Switzerland August planning help
 

Hi, I am in middle of planning a trip to Switzerland for August. We are 2 adults and have previously been to Interlaken/BO area. I read a lot on this forum which was quite helpful, just have a few questions:

1. We will be staying in Engelberg. I would like to do a day trip to Lake Thun (boat ride across) and Schynige Platte (no hiking). Is that too ambitious? If it is, any alternative for Schynige Platte in terms of scenery?

2. Hoping for good weather, but if not, any suggestions for a day train trip from lucerne with great scenery?

Thanks!

Engelberg is not a good base for day trips to the Interlaken area. Engelberg - Schynige Platte takes 4 1/2 hrs OW by public transport, 1 1/2 hrs less if you drive by car up to Wilderswil.
Go to Lake Lucerne for boat rides and to Titlis for stunning mountain panoramas.

Nice daytrips from LUCERNE (not Engelberg) would be:
Berne (1 hr by train OW),
Bellinzona (1 1/2 hrs by train OW)
Einsiedeln Monastery (1 hr by train OW), may be combined with Rapperswil/Lake Zurich
Brienzer Rothorn via Soerenberg (1 3/4 hrs OW)
Brienzer Rothorn via Brienz (2 1/4 hrs OW)
Alpine Passes between Andermatt and Meiringen: Furka, Susten, San Gottardo, Novena, Grimsel

I'd say there is nothing wrong with Engelberg if you wanted to do some hiking in the area but it really isn't an ideal location for doing any touring around as neckervd says.

Why have you chosen Engelberg to stay in?

There is nothing wrong with a vacation while based in Engelberg, as long as you plan your activities for that region. It's stuck up in the hills, just to get down to Lucerne takes almost an hour by train, so don't look to far-away places like Schynige Platte - or go base yourselves somewhere else, closer to those targets.

NeckerVD gave you good suggestions. I would add that hikes etc. can be done even much closer to home while you're staying in Engelberg.

Start here: http://www.engelberg.ch/en/sommer-in-engelberg/hiking/

Thanks for all your replies! We chose Engelberg as a base because it is a quiet town, with lots of walking/hiking opportunities. We have 4 days in the area- Day 1 (on the way from the airport)- leave luggage in Lucerne Station, boat ride on Lake Lucerne then Rigi/Pilatus depending on clouds. Day 2 Titlis or if too crowded Furenalp, Day 4 Brunni, so that leaves Day 3 for a longer trip out of the area. I looked earlier at Brienzer Rothorn but it seemed to say that it takes 3 hours in each direction from Brienz to the top, which was too long. I estimated 3.5 hours from Engelberg to S.P.- is the view from there really worth the long trip? How does it compare to Brienzer Rothorn?

In any case look into the Berner Oberland Pass which covers both Lucerne and Interlaken areas - better maybe than a Swiss Pass if only going to this area. For lots on Swiss trains and where to go check www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

SPlatte? The views are nice but you will have already seen just as awesome views probably last time in Interlaken area. SP has other attractions however like the famous Alpine Garden.

The Mannlichen has rave views - take a train to Grindelwald - cable car to Mannlichen - views all over central Switzerland- much like from Mt Rigi - and then do the easy few-mile Ridge Walk to Kleine Scheidegg and take train back to Grindelwald.

If wondering you can do Lake Thun cruise and SP all in one day -well yes but it would be very rushed. The Thun cruise is best done at leisure - getting off at say Oberhofen and its neat castle and cute town or exploring Thun or visiting Spiez's great castle that hovers high above its boat dock.

Thanks for the tip about the BO Pass, I certainly will look into it. We did the Mannlichen Royal Walk and Ridge Walk last time and as you said, it was incredible! Any info on the Brienzer Rothorn? Can that be combined with a Thun cruise? We are more into walks in the mountains or boat rides than exploring towns, so a short cruise (ie. Thun to Interlaken 2 hours) combined with Rothorn might be more appealing, if it is do-able.

What is hiking like in August?

Animals? Ticks?

Rain?

The views are great from all those. All different since they show various angles of the alps.

The point here is that those peaks - Brienzer Rothorn, Niesen, Niederhorn etc. all are NOT a part of the high alps but rather standing apart, in front of the main massif, hence called "Voralpen" ("in-front-alps"). That gives you those views that you see on the iconic pictures


You can google each and see the views from the top - I recommend Niesen as well as Brienzer Rothorn. Niesen gives you 360 views beyond Bern to the north and of course east to west the entire Berner Alpen.

Here's what I mean - taken from Niesen:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/88079041

"We chose Engelberg as a base because it is a quiet town, with lots of walking/hiking opportunities."

But you are only planning to spend day 4 in the area. I consider anywhere more than an hour away as outside the area.

It's your time and your money but in my opinion, you are going to spend too much of the little time you have, coming/going from Engelberg.

"We chose Engelberg as a base because it is a quiet town, with lots of walking/hiking opportunities.">

but much less of those than many other places in Switzerland I'd say - quieter towns exist too - Engleberg is a rather busy resort town.

Brienzer Rothorn:
I gave you the journey times (from Lucerne) above:
Brienzer Rothorn via Soerenberg (1 3/4 hrs OW)
Brienzer Rothorn via Brienz (2 1/4 hrs OW)

Brienzer Rothorn is usually combined with boat rides on Lake Brienz (Brienz to Giessbach - Interlaken).
Hikers love the trail from Brienzer Rothorn to Bruenig railway station (but it's a hike, not a short walk like Maennlichen - Kleine Scheidegg).
Another panoramic hike goes from Engstlensee (chairlift etc. from Engelberg) to Tannensee - Balmeregghorn - Alpen Tower (gondola to Hasliberg - Meiringen).

I took the Brienzer Rothorn steam train up to summit and walked back down to Brienz on nice zigzagging trails - magnificent views the whole way.

For best views, take the small trail all along the ridge up to Harder Kulm, but it's rather long and strenuous (continuous up and down)

Thanks for all the suggestions! It looks like it will be Niederhorn (quick trip up and lots of easy walking paths)+Lake Thun boat trip. We chose Engelberg for other reasons, including but not only the great price of the hotel room which includes a kitchenette, and as well, 2 days will be spent there – Brunni and Fuerenalp, plus the evening of each day.

Why only Brunni and Fuerenalp?
There ae so many more interesting places to explore from Engelberg:
Titlis;
Truebsee - Jochpass - Engstlenalp (all by chairlift) - Lake Engstlensee - Lake Tannensee - Lake Melchsee and back by public transport via Sarnen - Stans;
Stanserhorn (historic rope railway and open deck gondola);
Lake Lucerne cruise from Buochs via Vitznau - Weggis up to Stanssstad;
etc. etc.

Will there still be snow and greenery in August?

Or will rain just make parts of the mountains not covered by snow into brown and muddy?

August around Engelberg:
snow line at around 3500 metres (except glaciers, where the ice remains all the year round).
Below: rocks, gravel and very green grass.

Below: rocks, gravel and very green grass.>

No cows?

Cheese shop in Wengen claimed that they take the cows to high altitudes in the summer, which is why the cheese has a bitter taste.