EUROPE TOUR .. DAY.6 continues

7-10-2025 . TUESDAY continues

The Alpine Ascent:  Zurich to the Top of Titlis (ALPS)

From the train station, a short walk to the Titlis cable car valley station, that’s the starting mark of our final climb.

The Ascent: The Multi-Stage Climb to the Glacier

From the Engelberg Valley Station, the final ascent to the summit at 9,910 feet is a three-stage, approximately 30-minute cable car journey, each offering a distinct change in altitude and environment.

Stage 1 & 2: The TITLIS Xpress Gondola

Engelberg to Trübsee (5905 feet): 

The first stage was a comfortable ride on the modern TITLIS Xpress gondola. As we climbed, the green valley floor and the surrounding pine forests quickly gave way to the rugged middle-mountain zone.

Trübsee to Stand (7965 feet): 

The gondola continued its steady ascent past the alpine lake Trübsee (which we noticed sparkling below). The landscape outside our window transformed dramatically here, changing from green pastures to a stark, rocky high-alpine terrain. 

Stand is the transfer station, perched above the tree line.

It’s here that the most famous part of the ride begun: 

the Titlis ROTAIR.  

Stage 3: The TITLIS ROTAIR - The Final Spin

Stand to TITLIS Summit (9910 feet): This is the crown jewel of the ascent. We stepped into the famous Titlis ROTAIR (a feat of engineering), the world's first revolving cable car.

This spherical cable car gently (slowly and seamlessly) rotated 360 degrees during the final five-minute journey up to the Summit station.

As we were carried higher, this unique feature soaked us  in a complete uninterrupted panoramic views of the stunning Titlis glacier, sheer rock faces, the deep crevasses, and the spectacular seemingly endless sea of snow-covered peaks of the Swiss Alps—all without moving our feet.

The Peak Experience:

The Glacier Adventure - 9,910 feet Above Sea Level

On stepping out at the Summit station, we were immediately on a year-round high-alpine glacier - an environment of eternal ice and snow - experienced that famous crisp October alpine air and the deep quiet of the high mountains.

The key attractions we explored ..

The Glacier Cave:  

The journey began by exploring the heart of the glacier in the Glacier Cave, a passage carved 33 feet deep into 5,000-year-old ice.  My walk through this turquoise-blue tunnels that runs 493 feet into the ice and the frozen walls showcasing the raw crystalline beauty of the eternal ice is a chilling yet wondrous experience.

The Titlis Cliff Walk: 

For a true adrenaline rush, we stepped onto the Titlis Cliff Walk, Europe’s highest suspension bridge. Perched at 9,980 feet, the bridge stretches 330 feet across an intimidating gap. Walking this narrow path provides a breathtaking, stomach-dropping view 1640 feet down into the icy abyss below.  An unforgettable memory.

The Ice Flyer: 

On opting  for the Ice Flyer chair lift, we were literally flown over the pristine snowfields, getting a bird's-eye view of the stunning crevasses carved into the glacier—a truly unique way to experience the vastness of the high Alps.

Glacier Park: 

The flat snow area at the top offered us fun activities like snow tubing, allowed us to slide down the gentle slopes even outside the main winter ski season.

The Panoramic Terrace:

From the sun terrace at the Summit, we were able to take in the sprawling, majestic panorama of the surrounding peaks, extending for miles across the Central Swiss Alps. The air is crisp, the sky often a brilliant blue, and the silence of the snow-capped world is a profound contrast to the bustling valleys below.

Our Day - from the comfort of a scenic train to the excitement of a revolving cable car, and finally, the thrill of walking on eternal ice - was truly a spectacular Swiss mountain adventure!

Back to the Titlis cable car valley station by the reverse 3-Stage descent.  Then walk to Engelberg  Station, from there by train to Zurich HB with a change at Lucerne.  Then to Oerlikon Station by local train and walk to Hotel & rest.

EUROPE  TOUR continues …