Visiting the Arosa Bear Sanctuary: A Complete Family Guide

At 2,000 metres above Arosa, next to the middle station of the Weisshorn cable car, lives a small group of brown bears with difficult pasts and a very good present. The Arosa Bear Sanctuary, known locally as Arosa Bärenland, is Switzerland's first bear sanctuary and one of the most rewarding family outings in Graubünden. This guide covers everything you need to plan a visit in summer 2026: the bears and their stories, what to do on site, opening times, ticket prices and how to make a full mountain day of it.

Why are there bears above Arosa?

The sanctuary opened in August 2018 as a joint project between the animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS, Arosa Tourism and the Arosa Bears Foundation. Its purpose is simple: give bears rescued from cramped cages, circuses and concrete zoo pits a place to live out their lives in a species-appropriate alpine landscape. The site covers around 30,000 square metres of pasture, rock, forest and streams, room enough for up to five bears.

Arosa wanted this. In a 2016 village vote, 78 percent of residents approved the rezoning that made the project possible. The bear also runs deep in local identity: it appears on the Graubünden coat of arms, and wild bears roamed these mountains until they were driven to extinction in the region. The sanctuary brings them back on the bears' own terms.

Meet the four bears

Four brown bears currently live at the sanctuary, and their stories are part of what makes a visit memorable.

Sam and Jamila

Sam and Jamila are siblings, born in 2004 and found in the wild as orphaned cubs. They spent 18 years in separate concrete pits at Skopje Zoo before FOUR PAWS brought them to Arosa on 20 May 2022. Watching Sam dig, forage and swim today, it is hard to imagine he once paced a pit barely larger than a garage.

Amelia and Meimo

Amelia and Meimo, both born in 2006, were among the last so-called restaurant bears of Albania, kept in small cages to entertain diners. They arrived in Arosa in 2019 and have shared the mountainside ever since.

A word of honest expectation-setting: this is a sanctuary, not a zoo. The bears choose where they spend their day across a large terrain, so sightings are likely but never staged. That is exactly the point.

What you'll actually do there

The visitor platform beside the middle station gives you the widest view over the enclosure, with the Arosa mountain panorama behind it. From there, the adventure path leads along eight observation stations connected by suspension bridges, letting you look into the terrain from different angles while information panels tell each bear's story.

Children burn off energy at the Bärenschule adventure playground, balancing, climbing and sliding their way through bear school. The 12-hole bear minigolf course sneaks in lessons about what bears eat. If the family still has legs, the 2.5 kilometre theme trail winds gently downhill towards the Bergkirchli church, with activity stations along the way. The Brüggerstuba restaurant sits directly next to the sanctuary for lunch or a coffee stop.

Getting there and tickets in 2026

The sanctuary is reached with the Arosa-Weisshorn cable car, whose valley station is right next to Arosa's railway station. Ride one section to the middle station and you are there. In summer 2026, the sanctuary is open daily from 13 June to 18 October, 9:00 to 17:20, with the cable car running daily.

Ticket prices for summer:

• Entry including return cable car ride to the middle station: CHF 23 adults, CHF 12 children
• Entry including return ride to the Weisshorn summit: CHF 33 adults, CHF 17 children
• Entry only: CHF 12 adults, CHF 6 children
• With the Arosa Card: CHF 5 adults, CHF 3 children

Overnight guests in Arosa receive the Arosa Card, which makes this one of the cheapest family outings in the Alps. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult, the site is wheelchair and pram accessible, and dogs are welcome on a leash.

Making a full mountain day of it

Take the morning slot if you can. The bears tend to be more active in the cooler hours, and you will have the platform largely to yourselves before mid-morning. After the sanctuary, ride the cable car up to the Weisshorn summit at 2,653 metres for one of Graubünden's great panoramas, then lunch at the summit restaurant or back at the Brüggerstuba.

If you are building a longer Arosa stay around it, the sanctuary slots neatly into our 3-day family itinerary for Arosa, and our guide to Arosa with kids in summer covers what to do on the other days.

Staying nearby: the Bärenland sponsor hotel

Altein, Arosa, a Faern collection resort, is a proud hotel sponsor of the Arosa Bärenland, and the natural base for a bear-centred family stay. The hotel sits a short walk from the cable car, with family rooms and suites, a large playroom, minigolf on the doorstep and a 950 m² wellness area for the adults once the kids are worn out. Reception will confirm current opening times and make sure you have your Arosa Card ready for discounted entry. You can read more on our Arosa Bear Sanctuary experience page or browse all Arosa experiences.

Explore rooms at Hotel Altein, Arosa

FAQs about Arosa bear sanctuary

Will we definitely see the bears?

Sightings are very likely but not guaranteed. The bears move freely across 30,000 m², so bring a little patience. The viewing platform and the eight stations along the adventure path give you multiple vantage points.

How long does a visit take?

Plan around two hours for the sanctuary, playground and minigolf. With the Weisshorn summit and lunch, it becomes a comfortable half-day to full-day outing.

Is the sanctuary open in winter?

Yes, on a reduced schedule, typically Thursday afternoons and weekend days outside the summer season. Summer 2026 operation is daily from 13 June to 18 October.

Is it suitable for prams and wheelchairs?

Yes. The sanctuary is wheelchair accessible, and the cable car takes you directly to the entrance at the middle station.