Treasure Hunt Trail at Engelberg Brunni

Globi’s Treasure Hunt is a theme trail for kids in Engelberg near Lucerne. It has treasure chests hidden along the path where children find clues to solve a puzzle, then collect a prize at the end. 

There are many other attractions in this area to make for a full day. The trail starts at a big playground and water play area, with a trampoline and alpine slide. The trail ends at a fun barefoot sensory path around a small pond with a large picnic area. This is a great choice for families that like the outdoors.

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Trails Overview

Here is the summer hiking map for the Brunni Engelberg area. 

There are two treasure hunt trails, Globine (#5) and Globi (#6). Both trails start at the Ristis cable car station and end at the Brunnihütte (top of chair lift). 

• The Globi trail is about 3 km and takes about 1hr15 walking downhill, suitable for children age 3+ (the clues are easier on this path). It’s a wide dirt road, possible with strollers. This trail also has a marble runs along the way – buy a wooden ball at the start of the trail. See trail map.
• The Globine trail is about 3.2 km and takes about 90 mins walking downhill, suitable for children aged 7+. It’s a narrow dirt footpath (no strollers). See trail map.

We usually hike them downhill, which is easier for the kids. It doesn’t matter which direction you hike or which order you discover the treasure chests doesn’t matter. 

Each year we’ve done this trail, they move the treasure chests around a bit, meaning your kids can do the trail again each year without knowing all the answers. Here is an example from 2016, showing the trail and roughly where the treasure chests were hidden.

They had both German and English versions of the map and clues. The map will look different when you go.

How to get there

This trail is located at the Brunni mountain resort in Engelberg, south of Lucerne. See on Google Maps.

By car

Drive to Engelberg, then drive through town following signs to the Brunni-Bahnen cable car. Park in the metered lot at Wydenstr 55, Engelberg, Switzerland. The parking costs 5 CHF.

By public transport

Take the train to Engelberg, then a bus to the Engelberg, Brunnibahn stop. The bus drops directly at the cable car station.

Note: This is Brunni Engelberg, not Brunni Alpthal, which is in a different part of Switzerland. I’ve had reports of people driving to the wrong Brunni.

Planning Your Day

Ticket prices 

To reach the trail, you’ll need a “combi ticket” which includes a return ticket on the Engelberg – Ristis cable car and a single ticket on the Ristis – Brunnihütte chair lift. You can use the chair lift ticket to ride up and hike down or hike up and ride down. Make sure to hang on to your tickets for your return trip on the cable car.

In 2023, this combi ticket costs CHF 44/adult. Children under 16 ride free when accompanied by an adult.

Discount for Engelberg Guest Card, SBB Half-fare, GA and Swiss Travel Pass. Dogs CHF 10. See Brunni website for current prices.

For the treasure hunt, you will need to pay CHF 5 for the treasure hunt, answer sheet, and one prize. We typically only get one for the family. But if each child wants a prize, you can pay for each child. You buy this at the Ristis Restaurant or in the “Kräuterhut.”

Opening Times

The Brunni resort is open for summer season from May through mid October. Depending on how fast the snow melts, the trail may not open until June. So check the trail status before heading out.

The cable car to the middle station is open 7:30 to 18:00 (runs every 20 minutes). The chair lift to the top of the trail is open 8:30 to 17:30. They may close for lunch and have shorter opening hours during the off-season. Check website for current details. 

Suggested itinerary

There are so many fun things to do, it can be hard to decide what to do first. We try to get there early, around 9:30 and have the kids enjoy the playground at Ristis before it gets crowded. At lunchtime, we ride the chairlift up to Brunnihütte, where there is a big playground near the little lake with the barefoot path.

In the afternoon, we hike down the Treasure Hunt trail back to Ristis, where they can get the prize at the restaurant. We ride the alpine slide once before going home.

Photo story of trail

1. Globi Wasserwelt Playground

Before hiking, we usually spend some time at the Ristis playground. It has climbing structures, a trampoline, bouncy palace, swings, slides, etc.

There is also a rodelbahn for CHF 5/ride. Globi’s Wildwasserwelt (aka Wild Water World) has water play structures, where you pump water into buckets then pour it down wooden paths and change the path to divert the water different directions.

Climbing structures.

One of the slides with a view.

The alpine slide.

2. Get Treasure Hunt Map

Before you do the treasure hunt trail, make sure to buy your treasure map and answer sheet at the Ristis restaurant. In 2023, it cost CHF 5, which includes one treasure map with answer sheet and one prize at the end. It is available in English. We typically only get one for the family. But if each child wants a prize, you can pay for each child. 

Before is a sample from 2016. It will look different when you go.

The treasure map has clues for each hidden chest along the way. We had to search a bit for a couple chests, but most are pretty obvious. We only had to ask for help once and laughed at ourselves later, because it was so obvious in retrospect.

Each chest contains a page from a Globi comic book (German only) and an answer to a question from the crossword puzzle. Certain letters from the puzzle are used for the mystery word at the bottom. If children solve the puzzle, they can turn in their question sheet at the kiosk to receive a prize. Here is one of the stations along the Globi trail.

The first few treasure chests are hidden around the middle station, before you hit the trail.

3. Chair lift to Härzli lake and barefoot path

We always hike downhill. So from Ristis, we ride the chairlift up to the Härzlisee and spend some time on the little barefoot path around the lake. Then we hike back down to Ristis on one of the treasure hunt trails. If you prefer to hike uphill, do these instructions in reverse.

At Härzlisee, you’ll find the Kitzeltrail, aka Tickle Path, which is a barefoot path around the small pond. Read more about the Brünni Barefoot Path.

There is also a big picnic area with tables and grills with wood.  There’s a restaurant and a small kiosk with snacks.

When you are ready to hike, check your treasure map to see where the first treasure map should be. Usually there is at least one near the Härzlisee lake.

4. Globi Trail – Easier & Stroller Friendly

Now some scenes of hiking down the Globi version of the trail, which is a bit shorter and suitable for strollers. See also the Globine trail below.

Here is the start of the trail, to the left under the chair lift. It’s not marked “Globi” on the trail signs, so use the treasure map as a guide.

The trail follows this service road back to the Ristis middle station.

One of the treasure chests, not so hidden.

Nice views around the corner.

Classic Swiss landscape.

Lots of swing benches along the trail. 

One chest was up a little path in the forest, but not too hard to find.

Taking a break.

A couple treasure chests require a short detour off the main path. We didn’t mind.

Solving the puzzle in one of the treasure chests.

4. Globine Trail – mountain trail, no strollers

This version of the trail is a bit longer is more of a typical mountain trail with a narrow dirt footpath.

If you hike downhill from the Härzlisee, the trail looks like this, an easy traverse on a dirt path.

The kids were running ahead to find the treasure chests.

One of the chests on the trail in 2020.

Sample puzzle on the Globine trail in 2020.

Then the trail descends the mountain, getting quite steep at times.

Some parts are in the forest, some have stairs.

Sometimes the trail cuts through alpine meadows.

The Globine trail joins up with a longer barefoot path that has some fun activities. You can take off your shoes and walk through mud here.

We walked through a couple cow pastures, so be mindful of young calves and their protective mothers.

5. Treasure hunt prizes

In 2016, the prize was this wonderful Globi Sommer book, one per family. My kids were very excited to receive this.

Another year my kids could choose from a selection of prizes like stickers and key chains.

See more Theme Trails for Children in Switzerland…