Saxman Native Village: Tlingit Culture Experience
4.8
92 Ratings
Ketchikan

Explore Saxman Native Village, discover Tlingit culture, and enjoy a scenic drive through Ketchikan’s historic landmarks. Uncover Southeast Alaska’s rich heritage.

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Saxman Native Village - Guided tour of totem park, carving center, and dance performance in the clan house. Gift Shop time as well.
  • Ketchikan - Enjoy a narration of Ketchikan’s history and stories. Landmarks and popular landmarks were pointed out along the drive.
What's Included
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Immerse yourself in the living history of Southeast Alaska by visiting Saxman Native Village. Here, you will get a chance to experience the rich native culture of the region and learn about the Tlingit warrior tribe that descends from Saanya Kwaan or the “People of the Southeast Wind”. During your visit, you can observe and learn about the lifestyles,…

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Location
Ketchikan Visitors Bureau / Berth 2
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.8
(92 Ratings)
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1 star
Deborah_l
Jun 1, 2025
Great tour - Great private tour. Eight people. Guide was informative and funny. Tour of the totem pole curving building was great. The show had many people but all seats have great views.
Review provided by Viator
W1244fdtv
May 14, 2025
If you’re debating whether or not to do this tour, do it! - What a wonderful experience. Our time at Ketchikan at the Saxman Village truly made our whole cruise trip worth it. It was such a privilege to meet some of the people living in the Saxman Village, those who work alongside them, and learn about some Tlingit culture and history. The dance was fantastic. My husband and I were given the opportunity to do a traditional dance on the stage alongside the Tlingit dancers. Thank you for this amazing opportunity. Shout out to Lee who was a great tour guide! If you’re on the fence about choosing this tour or not, do it. You won’t regret it. The authenticity of the experience was fantastic.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marsko
Nov 12, 2024
Cape Fox Tours - Saxman AK - A shout out to our tour guide, Marcus C., who was all of 16 years old - but he definitely knew his tribal history, and especially about totem poles. We learned so much about what totems represent; some of the recurring motifs, and how they are created, how long that can take, and how long they are intended to last. We also enjoyed the Tlingit dancing and song in the longhouse. Great job, Marcus!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elainesx7571jv
Nov 1, 2024
Worth It - Very informative, enjoyable and fun, worth doing! The people there are quite knowledgeable. The native artwork is beautiful and quite meaningful!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jacksonvillefl1966
Oct 3, 2024
Great educational tour - Paul nailed it with the tour. He was on point and engaging. Enjoyed the history lesson. Recommended it for a shore excursion if your are in town on a cruise!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kioltiska
Jul 4, 2025
Nice foundation but lacked depth. - This was a nice surface level visit. The wood shop was amazing and the dancing was fun to see. I do wish that there was a bit more to see like learn about the textiles or music. It would be nice to hear about the family structures, roles, learning of traditions and trades from history to modern day. Maybe more literature around landmarks. Also, there wasn’t much shared about the town on the drive as a side conversation took place with one of the guest who were an unscheduled add on.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bramp-travel
May 28, 2025
Good tour - Max was our guide and van driver and he did a great job and made the tour fun despite the nasty, rainy weather. Saxman Totem Village gift shop even gave us coffee.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
World_traveller_bia
Jun 12, 2025
Not worth it - Not so interesting experience. A bit of dancing was just for giving a little bit of impression. Some totem pole information; besides that there was not much to see and experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annedb128re
Jun 7, 2025
Lacked in depth information - With all the great reviews, I expected more out of this experience. The dancing was interesting, but it lacked the story telling and deeper understanding of what the dances meant and what the purpose was for each dance. The information about the totem poles in the garden was not very detailed at all. The carving house was cool, but it seems like they could have gone into more depth. Like how much does a totem pole cost? How long does it take to carve one out? Could the master carvers let us try it out on our own little piece of wood? There’s so much more that should have been shared with the visitors. We were disappointed and honestly unless they change the program, I would skip it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffersontodd_m
Jun 2, 2025
Skip this one - you'll thank me. - Beware! This is NOT a "private" anything. Signed up because it was marketed as private. We were stuck in van with 8 other people then put in a group with about 40 others. Over all experience was underwhelming. Think bad elementary school play.
Review provided by Viator
Check Availability
From $69
From $69
up to 14 guests
1 - Adult
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Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).
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