SAXMAN NATIVE VILLAGE AND LUMBERJACK SHOW
Explore two sides of Alaskan culture over the course of this approximately three-and-a-half-hour excursion, which combines historical discovery with extravagant entertainment. You’ll visit Saxman Totem Park to find out about some of Alaska’s Indigenous communities, followed by a trip to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.
Excursion details
Lasting around three and a half hours, this insightful excursion begins with a transfer of about 15 minutes to Saxman Totem Park. Established in the 1930s – after the wider Saxman village site was founded and built in the late 19th century – the park encourages visitors to learn about the history and culture of Alaska’s Indigenous Tlingit people through a range of exhibitions, artefacts and experiences.
Find out more during an approximately 90-minute guided tour of the park. During this time, you’ll find out about traditional Tlingit carving techniques used to construct canoes and also visit a separate carving area to watch skilled carvers working on totem poles, which have played a hugely important role in Tlingit culture for centuries. Learn more as you wander the park to view its various totem poles, with descriptions accompanying each one to provide context for visitors. The guided tour also features a performance of traditional songs and dance, providing further insights into Tlingit history.
Afterwards, sit back on a transfer drive of around 15 minutes, travelling from the park to a site that once housed Ketchikan’s spruce mill when the region’s timber industry thrived. Nowadays, the grounds are used for a very different purpose, but one which still pays tribute to the timber industry’s golden years: hosting the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show.
Following 15 minutes or so to disembark your vehicle and walk to the arena, you’ll settle in to enjoy this exciting spectacle, lasting roughly one hour. Watch as real lumberjacks compete in unique events designed to showcase their specialist skills, also shedding light on the workings of the industry. Events in the show may include axe-throwing, sawing timber, tree climbing and many more activities.
When the show comes to an end, you’ll walk from the arena back to the cruise port, which takes around 15 minutes.
Important Information: It is recommended that guests wear proper rain gear and footwear for this tour. Tour order may vary
