Oconaluftee Indian Village Reviews

This was enjoyable tour of Native American life years ago. The tour is mostly shaded which is nice on warmer days.

The guided tour is great and very informative. The tour guide did a great job answering all the questions. There was a short "battle drama" at noon that is very good to see. Thanks to all participants and actors from "Unto These Hills".

I learned so much about the Cherokee in a short period of time - their homes, culture, clans, weapons, trading. Very educational. I would highly recommend.

The demonstrations of weaving, pottery, and weapon making was interesting. I was especially surprised to find blow guns were in use by the Cherokee Indians, and how effective they could be for hunting. I also didn't realize they built and used log cabins because they didn't roam for food like other tribes.
Most of the people were friendly. They answered questions. The dancers seemed disinterested in what they were doing and they talked while dancing.

Saw this for the first time in 1957. Quite a few changes since then. Seems like, back then, more local Native Americans played the parts of the Cherokee.

We took my parents to Bryson City for their 60th wedding anniversary and this was one of the "touristy" things we did. They loved it and brought back fond and not-so-fond memories of our past.

A visitor can do a self-guided tour or join a group torn, which I did. Our guide was Marilyn who was able to answer & explain all questions along the pathway. Here the group listened about finger & bead weaving, pottery making, wood working, flint making & weapons. There is a demonstration for each subject. Along the trail are structures of 1500's-1800's cabins, council house. canoe making, trades/trading & storage house. The tour was about one hour.

After the tour at the dance square was a lecture about one half hour about clans, marriage,children, medicine, different chiefs, colors of paint, runners-for communications-the Cherokee printed word-the Museum of the Cherokee Indian has an exhibit of the Cherokee printed language(s)-music & sound. The Cherokee language is about 15,000 years old.

After the lecture five Cherokee dances were preformed-COM, bear, one woman & one man, bull frog ending with the friendship dance. The dances were preformed by native Cherokee with people in the group taking part.

Admission was $18.00, a bit high yet well worth what I encountered. There is a small gift shop. Parking is a large free lot. There are two walking trails, one 1/2 mile with the second about two miles, didn't have time for either one.

Total time for my visit was about 3 & 1/2 hours. A visit highly recommended along with the Museum of the Cherokee Museum.

This is an interesting spot with a respectful presentation of Native American life in NC just outside of the Great Smoky Mountains.

We always visit the village every time we go to Cherokee. The best $20 you will spend on vacation. So much fun and very educational

Loved the experience and all I learned. Boy did I have some wrong ideas! GO! That's all I can say and price is reasonable as well. Wish the gift shop had more to offer. I think more offerings at the end would be nice and best time to "catch" shoppers"

Not worth the $20 a person at all, would not go again even if it was for free. Everything is worn out, incl. the tour guide. No excitement at all.

We really enjoyed this tour around this reconstructed Native American village. We took the tour with a guide who takes you around and explains what each person is doing; pot making, finger weaving, weapon making etc. Then there are individual lectures by staff on the various buildings within the village. We particularly enjoyed the talk about the council building. At noon and 3pm the staff put on a display of Indian dancing and explain what each dance is about. The staff are very willing to speak with you individually and share their experiences and philosophy on life. A wonderful immersive and informative tour.

We attended the new Dracula theatrical production. It was fantastic!!! The performers were top notch. We would highly recommend the show.

Cheap costumes, production was more like a ballet from drama students. Nothing authentic. Too much "cheek" exposure. Only a few Cherokee actually in the play. Term "white people" used in bad way, and often. Divisive rhetoric with only 1 sided opinion, not historically accurate. Nearby town of Cherokee was a let down, items in store are not all from Cherokee (but India or China). Only saw 1 Cherokee working in a store, rest were operated by Arab/India or white people. What has happened? So sad to see.

My wife and I both enjoyed the Indian village. The battle reenactment was well worth it. Must see! The tour was great and very informative.

Indian Village was great. Everyone there truly seemed to just want to share and educate others about their culture and history. I appreciate that it’s not showy just simply life as a Native American. Our whole family (4 kids ages 16, 15, 7, & 6) enjoyed our time there:-).

Amazing place!
the stories of this place were amazing, recommend!!
Great tour guide and great storyteller
Love the history and love the way they make things

Informative stations that gave a great glimpse of what life was like for the Cherokee. The path took us through the forest and was serene. There are some hills so if you have lower mobility it could be a struggle. I was hoping to have more dates and timeframes. But overall a good day!

The first and second tour guides spoke super fast. It sounded like there was a lot of great info but it was way too fast (they’ve said it so many times they just fly through it).The third guide never showed up. Only three stations had demonstrations in progress. At $25 a person, this was not money well spent. The village is on a mountain and the guide says they wouldn’t live on the mountain, they would be by the river. The council house was a seven sided building, which was accurate but the guide said it wasn’t like the way they had it set up. ??? I should have just bought a book.

I took my kids as part of a unit study on Cherokee Indians. It was a great learning experience. Very interactive and tangible. The tour guides were knowledgeable.

We ended up visiting with my daughter's 3rd grade class as a field trip and it was interesting and informative. There isn't alot of hands-on things for the kids to do and a few times they got a little restless and bored but for the most part it's a fun little place to visit. The dancing and signing was very interesting and the employees there did their best to be entertaining. You probably won't want to spend more then 2 hours or so there and the gift shop is very small but this is a great way to learn of the Native peoples heritage so I really do recommend taking the family at least once a year probably in the Spring and then take the rest of the day to explore the town of Cherokee, the shops and art museum. Also make sure to talk to the local people as they are very friendly and informative.

What a delightful experience. Signage to locate could have been better but staff at the museum gave great instructions. The tour was led by knowledgeable staff. Stops at each of the craft areas was very informative. The dancing was fun to watch and to participate in. Took about 2 hours to see everything. Well worth my time and the admission fee.

Great experience!! Learned so much about the Cherokee People and their cultural heritage! The dances were very fun! And the singer was a great host! Very welcoming and patient.

Enjoyable and educational experience. Well narrated tour given by Cherokee Indians. Wonderful demonstration of house building and craft making. A beautiful show of their cultural dances.

We went to the drama, "Unto These Hills." Presentation was excellent! Everyone should see this production to learn about the Cherokee and the Trail of Tears. It was a moving experience.

Great production! No bad seats. Highly recommend if you are visiting the area. This was a second visit with teens who enjoyed the performance very much.

The experience is unexpected...so much history shown in 2 short hours...a tragic story, an amazing performance

The tour was great because it should how the cherokee people lived in the 1500s. There was a lot of things to go and look at. There was a alot of cool things in the gift shop as well. The people who worked there was friendly to. If you had a question. They whould answer it for you

Toured the village with our guide May. She was very knowledgeable as were all of the folks operating the various stations such as basketry, beading, weaponry and more. We enjoyed the dance demonstration and touring the different house styles. Tour lasted about 90 mins. There were several young children in our group and the guides were very patient with questions.

The performance was exceedingly well done. The supper before was delightful. The company was inviting and the presentation excellent. Cherokee and everything with the performance was very thoughtfully organized, a direct reflection of the community.

The front ticket office was extremely unfriendly and not interested in answering any questions. The tour was informative as you go from station to station learning how the Cherokees lived. Appropriate for a school field trip. The “Cherokee dancing” performance was a silly joke. I do not feel this experience was worth $25 a piece.

Touring thru the village you learn so much and the people are so kind, and happy to answer all questions.

Really interesting but our tour had too many people so it was hard for everyone to get around the exhibits.

The village has excellent presenters who are very knowledgeable about their subject matter. They are articulate and very willing to answer questions. I highly recommend this experience!

It was okay. i was expecting more of an enactment of the village. Not interactive as I thougjt it would be

We really enjoyed our visit….. grandparents and our 10 yr old grandson and 11 yr old granddaughter. Our guide was very informative and we learned a lot about Cherokee culture that we do not know. It changed our view from neutral to very positive.

"Unto These Hills" was a vey well done production. Thank you for sharing the Cherokee history! The costumes were outstanding as well as the stage setting. Music and dancing greatly enhanced the drama. Our grandchildren (13 and 11 years old) enjoyed the production as well.

We weren’t sure what to expect as we couldn’t find a lot of information ahead of time, but it was worth the trip. The village tour was full of great information and it was a nice way to learn a lot about the Cherokee people. We had toured the museum first so this was the perfect way to finish the day.

Well worth it! The artists are live representing several different crafts. I must say, I wish the gift shop offered more of the authentic merchandise you see being made on the tour. Our tour guide was young but very knowledgeable about his people and his history. Wear your walking shoes. Experience it all to get the full effect. If you think you know... there is more to learn.

Everyone should go experience the village at least once. There is lots of culture in this one place.

I took 4 teenage girls to watch the play. We all loved it and will be back for another Halloween Haunt. Amazing there were only 6 actors total. They did an amazing job. The begining of the play took you on a walk from the concession stand across the back of the amphitheater and down a path until you were able to be seated in the theater section. If you were in the back as you followed down along the path with 199 people it made it difficult.to hear and nearly impossible to see. Especially since we are all 5ft tall But overall we had a great time.
Beautiful night but cold on the mountain so be sure to bring a jacket and blanket. They offer snacks at a reasonable price. Women's bathroom has only 2 stalls so the line gets lengthy.
We saw Sleepy Hollow 2 years ago and loved it as well. Hopefully something new next fall.

We attended a performance of Unto These Hills. I learned a more about the history, which was my objective. My family ancestry on both sides were from these areas, and we recently moved to North Carolina. The performance was enjoyable and the performers quite good for amateur actors.

On Wednesday we attended the Bonfire. Wow. Such an educational experience.

I regret that we didn't have time to explore the Museum.

We visited the village with our 4 & 5 year olds. I remembered coming here as a child, and I hoped it would be a fun experience. There were about 30 people in our tour group, but we never had any problems getting close enough to see. The crafters appeared to be mostly teenagers not super concerned with what they were doing (at one station they were even discussing with our tour guide if her mother had been by to bring her food.) The best part by far was the older gentleman talking about all of the old ways in the central meeting area. It was underwhelming and certainly not worth the money.

The workers were rude and unfriendly. Only the lady who makes the pottery was nice and the man who makes the arrows. The others treated us as if we were unwelcome. This village felt extremely racist. My family ancestors are the wild potatoe clan and wolf clan. If you want a successful business you should teach your workers to like their jobs and the people who want to visit the village. I was embarrassed by how they behaved :(.

Your grandson(14) soaked all of this experience in and continued to talk about that he saw. Watching the everyday life of the Cherokee daily life was done in excellent way. The guides were excellent and open to all questions. Amazed how the women of the time made all the important decisions.

The speakers at each stop were well-informed and encouraged questions. This is a genuine glimpse into past and current Cherokee lives. So glad we combined this visit with the Museum in town.

I was looking forward to visiting as I remembered this being really nice and the other reviews still seemed positive. I was expecting something like what is shown in the advertising video--more active and alive than just a museum display. This time it seemed abandoned, unorganized, and past its prime. Definitely overpriced for the experience we received. The admission is $20 per person. Everyone seemed like it was their first week on the job. I think it opened for the season mid-April and we visited May 18th, a Saturday. We purchased tickets at the entrance and they just handed us the tickets with no additional info so we walked to the window that said scan tickets (beyond which was a large porch with benches). This window was shut with a bunch of take-out cups lined up. Not sure if this was the employee/guide drinks or trash. This should have been my first indication things were different. From researching the attraction and personal memory, I thought there should be a guided tour portion, time to explore the village, and an opportunity to watch a cultural dancing performance. We bought the tickets around 11 AM and they seemed to be just getting started for the day with some employees still arriving for work and socializing among themselves. According to the website it opened at 9:30 AM with tours every 15 minutes. After waiting on the porch by what looked like the path into the village for 5 minutes someone appeared said they would have someone with us shortly. My guess is they were waiting for more people to show up to do a tour. Then someone showed up at the other porch entrance by the ticket sales; still no tour guide. He said you could walk through on your own or there would be a guide shortly. There is nothing to look at on the porch except for worn symbols for the different clans with no explanation--if there was any it was removed long ago. We ended up waiting 20-30 minutes after buying tickets before a guide introduced herself. We got a guide and started on the tour part around 11:30; the guided portion was complete by noon when it was time for the dancing. I am sure some people just walk into the village without even the limited guide interaction since there is nothing to even explain there is a guide. Most employees seemed like they were only doing the absolute minimum required. Our guide was fine but not very enthusiastic. None of the people actually doing the trade work (finger-braiding, pottery, bead-work, basket-weaving, woodcarving, flint-napping, etc) seemed happy. It was like they were forced to be there as a punishment. They just sat and basically ignored the groups standing in front of them like they were animatronic museum displays. In my experience at historic villages the trades-person says welcome and explains further the particular item they are currently making to help engage the visitors interest. Our only interaction was through the guide. The blow gun demo was interesting but seemed to be an afterthought to the weapons talk. At least the tradesman got up and demonstrated the weapon. Then it was time for the tribal dancing at the community square. The leader for this (the weapons maker) was entertaining and it was interesting to see the different social dances. These were friendship and courtship dances as I guess they do the battle dances later in the season. I didn't see the times posted for this anywhere so I guess they depend on your guide to tell you or you just to figure it out. Several visitors showed up at different times after they started the performance. They performed about 5 dances and the dancers acted like they were just learning. The costuming/wardrobe looked very last minute, incomplete, and cheap; nothing like the pictures. It was like the employees just threw something together on their own from a thrift store instead of being provided a wardrobe. After the dancing finished he stated you could return to your station if you weren't finished with your guided tour, explore the village, or attend a clan history talk at 12:30. We chose to move on to the village. There was only one person who even tried to explain things (the canoe) to visitors and that poor girl acted like she didn't like talking to people but at least she made an effort. The rest of the village was deserted besides the trader at the very end; like it was lunch-time and they all left. No times were posted that I saw for any activities such as the social dances, clan talk, canoe hulling out etc. I am not sure if there were any other available activities we missed. All in all it seemed like there was no training or direction for the employees or they just didn't care and no resources being put back into the village for upkeep or visitor engagement. It was nothing like the experience the video on the website portrays. We also walked the nature trail/garden walk which seemed run-down; some of the benches were even sunk in the mud. This has the potential to be a very informative and fun attraction. I think we would have learned more at the museum.

My husband and I road from Gatlinburg Tennessee over to Cherokee. We wanted to see the recreated village. Very interested in my ancestors way of life but this was a joke. The dancers were more interested in cutting up than putting on the dances. The guy doing the singing also seemed to be getting irritated with the dancers.

Very knowledgeable tour guide. Nice young lady. Communicated well with us . Showed demonstrations on the work they do. I was amazed at the crafts. Beautiful designs.

Price is $20 per adult You wait with a group under a large shelter. Each group appeared to be 15-20 people. A tour guide, who was dressed (supposedly) in authentic attire would guide to each history station and tell the history behind each. Our guide could not tell our group time periods that went with each different thing he was talking about. The people doing the demonstration did not talk and you could not see what or how they were making each thing very good. On several exhibits, there was no one demonstrating their craft or era. The whole process took about an hour. They could have an interesting exhibit if they would put more thought into the process with offering more detail per station. I suspect others have felt the same way since there was a sign st the beginning that station refunds.

Very interesting walk back in time to learn about the daily lives of the Cherokee Indians. Guides were Cherokee and were happy to answer any questions and were very knowledgeable and demonstrated the craftsmanship which produced the necessary items for daily life. Learning about the different clans and what the criteria were to make a village and the structure of their matriarchal society was great.

The staff was really informative. They had this guided tour for everyone entering the village. They shoved us a lot of tools and stuff they used and explain everything really well. It was like show and tell. We knew a lot about native americans after visiting this village. Wonderful people. It was disturbing how few people speak Cherokee fluently, I really wish they can save their language. We also so this indian dances. It was really fun.

I really enjoyed the Oconaluftee Village. I had wanted to go for several years now and tried to get my son to go with me. Our schedules never syned, so I went solo and am SO glad I went. I definitely plan to go back in a few year. LOVED IT, learned good things too - much corrective information given. Just great.

Unto These Hills is a great historical drama. We learned part of American history not taught in schools. Outdoor theater allow good viewing of stage.

Takes you back to a much simpler time. Take your children and teach them what they will not be taught in school. An eye opener.

Good experience - a little pricey but we did not stay for the rest of the tour or the dance. Would enjoy more interaction with those giving the tour.

Very informative. Love then formation we received in council and at the square ground. So much to learn and they are willing to ask any questions.

There is potential for this to be an interesting and unique experience, but the execution is lacking. We were processed through a number of guides and "lecturers," none of whom seemed to be at all happy about their job. One woman talked with no emotion and never stopped to take a breath. Seemed she wanted to get out of there (we were last tour of the day). Guides seemed to have a check list of information to convey and just rushed through it with little expression or enthusiasm. With the exception of two, the crafters also conveyed a disinterested and annoyed attitude. All guides & craft folks seemed annoyed by questions and made little effort to answer fully. The pipe shooter had some personality and a smile and did a fun demonstration. We were four retired adults who came with excited interest. We were greatly disappointed. This place is way, way over priced for the experience!

Our tour guide was a young woman who spent the time at each station as our group of 4 desired. She was friendly and you could tell she enjoyed her job. We really enjoyed each of the presenters in the stations and were amazed by their talents they were doing. We were a little disappointed by the presenter in the lodge presentation. She rushed through it as if she was just giving the information as she was directed but didn't slow down for a breath or questions. She almost seemed annoyed that she had to do the presentation...it was just a bad ending to a wonderful time there in the village.

Very informative and a great set up. I went with my dad and he is hard of hearing, so with the masks he didn’t hear any of the speakers. It was even difficult for me to hear, but I enjoyed it. We were there about an hour. It was hot and humid and the masks intensified it.

Amazing actors. This is about the sixth ti r I have seen this amazing portray of what the Cherokees went though. It is an embarrassment

This is an interactive experience which addresses many aspects of life for the Cherokee people. The guides are helpful, friendly and will provide in depth information if you are interested or have questions.

Visited 9-12-23
Enjoyed the village and all the demonstrations. Stopped a little late in the afternoon but all the workers were kind and still gave us a great informational tour.
There was 4 children ages 3 -10 who obviously enjoyed thoroughly. These kids are homeschooled so they received a wonderful history lesson.😊

Fantastic tour with demonstrations of traditional tool making, basket weaving, pottery making and multiple sections featuring culture, and structure of the Eastern Cherokee band, it’s clans, and how their community functioned with everyone contributing to their prosperity and growth. Attendants were very knowledgeable about Cherokee culture and history and were very responsive to questions. Very authentic! Well worth the time and provides a nice complement to Unto These Hills

Through this tour we were able to discover the true history of the Cherokee people and how they've been able to hold on to their traditions over the centuries. Highly recommend to ask questions to discover more of additional traditions within their tribes and community. Each person through the guided tour is highly knowledgeable and passionate about their history and their modern tribal traditions.

Nothing like the pictures. Not staffed well at all. Completely disappointed. We drove several hundred miles to visit. I would not recommend. Save your money and time.

My husband and I enjoyed the Indian Village very much. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of the Cheokee. You recommend highly.

I saw Dracula and it did not disappoint. Every performance was great and it made for a very entertaining night. The special effects and fight scenes were really fun and the actors did an amazing job. Thank you so much to the actors and everyone behind the scenes for a great couple of hours.

Well worth the visit. The village is a pleasant and well thought-out representation. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. I brought my grandson for his education and learned a lot myself. We have a new respect for the people and their history. I regret not planning on being there for the being events but we'll be returning to enjoy them.

I want to call out that I appreciate how they described the transition from pre-European influence to the post era.and the role of tribal women.

So informative without being stuffy. We took the guided tour with one of the indigenous native Americans. We walked to several stations with people that were making crafts. The guide explained what was happening and were able to ask questions. Saw weaving, blow pipes, dwellings, pottery and more. Great walk through the woods.

We enjoyed this experience more than anticipated, as some of the previous reviews were critical & explaining the Indigenous American early experience is challenging. Here the presenters offered a knowledgeable balanced viewpoint and responded to questions informatively and effectively, incorporating the displys or the artisans at work when possible. We especially appreciated that they acknowledged when they did not know an answer.

We did not enjoy this like we hoped we would. The dancing rituals we felt were mocked by younger actors. It was very disappointing. When people visit the village I feel like they want to see authenticity and we did not see that. Several of the dancers were young adults that cut up through out the entire dance. I think thus would be a disgrace to the elders of the tribe to be represented in thus fashion.

This sits over by where the Drama is performed. They have a tour guide take you in or if I remember right, you can walk yourself through there. They have Tribal members showing you how they make pottery, blow guns, woven belts, canoes, etc. They show you some of their dances and talk about them. They show the homes they lived in and they are not Tee-pees. They talk about their clans, what happens when one marries into another clan. Very interesting.

Very nice tour and tour guide. I like that the first half is the guided tour and the second half is self-guided. Don't miss the little hike next to it; very nice.

This place is a total ripoff! You Pay 25 dollar and they show you a few stands on how to make necklaces and pottery and bear cages. It is not even worth 10 dollars. The show also gets cancelled when it rains. Our tour guide was alsof very rude making jokes about letting guests pay extra for vip tours. I would not recommend this place at all

Well-curated and fascinating experience. The tour guides were friendly and knowledgeable. The tour itself gave great insight into Cherokee culture. Definitely was the most interesting thing in the region to do. 10/10 recommend!

Oconaluftee Village is the ultimate field trip destination for a class, with hands on learning to allowing the kids to participate in traditional dance. There is a gift shop, and snack bar on site, or feel free to pack a picnic lunch for the class, either way you will be intrigued.

Great show. The actors are wonderful. Just a little difficult to hear. I've seen "Unto these hills" and had no problem understanding the actors, but the Dracula actors' voices just didn't carry well. However, the rest of the play, props, story line were great.

we enjoyed the experience. the tour guide was extremely knowledgable and was nice to talk the local natives at the stops and learn more about their culture and history

We brought our children and grandchildren here thru the years. Wanted to come back with family members who have never been. The guided part was shorter than in the past. We did enjoy the tour, but thought it was pricey for what we saw.

Not much to see here, just another tourist attraction you need to pay to see. We chose not to go in. They did have a neat little gift shop on sight though.

Educational and well done. Tasteful and informative about the real tribal traditions and history. I highly recommend this experience.

We greatly appreciated the historical accuracy and attention to the details of every day life in the Cherokee village. It was eye-opening to realize the deep and sustainable beauty of this culture. We learned quite a bit about how the Cherokee interacted with the Europeans and the US government. We were glad of the honest portrayal of the immoral and unethical practices of the white colonists. We hope the Cherokee will continue to follow the old ways. There are many lessons we can all learn about working together peacefully. I especially liked the fact that the Cherokee were matrilineal!

This traditional Indian village is a must see. If you’re in the area. We purchased the combo ticket for the village and the outdoor drama “Unto these Hills”. The village tickets can be used anytime during the season
Our tour guide was Maddox and he did an excellent job. The path between the dwellings was mulch and may be difficult for anyone with limited mobility requiring a smooth surface. I do recommend taking a flashlight to view inside the dwellings as our cell phone light was not adequate. Although lights were visible inside they were not operational.
The traditional dance was canceled due to performers illness, and the staff was very apologetic. The gift shop is small but nice. Snacks are reasonable. The tour lasts around an hour and is very informative. Highly recommend.

Stayed at "Rolling Hills Lodge which is the closest and nicest hotel to this attraction.
Good for anybody!... you can learn a lot. Fascinating to my kids of how things were done.
It really feels like you are on an Indian reservation where we stayed! Great Cherokee experience! Will do it again!

Wonderful experience. Loved talking with the people. Very knowledgeable. Lovely walk. Lots of history.

Stopped in for a couple of hours on the way from Asheville to Great Smoky Mountains. Very interesting history lesson with tour guides who had lots of facts about life when the Cherokee tribe occupied the nearby lands.

I really enjoyed the educational piece. I am of Cherokee heritage so the information shared was enlightening. I was even given some recommended reading. The botanical garden was also very onformative. The trees were marked with their medicinal uses. I got what I came for. I appreciated all the information. The dancing was a little flat but other elements were intriguing.

I love visiting places that show culture. Like seeing and learning about the Cherokee Indians and their skills. May be back in August as I will be visiting for a week with friends.

I came here shortly before the pandemic back in 2018 and to say the quality went down is an understatement. I understand the lockdowns and stuff were hard but it does NOT excuse the quality drop that I saw this weekend. For one thing, our tour guide, Cathy, was so rude even staff shortage doesn't justify keeping her. She just kept rolling her eyes and grumbling every time one of my group asked her a question. And would it be too much to ask her to please not use swear words around my kids? During our tour she barely even answered any questions. Instead she'd try to get other staff members to answer for her. At the woodcarving booth, the man there actually did her job for her.

We were told during the tour that all the craft work there was for sale in the village gift shop. Yet when my family entered, I was beyond disappointed to find no weaving, no beadwork, no pottery, no arrowheads, no carvings. No nothing. All that was in there were coasters, shirts and little trinkets that can be bought in literally any store in downtown Cherokee. So that was a huge letdown.

At 1 o'clock we got to see the dance show. I was looking forward to this. So imagine my disappointment when the dance show lasted only about ten minutes and every dancer there looked absolutely miserable. The singer was enjoying himself but none of the dancers looked like they wanted to be there. I don't know what happened to this place, but it's nothing like the place I used to come to every summer. I had hoped my kids would enjoy it but halfway through the dances, my three-year-old just said "Mommy, this isn't fun. I wanna go home."
If you're trying to decide between spending your money to go here or blow it at the museum, choose the museum. You'll have more fun and you'll learn more. At least the pictures and statues in the museum don't look like they hate their jobs like the dancers and tour guides here.

A bucket list for me since 6th grade! It exceeded all expectations and more
Please go see it!! Historically accurate and so touching but also heart wrenching in its accuracy!

The village was very interesting with many demonstrations along the tour. We also were able to see the short skit they put on while there which is a preview of the Unto These Hills Drama which was fantastic!
Everyone at the village were very nice and interacted with the people on the tour.

We did the tour. It was very educational. Each station had a individual performing the task. You could ask questions to them and see them doing the task. You are explained how they did it and how they currently do it. Highly recommend!

History we all need to visit. It is well done by the employees. Priced adequately, great little snack bar if you need it. Very educational for everyone. Any questions you have can be answered very thoroughly. Souvenir shop is awesome.

Saw there dances, very informative on what they were for.our guide was very informative on what each building was for.enjoyed

This was a wonderful experience. It was very informative and educational. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. I would definitely do this event again. Very family-friendly.

This Oconaluftee Indian amphitheater is beautifully situated in a wooded area that is comfortable to walk around even on warm summer days. Beautifully and professionally performed “Unto these Hills” drama of the treachery of the white man and the strength and resilience of the Cherokee. I would watch the drama again on my next visit to the Cherokee Reservation.

I personally wasn't overly impressed with the village; I found our guide to not be very enthusiastic about his role, nor were the other people working throughout the village. The village itself is very small.
However, my three year old son was absolutely enthralled! He hung on the guide's every single word. He asked more questions than any other adult in our group. He was fascinated with all the huts and houses built from mud and stone. He seemed to soak it all up and want more. I was so happy we came just for him to have this unique cultural experience that he hadn't yet been exposed to.

Absolutely wonderful! So very interesting. Guides are so informative. I learned so much and it was my 4th visit!

For the price it was not worth the visit. Walked through the village with a guide but the information was not what I was expecting. The dancing demonstration was comical.

If you are a history enthusiast, you will enjoy the Indian Village guided tour. A well informed Cherokee tells you about the daily life of his or her ancestors in the 1700s. Cherokee Indian history is explained. Demonstrations include basket making, blow gun creation with how they were used, pottery making, weaving, and a war dance. For us, it was time well spent!

We only had an hour to spend here so we only took the guided tour and didn’t see the dancers or walk the gardens. Although you can walk around the village by yourself, there is no information plaques so you will not understand anything that you are seeing so I recommend the guide. Our guide was very good and willing to explain everything to us and answer questions. Tours leave every 15 minutes. Village is small with a small gift shop and snack bar. I didn’t get to see the dancers or talk to any of the crafters. They have dance shows at 12 and 3. They give a $2 discount for AAA. It would be nice if they put up more information plaques.

Our family thoroughly enjoyed our visit. The guides were very welcoming and informative. The demonstrations were very interesting. You'll see weaving, pottery, weapon making, etc. You get to see the homes they lived in and learn about the traditions and culture.
Our 13 year old said this was her favorite stop.

Enjoyed all the play we saw. Lightning strikes caused a pause and the weather continued to deteriorate. We left assuming they would not resume. Someone told us we could watch the rest on utube. I felt they could have given us more information while waiting under cover. The employees were very kind to share all they knew. Some loudspeaker announcements would have been nice. Would recommend to friends!

The Into the Woods show was so good and told the story of the history of their tribe which was sad but also inspiring. The actors in the show did a spectacular job, the lighting added to the shows mood, the moving sets were more than could be expected and added to the telling of the story. I was so glad I made the more than hour drive to catch their next to last show of their season. It had rained pretty hard just before the show but still after a little time to make the stage safe for their story tellers, the show must go on. Be sure to put into your plans to attend the show next season. You'll be glad you were able to be a part of the storied history.

The Village exceeded all our expectations. Adults and kids in our group were fascinated. We highly recommend a visit. It is very authentic.

Loved the tour, our guide was Maddox ( probably totally misspelled it) and he was absolutely amazing..very knowledgeable, Loved answering questions at each station and took the time to chat with me and tell my adult son and myself a little about himself...will be going back before they close so.we can see the dancing...thank you so much Maddox, you rock!!!

Go. You have to go and experience this! I can’t say enough good things about this place! You get more than enough out of your money! Very reasonably priced and we will be back in the fall!

The guides show examples of Cherokee life in the 1800's. They explain the art of beadwork, fingerweaving, weapon making and so much more!

There was also an educational talk given in the round house!

The gift shop is great also!

Today my friend & I toured this Cherokee village. Our tour guide, Chipper, was knowledgeable, clear speaking & willing to answer all questions. She also participated in the dance presentation which was more entertaining than expected.
Would highly recommend for all ages.

This was an excellent educational day. we spent 3-4 hours here between museum and village. Our guide John was fun and interactive, had lots of helpful information.

I came here for the Dracula show and let me tell you I loved it. The actors were excellent. I loved that the show was outside. The prices were awesome. Everyone that worked there was Soo friendly. I recommend this show to everyone. Again it was Soo good.

First off I was extremely disappointed in the village experience. Our tour guide was terrible. She had zero knowledge of anything, could barely get through explaining things, and didn’t know answers to any questions. After that disappointing disaster I was hopeful for the show. It was delayed due to weather then in the middle it was stopped and ultimately cancelled. Thats fine, it’s due to weather, but their policy is basically F U. A rain check that has to be used within a year. So for people who have a vacation planned out and don’t come every year you basically are out your money. The part of the show we did watch was blatantly racist. A speaker before the show even claimed history is being ‘white washed.’ The show portrayed white people as dumb and evil. Instead of an honest portrayal of history we get a one sided account. I support that is their right, but it’s not for me.

I enjoyed The Village tour and meeting the People there. It was an educational, engaging, and relaxing experience. Our Guide was excellent and did a great job presenting and answering our questions. I missed the final part of the tour on culture because I needed to leave. I hope travelers get to enjoy the tour in its entirety and read my tips so they can safely enjoy these experiences.

Tip 1: Look up and remember where you are. If you're traveling alone or not, text or call someone you're not traveling with before you leave your hotel (while you have a signal) and let them know you're heading to that area to visit the Museum, Village, Other and what time you expect to arrive and leave. Why? Because it's a high probability that you mobile device will become useless in a large swath of area. I won't tell you where, but when you get into the area, check and test your device for capabilities. Your GPS app may get you to the museum at best but it might not work to get you back to your hotel or to the Village. You should be prepared to rely on your memory or screenshot the directions and use them to leave the area to return to your hotel/other.

Tip 2: The Village, outdoor theatre, museum, and Qualla Arts & Crafts are within close proximity so I'd recommend visiting 3 while you're in that area. Start with the museum and gift shop. I'd recommend asking someone in the Museum or Qualla Arts for directions to get to the village if you don't have a clue. If you're in that area around the museum and you need help, ask someone in one of the businesses or a law enforcement officer. Why? Because you don't want to be wandering around that area like you're lost because someone is probably watching you--and it's not the police. If you're in the area and find that the museum and Qualla Arts are closed, get in your car and drive away from the area until you find your way. I happened upon a Shell station and topped off my tank for my return trip. Look out! I was headed to the village on June 17th between 9:15-9:25am local time when two men in a cartoon colored blue pick up truck followed me from Qualla Arts and up into the village. I saw them follow me up the hill in my rearview mirror and so I parked way off into the cut and watched them drive around the lot searching for me. The only other person in the parking lot at the time was a young lady in black riding a motor scooter. As I walked to the casher's window I saw them speeding out of the one-way in/out entrance/exit.

Tip 2A: You’re probably thinking about whether it’s worth going or not, whether it’s safe, and you must make the best decision for yourself and those you care about. If you’re comfortable with engaging in any level of mortal combat or okay with running someone over without thinking twice so you can protect yourself, punish evil, and be on time for the tour and shop afterwards, I think you’ll be okay. I hope you visit is uneventful.

Takeaway: Don’t worry about bears, watch the people.

Enjoyed the Museum, Village, Qualla Arts…, gift shops, Mingo Falls, Harrah’s., and great hotel stay.

Very informative and entertaining. Plenty of opportunities for questions. The social dances were great!

A must stop while traveling in this area. So much to see and do. My wife learned so much at this village. Watching Indians in the habitat they once lived was so interesting.

it is well worth to visit. to learn the history of the indians and see how they lived. excellant show when they were showing their dance. Huts were excellant and how they made the arrows was educational

Well organized and informative. Each area has a demonstration and things that you can touch. It is a guided tour and can interact with the people doing the demonstration. Plenty of people around to answer questions.

The history will bring tears to your eyes and remind you to NEVER trust the government. The choreography and special effects were excellent. Money well spent.

Stopped here on our way to Gatlinburg. What a pleasant surprise. Historic village has many great cabins and different types of buildings to visit. The location is very pretty and peaceful. We were also very lucky to see elk. Visitor center is also very nice with lots of brochures on anything you can imagine.

Upon checking in we were met by one of out tour guides. Everyone of our guides were Native Americans. At each stop each guide showed us how they made jewelry, weapons, traps, pottery. We saw the dwellings where they held tribal meetings, where they lived and their way of life. We learned hew the made the canoes. Ont the second to last stop we met a trader that bartered his wears for hides ( Deer Buck skins). This is where the saying comes from, I have a couple busks in my billfold. The last guide spoke for half hour on the different tribes and tribal traditions.

The Village is a working replica of life in the Cherokee Nation during the 1700's. Live enactments and the authenticity is amazing. Great for the whole family, especially the kids

The guided tour and all the information given by the tour guide was excellent. We loved the history of the Cherokee people as told by the guide and by the displays of houses and crafts made.

We had a party of 6 ranging from elementary to high school and college and had a very good time learning about the indigenous people to Western NC.

Amazing way to see history in action. Our family ranged from age 11-75 and we each enjoyed it. I would recommend this stop to anyone visiting the area. Give yourself about 2 hours to enjoy it.

I came out here a while back and man was I disgusted. I had two small kids with me and I was hoping they'd learn a little about indigenous culture. I didn't count on them learning about something else here. Our guide was a blond woman in purple. She seemed bored like she didn't want to be there, she just rushed us through and later as we were leaving, I see her being inappropriate with what looked like another staff member. I wanted my kids to learn about indigenous culture, not have to explain to them why your hands shouldn't go in certain places when you're in a public area. So. Yeah, won't be going back any time soon.

The staff and residents at the Oconaluftee Reservation were beyond amazing and informative. We had a great time and recommend this to everyone who is planning a trip to Cherokee.

Half of the presenters spoke too softly for the audience. Made feel as though they were just pushing the group through with not interest to teach. The grounds/stop points are old and worn and a poor representation of the theme being portrayed. This is our second trip here in 5 years.

VERY enjoyable! Informative and friendly people. Our guide, Chaz (16 years old) was great! Lots of details about Cherokee life from 1500's to current time.

Highly recommend a visit here. We had an excellent tour and lecture. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. We wish we could have stayed for the show at night.

Can't say enough about this wonderful place. The tour we took was both informative and entertaining. The young lady who was our guide was very new at being a guide, but she did a great job. The dance exhibition was entertaining, also. The young dancers were in a playful mood and delighted the crowd with their enthusiasm and playful interaction that had us in stitches.

The whole experience will leave you with a much deeper appreciation of the Cherokee people and what we lost when they were crushed by the Trail of Tears.

The village was in terrible shape . So many features were not operational and were short staffed. Such a shame to have allowed this attraction to fall into into such dissaray! how about getting the casino to pump some funds and manpower to restart and rejuvenate the village!!!!!! It is deplorable!!!
My Cherokee Great Grandmother would cry here eyes out if she saw this!!!!

This was one of the highlights of our trip. Our guide was very nice and knew his stuff or the others in the specific area knew and were happy to chime in. We enjoyed the dancing and talks we saw. It was a really nice time. One comment would be for the speakers to speak a little louder. Not everyone is paying as much attention and are talking themselves so we will missed somethings.

An authentic Cherokee Indian Reservation as it would look many decades ago. You will learn how they slept. Ate,lived and the fabulous pottery, canoes, and many handmade pieces. Very friendly and answers any questions you may have.Indian culture and Traditions are very fascinating to learn.

We added this village to our trip to bring us up on the Native American history that is often not taught in the public school systems. Very educational and worth the stop.

Very educational. This is a must see for all ages. The Cherokee have been through so much, but because of their amazing will to survive they have overcome. Wado Cherokee village for an unforgettable experience

had a great time everyone was great very good show maybe try next year with gran kids yhe price was good

It was nice but not what I expected. I had thought there would be costumes and more of the customs show instead of just talking. The show was ok but not as good as I had expected. I already know the story of the trail of tears, I thought that it would be dramatized more.

We had never been here an didn’t realize it had been there since the 50’s according to the tour guides. All of the tour was very informative and our guide explained every thing very well, from bead making to basket weaving and arrow & blow dart making,etc. all of the older dwellings that the Cherokee had and the history of the European trading and diseases that were brought into their tribes. We loved it. The little dancing show at the end was so cute and funny, their concession stand had a good bit of snack foods and very reasonable. :-)

We went to “Unto these Hills” drama production, it was outstanding! The actors were so good! I was amazed at how everything ran so smoothly, down to the last detail. The story was sad, but true. It was told so beautifully! I am so glad I did not miss this opportunity .I recommend this to everyone to see and experience, it will leave a lasting impression.

The village was very interesting and our guide was very informative and answered all our questions. Learned so much and highly reccomend it.

Very informative. Great place to visit.
Very enjoyable. Lots of trees, so not too hot.
Lot of history

Without having had opportunity to see the play, which wasn't performed during our visit, everyone in our party rated this as Cherokee's top tourist attraction, hands down. We went in the morning so as to miss the hottest time of the day and due to forecasted rain. The Village is on the side of a mountain. A guide takes each group through a series of stations where Cherokees practice a craft or skill associated with the Cherokee culture. The guide explains things, entertains questions, and gives visitors opportunities to interact with the artisans. At the end, other guides tell us more about things related to the entire village community. There is also a garden path for walks around the area. This is much better than a museum which is static and requires much reading. Here we conversed, touched, experienced, associated with people. It's extremely well done. Even kids seemed to be engaged. Buildings, water craft, and such are on a 1/3 scale, enough to give visitors an idea of what the real things were like. We learned so much about the Cherokees. The guides know how to present the ugliness of how their ancestors were treated in a neutral way, thereby giving what they said even more power. They were dignified. This Village is well done. If pressed for time, opt to visit this site. Be forewarned that walking along a hillside is involved. Older persons and those with physical disabilities can navigate the terrain but with some effort. Check on this should it be of concern to you before going.

The creek there is also worth being there for some time. There are also some stores there in town worth visiting that are not in the downtown area. There is also a park near by where you might be able to see some elk.

My husband and I really enjoyed the fact that we went to different areas and had someone telling us the different things about the Cherokee and their lives. Very informative. So much better then just walking around wondering what the different areas were. Also, loved the outdoor drama Unto the Hills! Very emotional!

I really loved the village first they did some native dance and then they gave us a tour of the village. Then we learned a bit about the seven different tribes. Was very informational.

Was interesting to hear about modern day as well as historical event in the indian culture and the difference in the things we all think about when we watch tv to understand about the indians as a whole and as individual tribes....was just very inertesting....and to see each craft being done was interesting....very friendly and knowledgable....

As a child I had gone to the village and I really loved it. I can remember so many things and how they lived. We took out grand children this weekend and for me it was very disappointing. Modern day has taken over too much. They did not wear traditional Indian clothing or headwear and some of the performers had blond hair. The guided tour was too crowded and when we got to the self guide tour we learned more on our own. We got to the part where they burn the log to make canoe and a girl was sitting on a fence reading a book and never bothered to tell us anything. A co worker came up and told her there was another tour and she started complaining. We will not be back.

We were excited to go here thought we would see true attire, maybe some dances or something well we were wrong. Sorta disappointed we spent almost 4hours there, the intro the guy giving the lecture was very informative/interesting.... then we were sent out to the next place which was two people under a cover with yarn work hanging a we were told some about the making of the items. Sent to the next, then next and so on.... became very repetitive losing interest all speeches seemed rehearsed like they said the same thing to each group. Get to the about the 4th to last display well we (with 5 other people) were separated from our group so the guide we were with could “fuss at someone about their spending” we were standing there confused didn’t know where our group went, She finally says ‘ oh sorry I don’t know where I went, y’all supposed to be up there’ she walks away we walk up hill only to find out we MISSED two other displays and speeches. They didn’t want to redo with us cause the Next group was there. We were instructed to “sit and wait for the next show which is next to the last show you’ll see”... we sat and waited 25 minutes!!!... so next show lasted 7mins, go to the final one we wait another 12 mins, last show lasted maybe 10 minutes which we were showed a couple of drums and rattles by a man... goodbye he says and walks away(there was a little more to him talking but you could hear other groups on the other side of the bushes making it hard to hear) thought maybe they would maybe give an example of drumming and rattles...
Needless to say it was a little interesting but not worth the $56 and almost 4 hours out of our day. At least it wasn’t hot, definitely would not go back

Husband and I went here as a layover activity on our way to Savannah GA. It was very nice and our Guide who was only 14 was very knowledgeable (and funny). We also went tot he show “Unto the Hills” it was very good although We bought the ViP pkg with the meal. We went down the flight of stairs ate the went even further down to the front row only to find out the bag with the popcorn, poncho and program were back at the very top I went up and got the bags came down and looked at our goodies….no programs….I was exhausted (62 yrs old) I just wrote it off as I wasn’t going back up till we had to leave. Otherwise a great experience.

We had four adults and two kids under 5. We paid $100 which, in my opinion, is not worth our experience. The location is relatively small, yet we were on a tour with over 50 people. The tour guide was young and unfriendly. When a guest asked a question, she scoffed that he would assume a corn bead was made of corn. There were often derogatory comments towards men. It may have been a better tour with a better guide, but based on our experience, this was definitely not worth the time and very overpriced.

We visited Cherokee as we heard about the live play based on the Trail of Tears story. We visited the Oconaluftee Village to experience how ingenious and intuitive the natives were in those days. They truly embodied good work citizens, respected the land, shared in the work and the rewards. Women were equal. The various stops on the tour were each impressive as to how the natives used everything God gave them, and did not abuse the land or the resources. It was very enjoyable. Our guide, Tia, was informative and prepared. We highly recommend it and the Play.

We loved this living museum that showed how the Cherokee made a wide variety of crafts, and what their homes were like throughout the years. There was also a brief play put on to help you understand their history. Everything was very well done and well organized. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

While camping in Cherokee last weekend, I wanted to go see some type of American Indian culture tour and we decided on this one. It was just ok. I did learn a few new things I didn’t know before, but overall the tour wasn’t very exciting and the tour guides didn’t seem very happy to be doing it lol.

The show was amazing and exceeded our expectations! I would highly recommend this to everyone. The 75th Anniversary made it even more special. We had front row and center seats and we truly enjoyed the show.

With eight or so crafting stations, a meeting house, and a village square, there is *so* much past-meets-present-meets-future in this beautiful space... and that's not including the nature trail attached. The guides are so helpful, and it's totally comfortable to ask them specific questions you might not get to ask at other attractions.

We found the Oconaluftee Indian Village to be a magical retreat during our time in the Smoky Mountains. We learned an incredible amount about history and culture, while admiring the craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations. We were glad we took the time to visit and to stroll through the botanical gardens to let all we learned soak in. The tour, demonstrations, and midday traditional dance held the interest of all of us, including our nine-year-old daughter. We highly recommend making time for a visit!

This was our 3rd visit in a span of 30 years. First our children then our grandchildren in two age ranges. It is a nice tour and our guide was very nice but soft spoken making it hard to hear. She was well versed on most of the stops. The best presenter was a high school student in the ceremonial lodge. She was so well spoken, humorous and knowledgeable. The theater setting with the dancing was well attempted by the small group of performers but was totally different and a let down to our past 2 experiences 10 and 20 years ago. We were disappointed in the difference the years had made. I remembered a demonstration of canoe building by using fire to burn out the log but it was not there. We had built up those highlights to our grandson. Still it was his first visit and he really enjoyed it with no comparison in his head to how it used to be. I really love the history that the Cherokee people share with others through this historic village. I don’t want to see it fade away. I hope they build it back to the original great place it used to be. I would highly recommend it to a first timer just for the experience but if you are like me with grand memories just beware it has declined a bit.

Went to watch Dracula in October and even the rain couldn't deter what an amazing experience it was. The venue is tucked into the forest and is unlike any stage I've ever seen. The acting and production value of the show was top notch. It's been a week and I still can't stop thinking about it. I can't wait to come back for other shows here.

We visited the Museum of the Cherokee, then this, then 'Unto these Hills'. The combination of the three is a great way to learn about the history of the NC Cherokee. Oconoluftee Indian Village was very informative and the guides were exceptionally knowledgable and willing to answer questions. Highly recommended, especially in conjunction with the museum and the outdoor drama. Seems a little pricey, but in the end we felt it was worth it.

We enjoyed our guided tour through the Indian village. All of the social distancing guidelines were followed, even though this was basically an outdoor tour. The first part was devoted to artisans who were plying their trade. Our guide explained in detail how each article contributed to daily life. Then the second part was devoted to building structures. Although the structures were only 1/3 the size of the actual ones, the purpose and importance of each one was clearly pointed out by each guide. I came away knowing much more about the Cherokee culture. My only regret is that the drama "Unto These Hills" isn't currently being performed due to Covid. We would love to return to see this here at the same venue.

Love every minute of this tour very imformative and be sure to listen to all the programs you will love them

I decided to give them an extra concessionary star due to Covid. Guided tour, about four stations showing various traditional handicrafts and an overall presentation by a man in somewhat traditional clothing in a ceremonial square.

Our guide was not particularly animated and seemed to have only cursory facts. It would have been more interesting if the ones working on their crafts could have spoken a bit. An orientation film might have also have prepared people better with traditional Indian musicians or even pre-recorded music for background atmosphere accompanying the tours. No signs to read for additional info. Probably hasn’t been updated much since the opening in 1954. Very little imagination went into this.

There is a lot of room for improvement and the $19 admission does not justify the minimal effort they have expended. The day we visited, our tour group had perhaps eight people. If the operators could visit similar presentations in other places, they could see how really basic the experience is.

I couldn’t highly recommend at that price. Maybe the value point is $7-8.

We had a great guide. The tour was interesting and fun. We enjoyed learning about the heritage. We sat in on the dancing and the council house lectures. The staff was funny and educational in the dances. Thank you for sharing with us.

So much history!!! Everything took time to answer our questions.
So many things we assumed that we learned were not as we thought. Cannot say enough about the Museum, Village and Drama. Bring Kleenex- it’s very moving!

It was very interesting listening about Cherokee traditions and way of life and seeing different artifacts. It was also great to be able to ask questions. The walk around the village was an hour long and then maybe 30-45 more minutes for two lectures about the Cherokee government and customs. I learned many new things about them. It was well organized and in a beautiful natural environment.

A very established reconstruction of an Indian village. The tour was excellent. There was a tour of the village and then 2 different talks about different aspects of the Cherokee culture. Very interesting. Delivered by Cherokee people who can trace their own ancestry

Our guide was a 16-yr old young man, quite knowledgeable and friendly. He gave us plenty of opportunities to ask questions and knew the answers. The tour was short, and we were expecting more activities, but with 9- and 7-year olds, it was long enough. More active interaction with the villagers who were doing the weaving, beading, tool making, etc. might have kept their attention more.

Our guide Cathy was INCREDIBLY rude. She constantly rolled her eyes, groaned whenever someone in the group tried to ask a question (even though she ASKED if anyone had any questions at each stop) at one point another member of our group asked a question about Traditional Patterns for pottery and the bead works and not only did she NOT answer the question (instead she just skated around it by saying "We used to have meanings for the patterns but we don't anymore" (which was not what was asked BTW)) but she actually walked off while several of us were taking pictures and asking the crafters questions. And not to be racist but who thought having some white chick as a guide in an INDIAN VILLAGE was a good idea? So disappointed. Was not worth the money we spent.

The village was built to reflect what it was like around 1750. Artisans hand making clothes, bows, arrows, blankets and everything that you can see what it would be like to be transported back in time.

It would be hard for a wheelchair in some places, so check.

Unto These Hills has been sharing the narrative of the Cherokee people for over 70 years and it’s easy to understand it’s longevity. It’s an historically accurate play with appeal to the young and the not-so-young. The youthful actors are energetic and passionate in their portrayals and the costumes are wonderful. Attending a performance is a truly unique experience for anyone visiting the Great Smoky Mountains.

The tour consist of walking through some stations where guides explain crafts and activities that the Cherokees would do through their history. Interesting, although the young people that guided where mostly perfunctory and not very engaging. They also had a dance demonstration, with several traditional dances and chanting.

This was our first time going to the village, and we really enjoyed it. The staff were welcoming and knowledgeable, and they all seemed happy to share information with us.The grounds are really nice, with rock gardens, little man-made waterfalls, and lots of areas to enjoy nature. The tour had a number of stops along a meandering path, where there were artisans displaying their crafts, and showing how they were done.

Very informative and interesting tour. Our guide was great. We learned a lot about the Cherokee people, past and present.

While it is well promoted, the village is easy to miss, as it is tucked away up a hill, removed from the bustle of the main drag through Cherokee. If you are interested in actual, bona fide Cherokee traditions and history (as opposed to the sometimes hokey tourist junk peddled in some stores in town.
Now, I will tell you, your guide can make or break this tour. My daughter (15) and I were fortunate to have a young man who seemed both knowledgeable and enthusiastic about what he was doing. Your guide, dressed in traditional Cherokee clothing from the late 1700's (generally) will walk with you through the reconstructed village, explaining to you about the Cherokee language and history, and giving you some brief glimpses of how this group of Native people lived prior to and shortly after the coming of the settlers.
Woodworking, beadwork, fingerweaving, canoe making, cabins, governance, and religion are all covered, and at various points you will see members of the Nation demonstrating various crafts, such as pottery or basket making. We also were shown the use of the Cherokee blowgun, used for small game hunting. It is informative, and you are encouraged to ask questions (but don't expect your guide to be an expert on EVERY aspect of Cherokee culture and history; many of them are young and still learning)
There is a gift shop, which we didn't visit, and a Plant trail showing various plants used for different things by the Cherokee. The path through the village is generally easy to travel, even in a stroller, but there are some gentle grades that may require an extra minute for the elders in your party. I would think that wheelchairs could handle it with some assistance.
So when you pass through the area, add this to your list of things to visit, but call ahead to make sure they are open, as they close for a while during the winter months. And, as always, Happy Motoring.

I had a great tour, my tour guide, Logan, was excellent. It was a very informative tour. I loved seeing all the crafts

We visited the village this morning as our last stop on an 8 day, multi family road trip with kids ages 2-9. It’s hard to know what to expect with age ranges so broad, but we were extremely impressed with the knowledge of our guides today, their friendliness, excitement to answer our questions, and general pride in their amazing history. I will say especially that as a parent, it’s really important that my kids learn about some of the sadder parts of our history, including the trail of tears, from the descendants of that history. I appreciated the willingness of the guides to do exactly that in a way that my kids could understand, and I hope my kids will carry this experience with them. I will definitely be back to learn more, and to see the museum and show as well!

Excellent presentations. All of the stations were informative and knowledgeable. Highly recommend the tour!

We took our grandkids to this and it was a great experience for all of us. Well worth your time and $. Seeing all the crafts from those earlier times was educational. The kids especially loved the shows and talks. Everyone there was so friendly and helpful. Highly recommended for all ages.

Enjoyed it. Very informative. Our guide seemed to be pretty new, couldn't answer some questions we had. One of the demonstrators had to step in and answer one for us. Still a fun time.

We attended "Unto These Hills". Staff was great, very helpful and friendly. The production was well worth the trip and the price. To present a complex history of 300+ years in two hours is a monumental effort. "Unto" succeeds. It is also quite moving especially as we learn more of our own history. An excellent experience.

I had no idea how much I didn't know about the Cherokee. Fantastic information on this guided tour. I may have to go again to ask those questions I didn't think about at the time.
Well worth the price and time!

I wish they had this for the Lenape up in NY/NJ. Excellent job on the tours, presentations, and talks that cover many aspects of the Cherokee Nation. There was so much to do, we did not have time to cover all the talks. The only suggestion is to have a cafe so we could have eaten and then went back to explore some more. Dylan and Cameron were great guides.

I took my 3rs grade class, and it was wonderful. The children said it was the best field trip yet. We learned some stories and about the original homes of the Cherokee people before we went, so it really impressed them to see the demonstrations in person.

Took our grandchildren ages 8, 10 and 16. All enjoyed the play and followed the story line. Very well played and would recommend

Excellent show. Different every year. It rained only during the intermission - we were lucky. Bring your raincoat if the forecast is rain. The show still goes on!

An extra golf cart could be used for helping handicap people get to the Amphitheater from the upper area parking. We got there around 730pm on Tuesday night, and all the handicap parking down on the road in-front was full. Your parking attendants should advise those asking about parking when the front is full, to have the handicapped person get out in front of the entrance, and the driver go park the car. The performance was excellent, a great representation of the tragedy the Nation suffered at the hands of the settlers, and Andrew Jackson. He was an evil person, who burned homes throughout the south during the Revolution.

We hadn't read reviews before we arrived. - We sat in the Car park, reading - and were disappointed by the negative reviews; DON'T BE! - THIS IS AN EXCELLENT VISIT !!
Some of the reviews stated that the younger 'actors' (Their words, not mine) weren't taking thing seriously during the dance show - but clearly they had missed the opening talk - as the guide told how these dances weren't a 'serious' affair, and that they would be a fun event etc.
Straight away we were sold on the tour, and that clearly other reviewers had missed the point.

The dance show was around 20mins, very informative and fun - the guide was clear and explained all the differing types of dances, and then chanted the rhythms for each dance.

Due to our timings we missed the community talk in the centre building - which no doubt would have been excellent.

We had a superb guide - his knowledge on all subjects was deep, and answered all questions well. Interesting to learn about the history of this tribe, non travelling, agricultural and location based rather than the 'filmic' stereo type of tee-pee's etc.
We were taken on a journey around the village, showing differing crafts and house types.

Really pleased we didn't listen to those bad reviews - they need answering to add balance.

We enjoyed the Unto These Hills Outdoor Drama. There were 6 adults and 2 young adults and we all enjoyed the show. We especially liked the historical information, the special effects, the dancing, the actors, and the story! The whole production was a 5-star production! It was easy to buy the tickets online, the parking was organized, and the ushers were very helpful as 2 had one adult who needed special seating. Thank you for the great presentation! Highly recommend!

This was a really cool place to visit. We came when our kids were younger. Our daughter remembered, but our son was an infant so he didn't. We decided to come back on this trip so that he could experience the village himself. It is always amazing to me to hear the stories of how Native Americans lived so long ago and see the tools they used and how they made things they needed. The houses always amaze me. Our son took away a great appreciation and interest in learning more from our visit and he wants to come back when we are in the area next time. Our guide was tremendous and took the time to answer all the questions that all of the kids in our group had. Great experience.

This cultural and historical tour was so well done and very enlightening. We saw many demonstrations of weaving, beading, basket making, cooking, wood working, tools and weapons explained, examples of early cabins, council houses, dancing demonstrations (my favorite!) also various articles they use in the dances such as drums and rattles from natural materials. The singer/leader in the dancing circle was excellent. The way they had the audience organized into the seven clans was helpful to the understanding of all participating. My husband couldn't stop raving about it. Everyone in authentic era dress (after European contact) and the guides were good at answering questions which I had many. We learned cultural customs, ceremonial clothing and authority structures.

This was a fun, informative activity for our family. We did the tour and the outdoor drama “Unto These Hills”. I recommend bug spray prior to both. All the guides were very knowledgeable.

Small group tour through village, with many skill and craft representatives dressed for role. Guide was informative and encouraged questions from all ages. The gift shop has items made in village and in local Cherokee community. Best 90 minutes and well worth admission.

The our of the Oconaluftee village is very educational and interesting. The members of the tribe exhibiting their craft skills had everyone's attention. The Cherokee exhibitors are very approachable and answer questions you may have.

We decided to visit here since one of our children has been showing interest in learning about Native American Indians. We drove over to Oconaluftee Indian Village and parked in the HUGE parking lot. It is on an pretty big incline. There is overflow parking further up the hill in addition to a nice sign for photo-ops. Once parked we approached the ticket booth and inquired about tours. Adults were $20, Kids $12 & under age 5 are FREE. Tours run about every 15 minutes. They do a war show/dance at Noon and 3pm. IF you are in the middle of a tour, they stop the tour--instruct you to go to the show & then you pick right back up where you left off after the show. During the tour we walked through a simulated 1700's Cherokee village. Here we saw demonstrations on finger weaving, bead work, pottery, wood carving/masks, basket weaving and weaponry. Our guide would stop at each station and give use some background of what we were witnessing. He would describe the tools used for each craft. He even did a blowgun demonstration. Our guide was friendly and informative. He always made sure our group was all at the station before he began speaking and always asked IF anyone had questions before moving onto the next. Our guided tour came to an end at the perfect time as it was time for the battle.

We were instructed to make our way over to the Welcome to Our World Show area that simulated a war dance and battle. Here it is tiered bench seating around a sand open space. There is gunfire during this simulated battle between the English and Cherokee. Little kids may be afraid IF they do not understand that it is just actors portraying a battle. I thought the show was well done, however, I would have preferred to see a show primarily of Native American dancing instead of a battle. After the show, the actors were available for photos with visitors. After a quick photo, we continued with the self guided portion of our tour.

Here we walked through a simulated village with a council house, sweat house, a traders tent, canoe building, fish/bear traps and homes. There were a few employees around the traders tent and the canoe station where you could ask questions, however, most of this portion of the tour was self guided. We did notice some picnic tables beside one of the "home" but were unsure IF that was for employees OR visitors.

After the tour, we stopped to use the restrooms, which were decent. Upon leaving, you will pass the outdoors concession stand and MUST exit through the gift shop. We did NOT dine here but noticed they offered items such as pizza, corn-dogs, hot dogs, chips, etc. They had outdoor dining tables for the concession stand. In the climate controlled gift shop they sold jewelry, dream catchers and various souvenirs. Many of the items appeared to be those made in the Village at the demonstration stations. Exiting the gift shop, you will find yourself back beside the ticket booth. From here we decided to take a tour of the Indian Gardens.

In the Indian Garden, you walk among the trees along a LOOP path. Most of the path was flat and easy to hike. Along the path there were flowers or plants with botanical signs that included the Cherokee name, Botanical name and Common name. Along this trail we passed little creeks/brooks, water,footbridges, a natural spring, a working metal barn, and Indian Herb and Vegetable Garden and a garden pond with bench seating. It probably took about 20 minutes to walk through the gardens. The metal shop was under construction while we were there, but the workers did show us some of things that they were working to set up for future tours. They also encouraged us to continue on the loop to see the garden pond.

Overall, we had a nice visit with Oconaluftee Indian Village. Our guide was informative and seemed to care whether we had questions. He set a nice pace for the tour as well. The people portraying the skills were not as interactive. Most of them just went about their craft with the exception of the wood/mask carvers who actually spoke with our group. They seemed VERY knowledgeable about their craft. The blowgun demonstration was interesting. I also found the canoe making interesting. It is also seems to be what provides the wood smoke smell for the village. I did enjoy the Village, however the gardens really made this tour for me. I'm sure this portion is easily missed as no one really points out that it is there. We noticed the sign to the right of the ticket booth and went on a whim. I would highly recommend the short hike after your tour.

On the downside: I did NOT like that some actors were wearing Americanized clothing such as Nike track pants and printed tee shirts instead of the traditional clothing. This took away from the feeling that this was a 1700's village. Plus many of the actors had cigarettes stashed at their stands. In some of the craft stations, we saw trash such as plastic soda bottles thrown in the fire pit or fireplaces. That was sad considering it was probably done by employees rather than guests who did NOT have access to the fireplaces.The battle simulation was acted out rather well, although it was hard to hear what all was being said. I would have preferred a dance performance over a battle, as young kids may be frightened by the battle scenes & would NOT require having to strain to hear what was being said.

Bottom Line: Nice educational tour of a replica 1700's Cherokee Indian Village. Decent demonstrations, nice gardens. Price is reasonable, especially IF you include the gardens as part of your tour. Would recommend.

We really enjoyed the tour watching how the Cherokee carved, wove rugs and baskets, tanned, built homes and even danced. Very informative. My only criticism was the gift shop. We were hoping to buy some authentic souvenirs but 1/2 the goods for sale were “made in China”

My husband and I had a wonderful time during our visit. We learned a lot about the Cherokee and it was wonderful to see them demonstrate skills such as weaving, woodcarving and beadwork. It was also fascinating to see the example of a village. Everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Went to see Dracula. The acting costumes and theater were amazing. Would definitely go again th other shows in future. My husband were celebrating our 38 anniversary and what a great night out. Thank you all.

My husband and I had decided to give this place a try and our guide Sam was very rude. First he kept telling us the tour would start shortly and then he started accusing another guide of not telling him it was his turn to give a tour. This same guide kept apologizing and trying to talk to us even when Sam started carving wood and it drowned out any word she said and when he started yelling at her and even tried to provoke a fight. We loved the village but the visit was ruined by our unprofessional guide.

Our Cherokee guide was knowledgeable about the Cherokee and how their life journey relates to other cultures. Although he delivered the basic lecture rather rapidly, this was obviously in order to keep the tour moving so that all groups present could see the village. He answered questions knowledgeably and without cutting anyone off. The dance demonstration was interesting and humorous. We enjoyed the whole experience.

My friends and I were staying in the Gatlinburg area for a week and we decided to take the short drive (about an hour through the beautiful Smokies), over to Cherokee. As a high school history teacher, I'm always anxious to learn more about historical sites, but especially about other cultures......especially that of Native Americans who I believe we don't teach enough about in our history curriculums, and thus I visit places like this so I can add more for my students. Some living history places are done really well, and others....not so much. This one is really fantastic. Now over half a century old, the Cherokee continue to keep this special place up and do a fantastic job giving you a guided tour. I learned SOOOO much in the hour-long tour of the village that I just had no idea about. It's well shaded and in the mountains, so even on a hot summer day (like it was today), it won't bug you. Not only will you get a chance to see Cherokee doing traditional things, but you will also learn from them first hand. Any question you throw at them, they will answer. There is also a beautiful little mountain trail there with a rock garden and various flowers and streams, which was very pretty. The Cherokee were incredibly hospitable and friendly. I only wish that I lived closer so that I could bring my students here. Definitely stop in and see this place if you are in the area.

I didn't know what to expect and was wonderfully surprised. The docents were very knowledgeable. I learned lots of things.

I was really looking forward to visiting this place and gave up the option of taking a beautiful walk in nature to visit this place.
First off, I was expecting to learn about a little bit of history of the Cherokee. However, it seems that it is more of an overpriced tourist trap than a place to learn about how the Cherokee lived. The tour guide didn’t seem to want to be there and didn’t know the answers to most of the questions that we were asked. She seemed to be going through the motions and not really enthusiastic about giving the tour. While we were waiting for the tour to start, the tour guide and another employee were talking about finding another job. During the tour, you stopped at stations where you were supposed to learn about some of the tools, weapons, and crafts that the Cherokee made. However, they didn’t seem to know about what they were making. The tour guide only spent about 20 minutes or so going through the presentations - the rest is self-guided. There was one person in the self-guided part of the tour who seemed interested in talking to us and was very informative. I think the self-guided tour would have been better if there were some explanation for each of the places you can visit. Not all of the stops had a plaque with an explanation or a person that could explain what you were looking at. The tour has the potential to be so interesting and informative, but the employees and organization of the tour leaves much to be desired. I regret not taking a walk in nature instead.

I thought this would be a great place to take the family while we were visiting the area. Instead our guide spent half the visit talking about his personal problems, including a rather questionable relationship with an older member of the staff. Then during dances this same boy continually displayed inappropriate behavior. My young daughter was watching this boy repeatedly flash everyone! And during our tour he had the gall to ask for a tip. Glad we came however. At least we know not to return.

The show was magnificent. It was helpful that there was a narrator at times. The acoustics in the ampitheatre were perfect. WELL DONE!

A unique and enjoyable experience at this outdoor venue. The actors were passionate and the staging and seating were tucked up on the mountain. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Plenty of good refreshments, free parking, and clean restrooms. It was Dracula in late October, but coats and blankets kept us warm. The only thing we were disappointed about was that we came early for the pre-show that was to start a half hour in advance and there wasn't one.

Very very disappointed. I've been many times, our guide was wearing purple underwear and red half suit. He was not knowledgeable at all, he took us half way through the tour then stopped and told us to just look at the houses on our own, he didn't finish the tour, give us any history or anything. He wouldn't answer questions from the tourists, he said we would find out at the end of the tour about dates etc, then he abandoned us, 80 dollars down the drain. Will not take visitors there if this is how we're going to run the village. I'm a local. Take people there a lot.. So sad,

My husband and I toured the Indian Village and also attended the Dracula performance. Both were great experiences. The Indian Village was very informative with alot of various skills performed as we watched and were given great details of the history of the Cherokee Indians. The Dracula performance was amazing. The actors didn't skip a beat and were absolutely fabulous. I'd definitely recommend both events. Thanks so much for a great first day of our trip.

It was a wonderful time. Well worth the price and so informative. We got to learn about how Cherokees produced their own items; how they still live; and talk to the Guides. These Guides actually take time to explain stuff to you...especially, when the children asked questions. I loved it Fully 5 plus stars!

This was a very informative tour! Our tour guide, Dayina
was very sweet and pleasant! She talked to us like she'd known us all forever, very real and down to earth lol, the other 2 information session guides were so interesting and they all were very good at presenting the Cherokee history and lifestyles, making us feel like we were back in time! Even though a couple artist were not available Dayina still told us all she knew about that craft, and always let us ask questions and interact as she talked! We also walked through the Indian garden, a lot was not blooming but it was a beautiful peaceful walk! Thank you!! The Saunders

On the tour itself, you can meet and talk with people of the Cherokee nation and it's very wonderful. They all answered questions and seemed very welcoming to answer the questions and share knowledge with us. After that you are able to walk around, and again meet and talk with people of the nation. They answered all my questions and i got to talking with some for a while, and learned a tun about them. Now waiting on the dance, because of how professional everyone had been thus far, was pretty disappointing. The dances weren't taken serious, and while some of their antics made me laugh, it would of been nice to see them truly do the dances, as i think it would of been beautiful.

DO NOT forget to walk through the gardens, it's beautiful back there! We met a man in the gardens (who was Cherokee) and he told us all about the farming of his people and the struggle from all the wildlife eating it! And answered so many questions and told us stories, i could of talked with him all day. He also gave us fish food for the pond. It was a great honor to have met him.

Walked around in a beautiful Winter day enjoying 62 degree weather. The paths are nice and great for enjoying the sounds of the water. Enjoyed reading all the informative signs along on path.

The museum on 141 was an excellent source of information. The guided village tour had an excellent docent, Chipper, who was very informative. A different tour guide brought us to individual artisan areas and one had two fellows woodworking. Our guide showed us a pipe end of stone that looked almost like it would turn something on and off, with 7 sides. However, she did NOT indicate that reeds were inserted into it but mentioned a tobacco that was dangerous to inhale was placed in the center to burn. When I associated it with an incense burner she did not explain my error and the two men proceeded to belittle me as I walked away. I’m fairly certain they knew their volume. I did not ask any additional questions when it was suggested but I did ask Chipper how it worked and she corrected my mistake with professionalism and kindness. I’m fairly certain I will not bring another guest.

The tour was very informative and we enjoyed learning about the Cherokee Indian life. We were disappointed in the way the docent conducted the tour. None of them seem to have a passion for their "job" We also thought we would see demonstration of Indian dance. That's what the website stated. We were disappointed because we felt it wasn't worth $25.

" Unto These Hills" is a must see! The historical outdoor play of the Trail of Tears was tastefully presented leaving us speechless and emotionally wiping our on tears. The theater itself is comfortable and beautifully nestled among the woods. The staff members on every level were friendly, available and helpful to assist with those with a disability. Thank you for a heartfelt experience. We will cherish the memory.

A friend of mine and myself visited the Oconaluftee Village in Cherokee NC yesterday. Our group guide for our 10:30 tour was incredible. He will be a senior this year at the local high school. He was informative, had a great presentation, humorous and most importantly one could feel his excitement as he spoke on each exhibit.

Attended the Draculla performance and could not hear 90 Percent. Wife has excellent hearing and could not hear 10 per cent. Do not understand why would system is not used. VIP option totally useless. Was supposed to have seperste entrance - not available. Walked down about a third of the treater and decided we could go no farther. Climbing back up after the show was a completely horrible task for 84 year old people. Good point was a very nice young man did assist our exit.
Not a good experience and can not recommend it.

Bruce Burge

All the plays we've seen here before were awesome, however this time a "miss" -- playgoers forced to walk in darkness to the woods where a scene was played and nobody could hear well or see well (and one lady fell on the walk). The actors were not given microphones and they had to shout to be heard, and it wasn't appropriate to be seated close to the stage in order to hear due to COVID/masking. The actors did the best they could. Please in future -- "mike" the actors, don't force a woodland walk in the dark, let us take our seats in the lovely amphitheater upon arrival. Please continue to offer plays in the Autumn in addition to the usual "Unto These Hills" in the Summer.

Loved our visit to the recreated Cherokee village depicting life in the 1700s. Our Cherokee guide was very knowledgeable, and shared interesting historical and cultural information some humor added to spice things up. He interacted well with our group, answering questions and paying attention to the kids to let them know the kinds of things they would have learned in the village at their age. In the middle of our tour, we gathered in the "square" for a demonstration of some traditional dances, performed by the guides and staff. What a delight! The presentation was light hearted, entertaining, and fun. Everyone was uplifted and laughing, and the group of visiting school kids were enthralled. Several of the staff also presented some "lectures" lasting about 15 to 20 minutes covering family life, the matriarchal culture, the trail of tears, and more. Really really well done! And at the end, they reminded us that the Cherokee had no word for "goodbye". Instead they said Donadagohvi (Donna -dago- hiya) -- 'Til we meet again. And as our guide added, if not in this life, then the next.

FABULOUS! I HIGHLY recommend that you attend this historic play. The storyline, the acting, the sets, the amphitheatre were all wonderful.

This show was outstanding. From the production crew to the costumes. Actors and Actresses were superb.
The seating was great, bring and jacket it gets a bit chilly in the wooded area.
Anyone wanting a enjoyable time this is the place to see.

The village is a great place to visit! Very educational and fun! We loved learning about the Cherokee heritage and participating in the dance was awesome!

Excellent way to learn about one of the most influential Native American tribes. Each learning station is targeting topics that are very informative for ALL ages. The first guide taking us through weaving, mask making, etc was excellent. Then things turned sour. The subsequent guides didn’t show up in a timely manner and had only a fraction of enthusiasm as the first guide. We we’re hoping to see more native apparel on Cherokee tribe members along with music and dance, but none of that happened to our disappointment. If these things were added it would be a huge improvement as well as anything interactive with the visitors. Lots of room for improvement and very important for a more positive lasting memory of s great tribe!

Interesting trip back through time to learn about a Cherokee village hundreds of years ago. Walking tour with a guide.

Our family enjoyed this enriching experience. We saw how the Cherokee lived and their various skills. We loved hearing from our tour guide who was knowledgeable and gave a great tour. We highly recommend this experience!

Fabulously informative with real life demonstrations! Well worth the trip!
Very knowledgeable guide about the Cherokee culture. Answered all of our questions with ease. Must see in Cherokee!

Fascinating and extremely well done. Native guide and other artisans were excellent. Great history and current culture explained and very open to answering questions.

We enjoyed the guided tour and craft demonstrations of life in the 16-th thru 18th centuries. The guides were local descendants of the Cherokee Indian tribe of Western North Carolina. They were pleasant, knowledgeable, and responded to our group's questions. They also have a craft store in town that has really talented artisans in wood-working, basket weaving, painting, pottery and more. What a unique experience and a great atmosphere to make the kids unplug and learn in a unique way.

Prepaid tickets - road closure of Newfound Gap due to high wind, so we tried to call to see if they were still open before we made the nearly 2 hour ride around the SM National Park. NO ONE - NOT A SOUL answered the phone - NOT EVEN THE BOX OFFICE! Voice mail did, however, pick up and claimed the guy in charge is on a business trip and would be back until two days later. Needless to say I’ll be disputing the charges to my credit card.

My family and I visited the village on Friday. The guided tour was excellent. The pace of the presentation kept the attention of our three teens. The presenters were knowledgeable and answered every question asked of them. I highly recommend this stop in Cherokee.

The most favorite was the council room. The guide told about each clan and what they did in regards to helping the whole tribe out. Everyone was included and a vital part of tribe. Men women and children are important to them.

I visited today for the first time since I was a child (many years ago) and since the weather wasn't great I was the only visitor at the time. Despite that my guide (whose name I unfortunately didn't catch) was incredible! After the tour I went back to the council house and really enjoyed listening to Riley talk about the various roles of each of the leaders. I was really impressed by not only how knowledgeable these two young people were but also by how personable they were. Thanks to both of them for a great visit!

We visited on a Saturday morning and was surprised to see it so uncrowded. After a very short wait we took a guided tour which was very interesting and we learned so much about the Cherokee Indian life that we didn't know. We were in a small group of 8 and our guide was very knowledgeable. After the guided tour we checked out the houses and took a stroll through the gardens. There was also a lecture on the Cherokee clans. Do not miss this it was my favorite part. At noon we watched a war battle.We were here around 2.5 hours.

The guided tours were a vast wealth of knowledge from the Cherokee people themselves. They take great pride in knowing their heritage and are wanting to share this knowledge with you.

We learned a lot, the guides were very knowledgeable. The admission price is very reasonable. We were there for about 3 hours.

We went here today, the paths were muddy with little mulch on them, so don't wear good shoes. The little play they did was wonderful. The guild we had would have been better if he got rid of the gum he was chewing on., it made it hard to understand him. We left the group and finished on our own. The history of the Cherokee is interesting and would have liked to learn more. Maybe next time we go we will have a better experience or better guild.

We learned so many things about the Cherokee Indian culture while we were here. Getting to see several genuine social dances, hearing the language spoken, and seeing and hearing about how things were made and done. Our tour guide was so full of knowledge about his culture & seemed like a well rounded and humble guy. Going on this tour helped me learn that most of what I thought I knew about Indians was all wrong. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is in the area, plus homeschooling families and families who have children who are learning about this part of history.

We drove a long way to see this based on the reviews and left disappointed. The replica buildings were in poor repair. The staff were lackadaisical and didn't want to talk to us until they were going to give their once an hour talk.

The talks were informative, but they weren't interested in sharing anything more than their rehearsed program.

The exhibit at Jamestown is far more informative and lively. They could do so much more -especially with the price that they are charging.

First of all, I love being on the Rez. I have enjoyed most of the experiences available, byt my favorite is the Oconaluftee Indian Village and Herb walk. Each time I return I learn more and more.

Loved the whole visit, except for the lower half. One of the reenactors on the self-guided portion was VERY RUDE. One girl was telling us about one of the houses and she completely jumped in and kept interrupting the other girl, even when she forgot what she was saying, she kept butting in. Then later she told the same girl that she would do the talking since "These people want to learn."
Can't understand why she had the right to do that. Very rude, very unprofessional, and all around a disappointment from an otherwise enjoyable visit.

This is something that should be included in very classroom in America, or at least have mandatory school tours to the village. I would say there are others throughout the United States as well. As seniors, we never learned much about our native Americans. It was so amazing to me the craftsmanship that went into the products they made, how they survived without modern conveniences was truly amazing. One certainly learns about appreciation for something that is handmade, yet we are so shell shocked by the cost. I don't think I have ever seen such beautiful basket work, and to learn also on how they made the simplest of things; a needle. The village is very well maintained and handicap people shouldn't have a problem. This is really a worth while visit. I actually think it was the highlight of our trip to this area. Put your cell phones away for an hour or two and enjoy this learning lesson and then reflect as to how good we really have it.

Plenty of information regarding their culture and heritage. Closes at 5 pm and gift shop closed before village tour completed. Performers were eager to go home for the day.

We saw the performance of "Unto These Hills" and enjoyed it very much. The dancers were excellent. We also enjoyed the singers in the pre-show. The drama was very good and most of the actors and actresses were very young people, a few older ones. I personally would've liked to see a few more older cast members to balance it out. They were very enthusiastic in all they said and did. The seats were comfortable, not padded but it supported your body well. Thank you for continuing this tradition.

This is a great stop for indian history that you dont hear in school. This is worth the stop and the 20 dollar admission is well worth it be sure to stop and listen to all the programs you will learn a lot.

Amazing experience with our grandchildren who are in middle school. It was educational and entertaining. They were not aware of the history of the Cherokee Indians. It gave us an opportunity for them to experience and learn through a fabulous show.

We had just missed the tour of the village. We got there too late but we did go through their gardens. Very nice trail with some history.

Their gift shop was very nice. Nice jewelry.

Sorry we missed those dances and story telling. We'll catch it next time.

Guides, demonstrators and craftsmen gave tour participants an excellent appreciation for the structure of a Cherokee Village. They showed us how they made and used pottery, bead work, baskets, bows, arrows, blow guns and tanned leather. Dances were performed on sacred grounds and the clan structure was explained in detail. Walk the grounds after to tour and demonstrations to speak to the Cherokees. They welcome questions and are happy to share their culture with visitors.

The people that worked there were extraordinary. My wife was in a wheelchair and they went above and beyond helping the 4 of us get to our seats and back to the exit. It made for a great evening . Thank you all so much

It was a nice visit. Small crowd being in the midst of this virus but the staff was hospitable and friendly. One presenter was a strong feminist. Fine to have a strong view but every aspect of her presentation was strongly influenced by her views. It’s a small but neat and calm atmosphere with real artisans at work. Not attempting to portray any time but the present even though structures are time period.
I would go again just because it’s relaxing. But it’s not a “must see” activity.

The setting was great and it was very interesting!! Much to be learned and enjoyed. Indian villages, water is beautiful, wild life abounds. PEACEFUL!

Highly recommend doing the Indian Village tour. A guided tour by knowledgeable Cherokee people who guide you through a replica village from back in the early days. You stop at different locations depicting how carvings were made, how arrow heads were made, clothing etc. You will stop by replica housing of various types, how they trapped animals for food. You will learn about the different Clans and what they mean, how marriage and spouse get together. A very educational tour that y’all will enjoy. At the end there is a gift shop and a snack shed.

You will learn a lot here. You'll see how traditional items were - and still are - made. You will see the different types of houses Cherokee lived in (no teepees, that was other peoples) and how meals were prepared.

Very cool! Wish we had went sooner! Highly recommend! All sorts of Native American crafts demonstrated, as well as dances. Also lectures on the history and culture

We did the whole tour which was guided and watched dancing, etc. it was one of my favorite things we did in Cherokee, I will definitely be back

The guide was the most disrespectful person I've every met. Don't waist your money. I can get talked down to for free. If I could give a zero rating I would...we traveled 1000 miles to get talked down to.

We very much enjoyed our tour. There were four of us (2 adults/2 children). Our guide, John, was very knowledgeable. I’ve been here before, years ago, and it’s always an educational and enjoyable experience! We were even able to see some of their dances.

This is a great living history museum. The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable of the Cherokee history and traditions. This is a great cultural and educational experience. A beautiful place to visit.

Enjoyed my visit in early May 2019... Very informative, the guide answered questions, and liked the talk from 'Black Fox',.,,

Authentic, educational, sustainable and the tour enhances public awareness of human rights. Very well documented, devoted people, who care and take pride to explain centuries old techniques for survival that have been passed down from generation to generation and preserved in this living history site.

Their mission is to share the triumphant story of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians with the world, through excellence in the arts, education, living history and cultural preservation. We truly enjoyed every minute of our visit !

Husband and I visited there and had a great time. I loved the stories and original looking outfits.The actors was well trained and bring the past back to life.It taught me more about the Cherokee Indians and how they lived. A must see for all ages.

The drama was very enjoyable. The bathrooms need to be updated. The bathrooms are the only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars.

Gotta say, with all the hype that they made in the local paper and online, I expected more than what was there. It's just as rundown as the last time I visited (BEFORE Covid) and I didn't think it was possible, but the staff attitude is worse than ever. Guides are rude, the dancers look bored. Really, I can see why locals say avoid this place. It's gone so downhill I'm surprised it's even still open. Total waste of money.

I keep seeing poor reviews of so many things in Cherokee. Maybe people are just not finding the same things we did bc we had a wonderful time. So I’m listing a day’s itinerary here bc this town has some great things to offer. This could work for couples, families with young kids, seniors, wheelchair, groups.
— start at the Indian Village, plan on 2 hours for the guided tour (included in price of admission). Add another half hour if walking the trail.
— head to the O. Island Park for picnic lunch and to play in the river or lawn areas for the afternoon.
— check in to hotel. I recc Quality Inn, you can see a separate review I wrote on that. Get a river view room.
— dinner at Nikki’s Frybread if it’s around (food truck), check their FB page for location. I don’t love fried food, so it wasn’t my favorite thing ever. But I *do* love trying local flavors, and considering we were here to enjoy Cherokee culture, I wanted to support a Cherokee-owned business and try some of their foods.
If it’s not open, our hotel suggested Granny’s Kitchen. Or if you aren’t in to Southern cooking, pizza or something in the casino (decent dining options are sparse).
— Unto These Hills Outdoor Drama. Gates open at 7, so plan to arrive at 6:45 to get in line for FCFS seating. See my separate review for other tips on that.

I wouldn’t personally plan to stay longer than a day unless I was just planning on outdoor activities like camping or fishing. I’m not in to Casino, and the town is fairly small and pretty run down. But the things I mentioned are nice, so it was an enjoyable way to spend a day on our road trip passing through this route.

My husband and I enjoyed the village so much. It was very informative and interesting and our guides were wonderful! I very much enjoyed seeing the skills of crafting and making the necessary items that are or were used every day. I would recommend this for any age.

The participants were not even in full dress. Our guide abandoned us midway through the tour. After waiting 20 minutes for him to show back up (he never did) we left because it was lunchtime. We were invited to join another HUGE group which involved repeating part of the tour. As we were leaving we saw our guide waiting to take another group. There was no one on site that could offer any restitution. TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY!

My best friend and I visited the Oconaluftee Village and although we got soaked by the rain, we had a very interesting and educating experience. They take you to individual tents to see and learn how they lived and survived many years ago. There could have been more interaction but, it was nice.

Some of the scenes and the loud gunfire were too much for small children.

It was a nice production and I enjoyed it immensely. I did get tired of being told how badly we (white people) treated the indians with no mention of the savage treatment of the settlers by the indians.

I highly recommend a tour of this Village. It is an excellent educational experience and a true step back in time. It's a little pricy but you will have a good time.

Having been to Cherokee many times and we have totally enjoyed the Veterans Park, the Cherokee Indian Museum and most of the exhibits this was a total failure on their part. The price for 2 seniors was $34, had to wait 30 minutes after opening for their tour to begin and it was over in 15 minutes. The native presenters at each station talked about various items and traditions but talked so softly that you hardly heard what they were saying. If you wanted to stay and wait another 30 minutes they had a couple of seminars but there was no where to sit and wait. This was a visit to avoid for the price is not worth your time.

Pretty sure place was amazing at one time . Looks to me whoever owns business no longer really cares . Some of the people working there seemed to care about what they were doing a lot didn't . The place is worth seeing but feel it would make the older generation of Cherokee people cry to see how this place is represented

Wow! Excellent experience. Learned so much about the Cherokee people and their nation. These people deserve every’s respect and admiration.

This is a walking tour with a guide. The stations that you stop at demonstrate different crafts or skills so you can learn about life of the Cherokee in the past. It is a natural trail but even with my arthritis I was able to manage. There is a small gift shop. There are no hands on activities which would be an extra nice feature. Our guide was knowledgeable and didn't mind my questions. There is a Veterans discount. The woods surrounding us were beautiful.

On a recent sibling visit to the Smokies my sister suggested we come here. She had been here years ago with a friend and thought this would be more interesting than a static museum. Initially I wasn’t as keen on visiting Cherokee, NC as I remember I ring somewhat touristy and tacky. Well, Cherokee was tacky but the visit here to see and hear about the Cherokee way of life was very interesting, enlightening and dignified. Let’s face it our history has not been honest or fair to the Native Americans of this country. The guides were very warm and friendly and shared their history and way of life enthusiastically with all the participants. If you go to Cherokee, NC go for the beautiful drive from Gatlinburg along route 411 and to visit this village.

The tour of the village was great! Very informative and a lot for the kids to see. We loved the beaver dance.

We enjoyed learning about the bead work, pottery, weapons, basket weaving, and learning about the seven clans from the council house and the square. The 18th century homes were very interesting and our tour guides were very knowledgeable about what they were demonstrating. It’s been a few years since I was here last so I was disappointed that we did not get to see the canoe building or dancing. It seemed short staffed and a few guides led multiple booth lectures. I understand COVID hit hard, so hopefully there will be more volunteers and demonstrations the next time we visit. We also went to the outdoor drama, Unto the Hills, it made our entire trip to Cherokee and highly recommend this thorough demonstration and and all their hard work to present a true and real story.

The play was very informative and really well done. The actors were very good as was the setting. A must see if interested in American Indian history.

The guided tour was phenomenal!

I've been to similar places where you feel like the guides are just there to pull a paycheck - that wasn't the case here.

Our guide was informative and seemed genuinely interested in sharing the Cherokee story with others. We learned a lot about the history of the Cherokee people and the way they lived. While watching some of the dances, it was obvious the dancers were having fun - not just working.
The tour moved along at a decent pace where you don't get bored, but at the same time, you're not rushed through.

I highly recommend stopping here.

The tour lasted about 45 min. We got to see different things and head a talk from one of the locals.

This Indian village is beautifully situated in a wooded area that is comfortable to walk around even on warm summer days. The guided tour is very informative, with a combination of native craft demonstrations and visits to historical village replica buildings, For adults and families with children with the patience to listen, highly recommend you stay for the short informational talks that take place after the initial tour. The botanical nature trail around the outside of the village is a pleasant short walk worth taking, The combo ticket that includes both the Indian village and tickets to the outdoor drama "Unto these Hills" is a great option.

This was very interesting. Learned alot about the Cherokee indians. Their culture and way of life. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. Very nice. Very easy walk. Masks and temperature are required..

This village highlights the eastern band of Cherokee Indians and the multiple techniques in which these Indians were able to cultivate and thrive by using natural resources such as wood, yellow root, flint, animal horns, river cane, etc. The tours last around 45 minutes to an hour at max and take visitors to multiple stations in which techniques are showcased and talked about. The tour leaders are authentic Cherokee natives who range in age, costumes, and skills. Because they speak fluent English, it is easy to understand and ask questions throughout the tour. This site also offers an Indian garden, historic home examples, and a gift shop / concessions stand for visitors who may want to spend more time at this location. I suggest this location as a pit stop for anyone interested in truly obtaining knowledge about the Cherokees’ history, beliefs, and techniques. Tickets range in price, but adult tickets are currently priced at $16 per person.

Loved this stop - the tour was very informative. They had people weaving, making arrowheads, making pottery, beading, making baskets, hollowing out a canoe.... and many other activities. The staff were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. People of all ages should enjoy this spot.

Due to adverse weather the village was closed and we were unable to get a refund - not happy! Nothing more to say.

This was our second visit and we found it better than the first if that is possible. Wonderful insight into the customs, beliefs and history (past and present) of the Cherokee people. We enjoyed the play and dancing and the tour of the village with all the crafts practiced by the Cherokee. All the guides were fascinating to speak with and are more than happy to answer any questions. A truly informative and enjoyable time.

I loved the production Unto These Hills. There were so many moments of the Cherokee history I heard for the first time. I had chills at the end of the show. Totally worth the drive over from Murphy NC (about 2 hours each way). The concessions warmed us up and we were happy to have brought a recommended blanket each. Beautiful and meaningful experience all around. Thank you Cherokee Nation!

We enjoyed our visit even with a few rain sprinkles. Our guide was good and she took the time to explain each stop and answered the many questions. Quite interesting all around and good representation of their lives on the reservations. The end of the tour was at the arena. A very infomative narrative was given by a young Cherokee presenting the history of the Cherokee. He explained many misconceptions from movies and the plight of the Trail of Tears. Unfortunately, he should have a microphone as we could not hear a lot of it. We saw in reviews there were dancing demonstrations which we did not have so not sure what happened there. Recommend - good lessons learned.

So the tour we were promised was only about 30-45 minutes ended up taking over two hours. Could have just walked around ourselves instead of listening to a bunch of stuff that had nothing to do with village. Visit was still okay though, just wish the guide told us more about Indian stuff than he did himself.

A great walking experience on the history, arts, crafts and culture of the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina both before and after European settlers came to the area. Definitely worth visiting but it is located on a hillside so those who are unsteady on uneven ground may have some challenges.

This was a guided tour. You are taken to individual stations and explained how the Cherokee lived before the English settled in the US.

The play was amazing as well as heartbreaking! The cast was amazing and I enjoyed it all! I knew a lot of the story and it was wonderful to see it live. I had my 8 yo granddaughter with me and we had gone to the museum the day before and she remembered what we had seen and read in the museum! I honor the Cherokee and all the indigenous peoples of the world! They were the civilized ones

A very good drama, well worth going to see this.The staff was so nice, and were very helpful. Will see this again.

We purchased a "package" ticket to go here and to Unto These Hills. There were some interesting demonstrations and lectures.
However, if I had a large group or children I would spend my money elsewhere. We spent maybe two hours here total and we walked the entire area and sat through a presentation.

What a neat place! I knew very little about the Cherokee people but left understanding more than I imagined. Free parking on sight. Nominal fee to enter and receive a docent led tour along with several programs. Small gift shop has all of the souvenirs you could want. Definitely worth checking out.

I had never seen the show growing up in NC, but I took my daughter to see it 8/1. It was well worth the wait. The only problem I had with the production was there were a few times where the sound of the mics shrilled as well as some of the actors were hard to hear of understand because they were wearing masks. It was very moving and I am thankful you are continuing to tell the store of the Cherokee people.

Our seats were straight on!. Great view. The show has lots of color and excitement. It was a historical moment as I had no idea the full story of the Indian plight. So sad.

They give a discount for active duty and retired military personnel. Ask for it if you qualify.

We thought the experience was quite interesting. They give guided tours every few minutes, so don't rush off on your own and expect to enjoy it. After the guided tour, there were two lectures at different parts of the facility. We learned a great deal about the Cherokee and strongly recommend it for anyone interested in their history and culture.

We learned that the Cherokee traded with tribes as far south as into South America. And it especially was interesting to learn that once the Cherokee encountered the White man, they traded for goods that made their lives easier. Also, while the Navajo get much of the credit as "code talkers" during World War II, the Cherokee and many other Indian nations were code talkers, too.

I have selected family (teens), but really it was Famiiy (all adults).

My wife and I took a guided tour. We were taken to four or five booths just to show to the group that what Cherokee people were doing in the past, maybe now. In each booth there were two or three Cherokees doing some handcrafts. Then we were taken to a show area just to watch their dances and listen to their stories about their life in the past. The people giving information to us could speak very well English and we were told that in their daily life they were speaking both Cherokee and English. However when I asked that how ''good morning'' is said in Cherokee language I could not get a proper answer! Then I thought that this tour was kind of tourist show. At the end I was a little bit disappointed! However, it was worth a tour.

The Indian Village was not only informative, but historic since it has been there since 1950. The presenters were patient with all of our questions and it was cool to see history come alive.

Extremely knowledgeable guide. Truly enjoyed hearing spoken traditions. The dancing that was demonstrated was wonderful - as it too demonstrated centuries old traditions. A living-breathing museum.

Actors and Actresses performed well. Many complicated dance moves and set changes. My biggest concern is for the safety of guests, especially seniors. Golf carts were available to transport guests to lower bowl. The infrastructure needs some attention specifically lighting on steps and the incline walkway up to parking area - cracked concrete and uneven gravel. Tree limbs need to be cut back along walkway. Again the performers did well ! Perhaps the Casino could fund / naming rights Good luck!