3D Archery

Few activities combine focus, competition, and mountain scenery quite like 3D archery. At Bogenpark Hochwang, in the Schanfigg valley near Arosa, two purpose-built courses wind through forest and alpine terrain with life-sized 3D animal targets placed at varying distances and angles. Your job is to hit a foam bear at thirty metres. It sounds simple. It is not.

The experience begins with a mandatory introductory course led by Bobi Götte, a certified mountain guide, master archer, and 2019 Swiss champion who was born in Arosa and built these parks from scratch. He teaches stance, draw, release, and aiming technique in about twenty minutes. By the time the group reaches the first target, everyone has the basics and most have already developed a personal theory about why they are going to be brilliant at this.

Two parks are available. The forest course (Wald) winds through the shaded Fatschelerwald, where 28 animal targets hide between the trees. The alpine course sits above the treeline between the Bergrestaurant Triemel and the Hochwanghütte, with the same number of targets set against open mountain panoramas. Both courses take around 90 minutes to complete.

The competitive element is what makes this work so well for groups. Archery rewards patience and concentration, not strength or fitness. The playing field is genuinely level. The accountant who has never held a bow might outscore the weekend warrior. Scores are kept target by target, and by the halfway mark, most groups have developed their own commentary, nicknames, and grudge matches.

After the course, the park's BBQ and grill areas offer a natural space to compare scores, rehash the shot that somehow hit a tree instead of the foam stag, and wind down with food and drink in the mountain air. For larger groups, the two parks can be used in rotation, keeping energy and competition flowing through the afternoon.