Our children absolutely loved the toboggan run which travels a 660 metre long course through and around the playground area.

At the time of writing, our children were aged 3 and 5, and they were each accompanied by an adult on the toboggan.

Like most alpine toboggans, these were operated with a simple brake – push forward to gain speed, pull back to brake. So for those who are riding with young children, or if you are just simply timid, you can go as slow or as fast as you can like (within limits, of course).

The cost per ride is CHF 5 (even if you are 1 adult plus 1 child per toboggan), with a sliding scale for those who want to purchase more rides upfront.

More information about the summer toboggan run can be found here.

summer toboggan run at brunni engelberg — {The summer toboggan run at Brunni, Engelberg. The course is 660 metres long and children as young as 3 can be accompanied by an adult.}

Globi’s Treasure Hunt

Globi is a popular childrens’ comic book character in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, and pretty much the whole town of Engelberg pays homage to this blue parrot with his distinctive chequered pants.

Older children can take part in the Globi Treasure Hunt which takes place along the route from Ristis to Rigidalap to Brunnihütte (or the other way around if you are coming from the top).

The starting and finishing point is at the Globi Kiosk (you will see it upon exiting the cable car) or the Berglodge Restaurant Ristis.

The trail is about 2 to 3 km (in one direction), and can take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on your childrens’ athletic ability and motivation!

Part of the trail is not suitable for prams or strollers, and I think a trail or treasure hunt of this sort would be most suitable for children aged about 5 years old and up.

More information on the Globi Treasure Hunt can be found here.

globi at brunni engelberg — {Older children will enjoy the Globi Treasure Hunt in Engelberg.}

Berglodge Restaurant Ristis

If you are not bringing your own packed lunch or picnic, the Ristis Restaurant is a nice dining option.

The menu features the usual Swiss alpine classics like pork schnitzel, fish and chips, burgers, Flammkuchen, as well as a good selection of salads and soups.

It is a very child-friendly restaurant with a childrens’ menu on offer, colouring pens and paper for each child, as well as a childrens’ playroom where the kids can entertain themselves while you treat yourself to a coffee.

Outside, there is a small playground behind the restaurant, as well as other attractions to amuse the children, including a giant octopus jumping castle!

More information on Berglodge Restaurant Ristis can be found here.

berglodge restaurant ristis in engelberg — {Small playground outside the Ristis Restaurant, including a climbing wall, trampoline and see-saw. Note the giant purple octopus jumping castle! Fun for the kids at every turn!}

How to Get There

By car

Engelberg is located about 1 hr and 10 mins from Zurich.

map of route from zurich to engelberg — {Engelberg is a 1 hour and 10 minute drive from Zurich.}

To access the Brunni area, you will need to take the cable car from the village in Engelberg to Ristis.

You can purchase the cable car ticket using your SBB Half-Fare Card and/or Reka Card, if using.

map of brunni engelberg switzerland — {Map of Brunni, Engelberg. The area in the yellow box shows the cable car from the village to Ristis to access the playground area.}

Once you have arrived at Ristis, you will see the Berglodge Restaurant Ristis and the large playground area beyond.