Great excursion tips, secret places, and much more await you in this ultimate Entlebuch guide.
Text and pictures by Marc Gottwald
The UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch in the canton of Lucerne is one of the most underrated regions in Switzerland. The area has charm and diversity with its green meadows, traditional farmhouses, moorland, and karst landscapes. But economically, the region does not have it easy.
Hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails and remote roads make the Entlebuch a perfect excursion destination. In this travel guide, I’ll show you the most beautiful places, great hikes, and places to visit. Cross-cantonal excursions are also highly recommended, as the region borders directly to Emmental. And now let’s go!
UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch
Before I talk about the excursion trips and hikes in the Entlebuch, I would like to examine the Entlebuch Biosphere in the canton of Lucerne briefly. Regarding tourism, the region lies in the shadow of the Bernese Oberland and Lake Lucerne. The Entlebuch is also very difficult to farm because of the many hills and karst landscapes. But the region builds on its strengths: its unspoiled nature and diverse culture.
Not only the view in this 400km2 area is unique. The region is also highly interesting from an environmental point of view. Since 1999, the Entlebuch Biosphere has been an international model for the coexistence of nature and economy; the model’s core points are both the protection of nature and a strong economy.
Nature is often lost at the expense of the economy (e.g., through overbuilding). In the Entlebuch Biosphere, however, the precious natural treasures are well protected.
For example, ¼ of the total area of the Entlebuch is moorland. An even more impressive value when you know that this is 10% of the total moorland area in Switzerland!
Dead or fallen trees are also sometimes left lying around. The so-called deadwood provides valuable habitat for billions of animals and insects. Since humans are “cleaners,” such trees are usually cut down and replaced directly. This makes the Entlebuch extremely valuable from an environmental point of view and is a model region in Switzerland.
But now, let’s look at the best hikes and places in this Swiss region.
Entlebuch Hikes
In the following, I present some of the best hikes in the Entlebuch. Of course, the list is far from complete, but it should provide great inspiration with my favorites.
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The panoramic dream above Sörenberg
Unique hike in the Entlebuch with an incredible panoramic view over the Brienzer Rothorn and the biosphere. Here you can enjoy the peace and nature perfectly.
Start: Sörenberg Brienzer Rothorn cable car
Destination: Sörenberg Brienzer Rothorn cable car
Time: 3h30min | 5h (with detour)
- Starting point is easily accessible by post bus (post bus runs every hour)
- Prepared winter circular hiking trail (easy to walk without snowshoes). From spring to autumn, you can hike through the forests.
- The mountain restaurants on the circular hike are closed in winter and spring.
- Unique panoramic view over the Brienzer Rothorn, the Schrattenfluh, and Lake Sarnensee
- With luck, wild animals such as chamois and ibexes can be seen
- There is no refillable water tap: take enough to drink with you
Climb the Glaubbielen Pass
In summer, many cars drive here on the panorama road. In winter, however, the road is closed due to snow – and becomes a paradise for hikers. You hike 3 km on the road to Totmoos. You don’t need snowshoes because the path is well-prepared for normal hiking boots. You take a beautiful path through a wild forest in the Entlebuch in summer and autumn.
The more you gain height, the more beautiful the view over the Brienzer Rothorn and the surrounding imposing mountain ranges becomes. Simply incredible!
Relax and enjoy the view.
When you reach the Glaubbielenpass, it is worth sitting down for a few minutes, resting, and enjoying. The peace and the view over the snow-covered mountain peaks make the Glaubbielenpass a true place of strength in winter.
When there is snow for snowshoe hikers, or as soon as the hill is snow-free, it is worth making a detour to the striking Rotspitz, which is almost 1800 meters high.
The view here is unique! You can see the Brienzer Rothorn, Lake Sarnen, and the Entlebuch.
And the photo subjects here are unique. It is especially beautiful when the blue and white crocuses show themselves in their fullest splendor in spring (end of March).
After enjoyable breaks, the circular route takes 2 hours back to Sörenberg.
Beautiful, as you pass mountain streams and small wild waterfalls. And with a little luck, you might even see an ibex or chamois. It is best to take binoculars with you to observe the animals undisturbed.
As a tip: For ibex lovers, by the way, there is the ibex trek.
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Mystical hike to Heiligkreuz in the Entlebuch
Beautiful mystical hike in the UNESCO World Heritage Entlebuch on the Chapel Trail to Heiligkreuz
- Also, for non-religious people, an interesting and beautiful hike
- In autumn, the Entlebuch region is often covered in fog and therefore appears particularly mystical
- Beautiful and rewarding circular footbridge in the forest reserve near Heiligkreuz shortly before the finish (Seelensteg)
Duration: 3.5h; Altitude difference:
Condition: medium; Technique: medium
I used not to like the fog at all.
Necessarily I wouldn’t say I like it much more today, but I also see the positive aspects.
The mysticism behind it. An impressive and very special atmosphere.
And that’s exactly when this hike in the UNESCO World Heritage Entlebuch is doubly worthwhile. Like in spring or autumn, for example.
Starting point Schüpfheim – once almost burnt down
Unbelievable when you see the big village with its almost 4000 inhabitants.
In the history books, Schüpfheim in Entlebuch did not always have a golden past. Because in 1829, there was a huge village fire. And there were already more than 3000 inhabitants there, too.
In Schüpfheim, you then start in the direction of Heiligkreuz. Fourteen chapels accompany this two-hour climb. In each chapel, you will see a different holy image.
Even if you are not a believer, this hike is always a highlight. For example, you can see a seat with a panoramic view of the Entlebuch.
Beautiful farmhouses, straw barns, funny sheep, and poisonous mushrooms embellish the landscape of this mystical autumn hike. However, this Entlebuch hike is also good in other seasons apart from winter.
Interestingly, the path was even paved in parts. According to tradition, the first pilgrimage to Heiligkreuz occurred in the middle of the 17th century.
Like primeval forest – the path of the soul
Shortly before the finish, there is a beautiful and unique forest reserve. I recommend everyone (even non-believers) to do this soul path because it looks like an ancient forest here. The forest is pretty much left to itself. Beautiful and very impressive!
Once in Heiligkreuz, you can stop at a restaurant or church. There are also buses back to Schüpfheim, but they run very rarely. To get back to Schüpfheim, you have a good one h and 15 minutes walk.
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Panorama Dream Hike First with many crocuses
A breathtaking panoramic hike from Heiligkreuz with views of the imposing Schwändiflue, Schrattenfluh, Brienzer Rothorn, and much more. In spring, thousands of white crocuses bloom here.
– In the middle of April, many crocuses bloom here
– Leisurely hike with about 400 meters of ascent
Duration: Approx. 2.5h hiking time; doable from spring to autumn
Now spring comes slowly. But a few days ago, it snowed again. Nevertheless, we see only a few snowflakes in Heiligkreuz. Our goal is today’s Entlebuch hike to First and Farnere in the canton of Lucerne.
A road leads us up the first hundreds of meters. “What a beautiful view of Heiligkreuz,” you say to yourself. We and the little village where we started see from different angles during this hike.
After about 40 minutes, we arrive at First. The panoramic view of the Schwändiflue is worthwhile. There is even a restaurant waiting for you here. In winter, there is skiing on the first. We want more of the great view and continue hiking towards Farnere.
One more ascent and a surprise awaits. The whole meadows are full of white crocuses (around mid-April, but can vary depending on the weather)—an ultimate experience. And we see almost no people, although we do this great hike in the Entlebuch Biosphere on a Sunday.
The view is also tremendous! Because we see not only the parallel Schwändiflue but also the Schrattenfluh and the Brienzer Rothorn. By the way, between Farnere and First is a wildlife rest zone. That means neither leaving the paths nor flying drones are allowed.
From the Farnere, you can then hike back toward Heiligkreuz. However, there was still too much snow in our case due to the shady slope. So we marched the same hiking trail back again and passed all the crocuses again.
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Wild and romantic moorland walk in Finsterwald
An idyllic moorland hike or walk in the Entlebuch leads from Finsterwald through wildly romantic moorland landscapes.
- Nature reserve: please do not leave the path
- Beautiful landscape and a biodiversity hotspot
Duration: Approx. One h; doable from spring to autumn
The walk starts in the village of Finsterwald, where parking is available. From there, you walk through a short stretch of forest to Fuchsermoos. You are now already in the middle of the idyllic moorland. You will not only notice the unique vegetation. The ground is also very soft and feels good while hiking. You are walking in the middle of a boggy ground.
Before the moors were protected, tons of peat were cut here. This made it possible to fire the ovens of factories with peat instead of coal. Because peat is carbon storage and accordingly also has energy. Similar to coal.
But peat is not only more harmful to the environment than hard coal, for example. The raw material also has a significantly lower energy content. Valuable habitats are destroyed during extraction. That is why peatlands have been protected in Switzerland since 1987 with the Rothenturm initiative.
The way back is through the beautiful Fuchserwald forest—one of the most beautiful forests in the Entlebuch.
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Hike Rämisgummen – on the border between Entlebuch and Emmental
Great insider tip hike from Schärligbad in Entlebuch to Rämisgummen. The Rämisgummen is quite crowded in parts. But this whole “Entlebuch hike” is not.
The hike leads through forests and takes you to one of the most beautiful vantage points in the Entlebuch: the Rämisgummen. Here you can not only see the Brienzer Rothorn. On days with good visibility, you can see as far as the Eiger, Mönch, and Jungfrau. The Rämisgumen is famous for its crocuses in spring (around the beginning of April, depending on the weather). These flowers come in thousands after the snow melts.
The circular hike has the following route: Schärligbad-Balmegg-Pfyffer-Rämisgummen-Geisshollen-Sattel-Schärligbad. You can find more information here.
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Hike Marbachegg to Schangnau
Marbachegg, with its unique view over the Schrattenfluh, is one of the highlights of the Entlebuch. The delicious mountain restaurant and the karts are also great for the young and old. The Marbachegg is also an excursion destination for those who don’t want to do a hike because the gondola lift brings guests safely up this Swiss mountain.
If you want to hike, take the approx—2-hour hiking route to Schangnau in the Emmental. Since most of the way is through a forest, this hike is ideal in summer. The descent is steep and slippery in places, so good shoes and sturdy knees are a prerequisite.
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Hike into another world on the Schrattenfluh.
The Schrattenfluh is a must-see in the Entlebuch Biosphere. This is because a wildly fissured karst system is the second largest in Switzerland. Only the Silberen karst landscape near the Klöntalersee or Pragelpass is even larger. The Schrattenfluh also has one of the largest cave systems in Switzerland. A total of 33 kilometers have already been explored.
An unknown spider resembling a scorpion was found in the cave—a pseudoscorpion. According to scientists’ theories, it should have found its way into a cave by chance more than 50,000 years ago. There it evolved and has lived underground ever since. The animal no longer has eyes but only orients itself to chemical stimuli such as vibrations. So far, this spider has only been found in the Entlebuch and above Montreux.
The Schrattenfluh is six kilometers long in total. With a great network of marked hiking trails, it is perfect for an “Entlebuch hike.” One of these Schrattenfluh hikes is to Hengst, where a fantastic view awaits you.
Entlebuch excursion destinations
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Rengg
Are you looking for a cozy insider tip in the Entlebuch? Then I can recommend the region around Rengg. Because here is not only a great excursion point for “Entlebuch hikes.” No, at the wind turbines, you have one of the most beautiful views in this area.
The view over the Brienzer Rothorn is tremendous. The atmosphere is particularly beautiful at sunset. It can also often still have fog in spring and autumn, making it a dramatic atmosphere.
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Entlebuch alpine slope Schüpfheim
The Entlebucher Alpabfahrt is a folk festival at the end of September. The exact date varies yearly and can be found on the official homepage.
The seven alpine families from Schüpfheim are returning from the mountains. Some of them and their animals cover more than 20 kilometers on this day. Around 10,000 onlookers come to the community to participate in this festival.
The cows are decorated with flowers, fir trees, and large cowbells. The bigger the bell, the higher the cow’s rank. An alpine farmer told me that the cows know this very well. For example, if a cow suddenly gets a smaller bell because she is older, she gets angry or sulky.
But the Entlebucher Alpabfahrt is much more than that. There are around 25 festival stands where traditional food can be bought, from raclette to barbecues. There is even a cheese and regional produce market where regional products are sold. And alphorn blowers, yodellers, and traditional dancers from various local clubs continuously provide show performances.
The alpine descent in Schüpfheim is a great tradition.
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Entlebuch
Are you a photographer looking for great motifs? Here is an absolute insider tip in Switzerland for photographers. In the Entlebuch, several drumlins have been planted with a lime tree. The region around the Hirzel is best known in Switzerland. But phenomenal pictures can also be taken in the municipality of Entlebuch on the way toward the Glaubberg Pass.
In contrast to the Hirzel, depending on the angle, you still have a beautiful mountain range in the photo. This is particularly beautiful in spring when the mountains are still covered in snow, but the meadows are already green.
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Brienzer Rothorn
The Brienzer Rothorn is a mystical mountain. It is on the border between the Entlebuch in the canton of Lucerne and the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Bern. From Sörenberg, you can take the gondola to the Brienzer Rothorn and enjoy an incredible view.
You don’t only have a 360-degree panoramic view of Lake Brienz and the Alps. You can also take a look at the whole Entlebuch from above.
The Brienzer Rothorn has a delicious restaurant with a panoramic terrace. But the ridge is famous for its ridge hike to Augstmatthorn and Harder Kulm. However, you have to be free from giddiness. This is impossible in winter, but the view is still great.
Also great is a descent with the Brienzer Rothornbahn down to Brienz. A phenomenal view awaits you, and a ride with a steam locomotive that is more than 100 years old (1892). However, there are also more modern steam locomotives from 1933, 1973, and 1992. The Brienzer Rothornbahn runs from around the beginning of May until the end of October.
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Schwarzenberg
Schwarzenberg in the canton of Lucerne is another insider tip. Although it is no longer part of the Entlebuch, it is fairly close by. Schwarzenberg offers a dreamlike view over Mount Pilatus and the hilly landscape (drumlins). The place is the perfect starting point for hikes.
But idyllic walks can also be taken here. I particularly recommend the leisurely walk from the free car park in Schwarzenbach toward Gengg. Not only do you enjoy a wonderful view over the Pilatus and the mountain range, but you can also stop off at a small farm restaurant in Gengg. The walk is very pleasant and takes around 1.5 hours.
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Mettelimoos
Mettelimoos is another bog in the Entlebuch Biosphere. A bog trail has been built here where people and children can learn why a bog is important for nature. And how peat was cut in Mettelimoos for fuel during the Second World War. This is a great destination for families.
The Mettelimoos is located above Entlebuch and can be easily reached by car or bicycle. By the way, great hikes can also be started from here. On this Entlebuch hike, you will discover moors and the three windmills.
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Holy Cross
We have already seen two great hikes from and to Heiligkreuz in this one. But the small village in the Entlebuch Canton of Lucerne is also worthwhile to simply let your soul dangle.
But not only that: Hasle Heiligkreuz-Tourismus has come up with a lot. In winter, a ski resort is open. Winter hiking trails and snowshoe hikes can also be done. And the restaurant and hotel Kurhaus attract guests with delicious menus.
Furthermore, the fairy tale Wurzilla or the hazelnut trail will interest children, where treasures can be searched. For adults, the Seelensteg is worth it. It’s a beautiful path in the forest, where the forest was left to itself. This means no more traditional wood exploitation exists, but a small primeval forest will be created again over hundreds of years.
There is even a health trail in Heiligkreuz, where the path can be discovered barefoot. And below Heiligkreuz, there is a power tree. This oak tree is several hundred years old and evokes many feelings.
You see, the village of Heiligkreuz in Entlebuch has much more to offer than hiking. To be honest, I don’t know any other community in Switzerland that is so creative. It’s worth a visit!
Closing words
The Entlebuch is a beautiful region in the canton of Lucerne. For me, one of the most underrated regions in Switzerland. With its incredible nature, the great “Entlebuch Hikes,” and the mountain ranges, the region offers a great diversity of landscapes.
