We will start the morning with breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast we will head to the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, where we will get a chance to learn more about the history of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians in this state of the art facility.
The Museum features over 10,000 years of the Cherokee occupation of the surrounding mountains.
When we walk into the Museum we will be taken to the Story Lodge, where we will hear ancient Cherokee myths including the tale of Kanati and Selu, the tribe’s first forebears.
After that we will explore different exhibits showcasing archaeological artifacts, utensils, craft objects like baskets and tools, as well as computer animation to bring the past into the now.
Starting at the Archaic period all along to the Mississippian period (10,000 to 500 years ago) we will see the development of the Cherokee Culture, from warfare to agriculture, to medicinal uses of the natural plants found in the Mountains today.
After 1540 the story of the Cherokees changes and is reborn into the sovereign nation we find today.

In the afternoon we will either explore the Oconaluftee Indian Village or take a hike in the surrounding forests where the Cherokees have lived for a millennia.

The Oconaluftee Indian Village is open from Mid-May to Mid-Oct. The Village is a unique experience of stepping back in time. As you make your way to the Village, take a moment to observe your surroundings. Do you smell the faint odor of wood smoke? Do you hear the birds in the trees? Do you hear a faint “thump-thump” in the distance? You are about to step into a village found in the 1750’s, with potters busily firing their pots in the wooden kilns, weavers creating baskets, and skilled craftsmen creating wooden canoes and flint knives. There is activity going everywhere you look to, a true Cherokee village from the past come to life in front of you. We will explore the seven-sided Council House where the sacred fire burns and all Village matters are heard by all in a true form of democracy, “all adults have a say, speaking one at a time without interruption, and listening with full attention, the Cherokee way.” There is also a Medicine House where we will learn about the different medicinal plants and herbs used by the Cherokee Indians.
We will have experienced a full day of new sights, points-of-views and history, so the evening will be free for you to either go back to the hotel or walk around the town visiting the different shops.

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