Klewenalp winter safari – a winter hiking experience above the sea of fog

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A round trip with cable car, gondola, post bus, funicular and boat; that’s a good starting point for an entertaining day trip, isn’t it? “Logo!” we thought to ourselves on a foggy Sunday morning and set off on a winter safari in the heart of Central Switzerland. We found not only the longed-for sun, but also perfectly groomed winter hiking trails and wonderful views.

In this article, I’ll show you which off-piste winter activities the Klewenalp-Lake Lucerne region was able to score points with me.

Winter safari – a winter experience away from the slopes

Skiing with a view of Lake Lucerne – I’ve known for a few years that you can do that in the two connected winter sports areas of Klewenalp and Stockhütte. The panorama up here is magnificent! The ingenuity of the regional tourism experts is also fantastic. Without further ado, they have put together a safari on which you can follow in the footsteps of the local “Big Five”.

For once, the focus is not on wild animals, but on means of transport. I find it remarkable that the entire transport chain is part of public transport. For GA travelcard holders, this means: maximum fun at minimum additional costs. And everyone else can experience almost the entire range of regional passenger transport in one day thanks to a specially created round trip ticket.

Take the cable car to the sunny plateau

Our winter safari starts in dreary January grey. On this Sunday morning, the high fog is not only stuck over Zurich, but has spread to the heart of Central Switzerland. Accordingly, the valley station of the Beckenried-Klewenalp cable car is bustling. The hunger for the sun does not only drive us upwards. Even though we had secretly hoped for this when we arrived via Altdorf train station – we were the only ones in the post bus from Altdorf to Stans. Fortunately, we don’t have to wait too long until we break through the fog line with the cable car and soon look down on the sea of clouds. What a dream day!

5 light-footed kilometres on the Klewenalp-Stockhütten-Weg

From here we follow the signposted winter hiking trail in the direction of Stockhütte. The well-groomed path leads almost slightly downhill and is therefore very pleasant and comfortable to walk. Sweaty ascents? Not at all. On the Klewenalp-Stockhütten-Weg, enjoyment is in the foreground. The winter hiking trail is also signposted as a toboggan run.

Especially if you go on a winter safari with children, you can increase the fun factor by bringing a sled. Around the Klewenstock, you can expect some casual, shorter downhill runs. And of course, the little ones can also be wrapped up warm on a sled on this round. Whether with children, dog, in intimate togetherness or with a handful of family & friends – let’s let the following pictures speak for themselves. Winter hiking enjoyment at its finest!

Key data of the winter hike Klewenalp – Stockhütte

On the following map you can see the route of the Klewenalp-Stockhütten-Weg. The route has a distance of 5 kilometers. It is only marginally uphill (30 meters in altitude) and mostly downhill (340 meters in altitude). In two or three places, the path runs parallel to the ski slope – this is marked accordingly in each case. If the winter hiking trail crosses the ski slope, this is also signposted accordingly. If you run out of breath halfway along the route, you have the opportunity to take the chairlift back towards Klewenalp at Emmetten Aengi.

Starting point	Klewenalp mountain station (1,590 m above sea level)
Reachability	accessible by public transport (cable car)
Length	5.4 kilometers
Elevation gain	↗ 35 m 350 m ↘
Duration	1:30 p.m.
Destination	Stockhütte mountain station (1,285 m above sea level)
Catering	Tannibüel mountain restaurant, StockHütte mountain inn

By post bus, funicular and boat back to the starting point

Shortly after noon, after a break at the StockHütte mountain inn, we take the gondola down towards Emmetten, while the majority of the day-trippers move in the opposite direction – up to the sunny plateau. And even though we like to go against the tide, we are still undecided for a short moment whether we want to dive back into the fog soup now. But our “audacity” should be rewarded. Passing the queue waiting at the valley station, we make our way to the post bus stop.

The Postbus continues to Seelisberg, the train station and from there the funicular down to Treib. The ride on the Seelisberg-Treib-Bahn had been on our bucket list for a long time. Thanks to Safari, not only is the time finally “come” on this day, but we enjoy the stony descent down to the shores of Lake Lucerne exclusively for ourselves.

As I said, it’s worth planning trips anti-cyclically – in summer it’s guaranteed to be busier here. We have now mastered 4 of the 5 “Big Five” – as well as the really great winter hiking route in between. For the last stage, a 30-minute boat trip is now on the agenda. And lo and behold: Just in time for this, the fog has dissipated and we come back to the view of the mighty myths. These can also be spotted on the Klewenalp-Stockhütten-Weg from time to time between the fir trees.

A great conclusion, a – as expected – varied day trip from A to Z. I can recommend the winter safari to anyone who wants to spend an entertaining and panoramic winter day on Lake Lucerne. And for me, the winter safari is also a kind of “insider tip” for everyone who has a GA travelcard. Maximum train fun at minimum costs.

Practical tips for your winter safari on the Klewenalp

The round trip ticket can be purchased from Beckenried as well as from Brunnen. Adults pay 62 CHF (from Beckenried) or 66.50 CHF (from Brunnen). Tickets for children cost 15.50 / 18:00 CHF. The dog ticket costs 20.50 CHF, regardless of the starting point. The Half-Fare travelcard is valid (32/34.50 CHF). With a junior card and GA travelcard, the round trip is free of charge. For all those who travel from the Zurich region by public transport, I would recommend Brunnen as the start/end point of the winter safari.

The round trip ticket for the Beckenried-Beckenried variant can be purchased online via the Lucerne Tourism shop (please note that the ticket must be exchanged at the valley station of the Klewenalp-Stockhütte mountain railways). Further information, including timetable information for all those who want to adapt their safari to the connections in the best possible way, can be found on the Klewenalp website.

The winter season on Klewenalp lasts from mid-December to the end of March. The Beckenried-Klewenalp cable car is in operation daily from 8:05 a.m. to 6:05 p.m. (ascent every 20 minutes).