Engelberg, Switzerland Freeride & Ski Touring

Optional Pre-Day 1 Arrival

Optional: You may choose to arrive at Zurich Airport the day before your trip begins and check into the hotel of your choice. You'll have time to relax and adjust to the time change before meeting up with the group the next morning.

Arrival

Touch down in Zurich make sure your flight arrives no later than 1:00 pm. You will meet your trip host at 2:00 pm, and make your way to Engelberg — just ninety minutes from the airport and a world away from everyday life.

Settle into Ski Lodge Engelberg, get your gear sorted, and meet your crew over a welcome dinner. Tomorrow the mountain is waiting, we'll get some rest to enjoy the mountain tomorrow!

Big 5, Run 1

Your first taste of Engelberg and it does not disappoint. Your guides lead the group into the freeride terrain above the Titlis lifts for an introduction to what makes this mountain legendary. Conditions and group level will shape the day, but expect long, open descents, untracked snow, and a very good reason to be back on the lifts first thing tomorrow. Breakfast at the lodge, après in the hot tub.

Exploring Deeper into the Big 5

Legs warmed up, confidence dialled in — today the guides push the group further into the Big 5. The Steinberg and Sulz routes open up a different side of the mountain entirely, with steeper terrain, bigger views, and the kind of descents that remind you why you booked this trip. Lunch on the mountain, long debrief at the bar.

More to see of The Big 5

The final chapter of the Big 5 — Steintal and Galtiberg. By now the group knows the mountain, trusts the guides, and is skiing the best of the week. Nearly 10,000 metres of total descent across the five runs over three days. Take a moment at the top of the last one to appreciate that. Then point it downhill.

Secret 5

The lifts are still there, but today the skins come out. Your guides lead the group away from the ski area boundary and into the quieter terrain of the surrounding valley — a short skin of up to an hour opening up descents that most visitors to Engelberg never see. Fewer tracks, better snow, and a deeper connection to the mountain. This is what touring is all about.

Secret 5, Day 2

One more day in the backcountry. Your guides choose the route based on conditions — expect a different character to yesterday, whether that's a longer approach, a steeper line, or a descent that drops you somewhere completely unexpected. By the time you ski back into town, you'll have a very different understanding of what Engelberg really holds.

Departure

Breakfast at the lodge one last time, then transfer back to Zurich Airport — ninety minutes door to terminal. Legs tired, memory card full, and a very short list of reasons not to do it again next year.

Engelberg is one of the great touring destinations in the Alps — and most visitors never see beyond the lifts. Sitting at the foot of Mount Titlis in central Switzerland, the valley and surrounding mountains hold an enormous amount of terrain beyond the ski area boundary, from short skin approaches to full glacier circuits. The same north-facing exposure and reliable snowpack that makes the freeride so good keeps the touring conditions exceptional well into spring. With expert local guides who know where the snow holds and where the lines go, you access a version of Engelberg that most people don't know exists.

Ski Lodge Engelberg is exactly what a freeride trip deserves — a welcoming base right in the heart of town with the mountain culture baked in. Individually decorated rooms, a lively bar and restaurant serving gourmet cuisine, a sauna and outdoor hot tub with views of the Engelberg valley, and a hearty breakfast every morning to fuel the day ahead. The vibe is social and rider/skier-first — the kind of place where the après flows naturally and the conversation at the bar is always about tomorrow's lines.