3.5 km downhill hike with a treasure hunt and marble rolling stations along the trail. Lake with a barefoot path, summer mountain slide and alpine playground. Suitable for offroad strollers.
Brunni Engelberg | Canton of Obwalden (Switzerland)
The "it" factor
What makes it special:
Quest to find 11 treasure chests and wooden marble rolling stations along the trail
Restaurant with a play area midway through the trail
Globi Alpine Playground
Summer mountain slide (toboggan)
What needs to be considered:
You can do this hike downhill or uphill. We cover the downhill version, but for a challenge, try it in reverse
Globi shop closes early - arrive before 4 if you want to claim your quest prize
Don't feel like reading? Watch a video instead!
The fun factor
Brunni Engelberg offers two hikes with treasure hunts and both start and finish at the same location. Globi, a 3.5 km trail suitable for children aged 3 and up, and Globina, a 4.5 km trail recommended for ages 7 and older. These hikes, inspired by the beloved Globi character, offer an engaging adventure that brings the stories to life for young explorers.
We've completed the shorter Globi trail, which we cover in this article, and can highly recommend it. It has everything you’d expect from a fun alpine adventure: a search quest, a lake with a barefoot path, a summer mountain slide (toboggan), marble rolling stations, an alpine playground, and stunning views! Plus, Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt is off-road stroller-friendly.
The hike has an elevation change of around 260 meters, and you can choose to do it either uphill or downhill. We chose to go downhill this time since our 4.5-year-old isn’t quite ready for longer climbs, which is the experience we’ve described in this blog. However, we saw several families with young children taking on the uphill route, so if you're looking for a challenge, you can definitely try the hike in reverse. Either way, you’ll get to experience all the fun adventures along the trail.
Here are our top 6 Fun Factors of Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt
1. Walk barefoot around the lake
The Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt adventure begins just after a gondola and chairlift ride up to Härzlisee lake, located next to the Brunnihütte. Before you set off on the trail, the first experience awaits: a barefoot path around the lake. Here, you can take off your shoes and walk on various natural surfaces, offering a unique opportunity to connect with nature.
Part of the walk is on dry land, while another section takes you into the lake, where the water reaches knee-deep for adults and thigh-deep for kids. Our tip? Bring a towel!
It’s a short experience, taking just 5-10 minutes, but we enjoyed it so much that we did it twice. Nearby, you’ll also find a restaurant, snack bar, and barbecue spot, perfect for relaxing in nature or just hanging out before continuing your adventure.
2. Help Globi find his treasures
Your Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt quest is to help Globi find treasure chests along the trail, so he can prepare better for a hike! You can purchase a Globi Treasure Hunt Map (Globi Schatzkarte - available in German only) for 5 CHF at the Globi shop just next to the Ristis Restaurant. Keep an eye out for 11 treasure chests along the trail—each one contains a card with a Globi story and a puncher to mark your map. Find all the treasures, and you’ll earn a prize at the Globi shop! Just remember that the shop closes at 4 pm, so make sure to arrive before then if you want to claim your reward.
We find these types of activities to be a brilliant way to keep kids engaged and motivated to continue the hike, eagerly searching for the next treasure.
3. Roll wooden marbles
Along the Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt hike, you'll encounter six marble rolling stations—two near the lake at the start, three along the trail, and one by the alpine playground at the end. There is a separate Wooden Ball Hike, but since these hikes follow almost the same path, they can be combined.
You can buy a wooden ball at the Globi Shop in Ristis, where you can also get your treasure hunt map. The balls cost 7 CHF each, or 10 CHF when bundled with the map. While you can skip these stations and still enjoy the hike, they add an extra layer of excitement if you choose to use them.
4. Hit the alpine playground
The Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt trail ends in Ristis, where you'll find two alpine playgrounds. One is located just behind the restaurant, featuring a trampoline, climbing wall, slide, and construction vehicles for digging in the sand. The other, Globi Alpine Playground, is set in nature, with climbing structures for younger children, slides, and a water play area. These spots can get quite busy on a sunny weekend, but even then, they are great places for parents to relax while kids continue their adventure and play.
5. Ride down a mountain slide
Right next to Globi's Alpine Playground, you'll find a 660-meter-long summer mountain slide (toboggan run).
Children aged 3 and up can ride, with those 8 and older allowed to go solo, while younger children can ride for free if accompanied by someone at least 12 years old. There's an extra charge, but we love these slides and always treat ourselves to a run whenever they're available.
Plus, if the weather isn't great, there's a family restaurant with an indoor play area right next to the parking lot at the bottom gondola station. We haven’t tried it ourselves since we usually finish our hikes too late to check out any extra activities —but it looks like fun! Let us know if you give it a try.
The fitness factor
The hike is 3.5 km long and 264 meters downhill.
The Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt trail follows an easy route, with 1.4 km on dirt and 1.7 km on asphalt, and no drop-offs along the way. It can be done with off-road strollers that can handle gravel.
The views factor
The views here are among the best we've experienced on themed hikes. You’ll enjoy a small but beautiful lake, towering mountain peaks, open fields, and stunning natural landscapes. The awe factor is definitely elevated!
The food factor
There are four places with restaurants along the Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt trail.
At the bottom gondola station, you'll find Familienrestaurant OX, which has an indoor play area—just be aware of the limited opening hours, as it's only open on weekend afternoons.
At the top gondola station, there’s Berglodge Restaurant Ristis, offering self-service and typical mountain restaurant meals.
At the top of the chairlift, you can stop by the Kräuterhütte snack bar or Brunnihütte.
Midway through the trail, there’s Restaurant Älplerbeizli Rigidal, which serves delicious but limited food options (cold cut plates, pies etc). So, if you prefer to dine in during your hike, you'll have plenty of options to choose from.
If you prefer to bring your own food, you’ll find three barbecue spots with wood provided to choose from: one at the Globi Alpine Playground, another by the Härzlisee Lake, and the third, Forest Fireplace Ristis, towards the end of the trail, near one of the marble rolling stations. Check out our map for more details.
The value factor
Ascent and descent with the Engelberg Brunni gondola and ascent with the Brunnihütte chairlift:
Adults: 30.0 CHF | Adult with HTA/GA: 20.00 CHF
Kids (6 - 15): 15.00 CHF
Kids below 6 & Kids accompanied by adults: Free
Brunni Engelberg Globi Treasure Hunt featuring Wooden Ball Path | Practical Info
You need to arrive to Engelberg Brunni (not Engelberg Titlis)
Arrival by car: Park at the Klostermatte parking - Am Dürrbach 5a, 6390 Engelberg
Arrival by public transport: Take the train from Luzerne to Engelberg. From there either walk 1.4 km (c. 15-20 minutes) or take a bus to Engelberg, Brunnibahn
Step by step directions:
Take the Engelberg - Brunni gondola from Engelberg to Ristis
Buy the Globi Schatzkarte & wooden marble (optional), from the Globi shop just next to the Berglodge Restaurant Ristis
Take the Brunnihütte chairlift to the Härzlisee
Follow the barefoot path around the Härzlisee
Follow the Globi trail signs. Tip: the trail starts under the chair lift. Check our map for more.
Trail ends at the Berglodge Restaurant Ristis, where you can enjoy the summer toboggan run and Globi Alpine Playground. Here you can also claim your prize for completing the treasure hunt mission and take the gondola back to Engelberg.
Stroller friendly: Yes - off-road
Duration: Full day (depending on how much time you will spend on food and play). The hike itself can be done in 1-2 hours, but with all the adventures it took us a full day in total
Length: 3.5 km, downhill - can be done uphill in reverse
Recommended age: 3+. It can be done with younger kids with a stroller
