This hike climbs over the Surenen mountain pass, south of Lucerne, connecting the villages Altdorf and Engelberg.

Trail: challenging • 5.5 h • 14 km • 1000m up, 660m down • see trail map

Start: Attinghausen-Brüsti cable car

End: Fürenalp-Engelberg cable car

It's a shortened version of Via Alpina Stage 7, using cable car on both ends to reduce the distance to "just" 14km from the grueling 29km of the official route.

Need even shorter? Try the Fürenalp hike which does the last part of this trail.

I suggest starting early, so you have plenty of time to linger and enjoy the ever changing scenery, crossing alpine meadows, walking along rivers, skirting under spiky peaks.

Best reached by public transport since it's a one-way hike. If you must come by car, park at the Stans train station, which is between the start and end points.

ℹ️ More info about trail on SwissFamilyFun.com

Where to eat & stay

Near the Brüsti cable car, there is the Alp Catrina mountain hotel. At about the 8.8 km mark (about 3.5 hours), there is Blackenalp Hütte. At the end, there is a restaurant next to the Fürenalp cable car station.

Or if you hike all the way down to Fürenalp, you'll pass Berggasthaus Stäfeli, which has a cafe and rustic accommodations.