Riverboat Discovery Tour
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Paper ticket
Your three-hour cruise will take you into the heart of Alaska and introduce you to a family who has made the rivers of Alaska a way of life for five generations. You will see a bush floatplane takeoff alongside the boat, visit the home and kennels of the late four-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher and see her champion sled dogs in action. Be immersed into the ancient Athabascan Indian culture when our Alaskan Native Guides take you on a personalized tour of the Chena Indian Village. The Binkley family invites you to experience a slice of Alaskan life!
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Your three-hour cruise will take you into the heart of Alaska and introduce you to a family who has made the rivers of Alaska a way of life for five generations. You will see a bush floatplane takeoff alongside the boat, visit the home and kennels of the late four-time Iditarod winner Susan Butcher and see her champion sled dogs in action. Be immersed into the ancient Athabascan Indian culture when our Alaskan Native Guides take you on a personalized tour of the Chena Indian Village. The Binkley family invites you to experience a slice of Alaskan life!
Options
Riverboat Discovery Tour
What‘s Included
Coffee and/or Tea
Fresh-baked Alaskan Blueberry donuts are served everyday, complimentary to all guests.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Reviews
1,343 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Relaxing 3 hours
Teresa H,Jun 25, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00We enjoyed the well organized “show”. Gr aeat staff, but the river scenery was not impressive. It was a relaxing 3 hours
A must do
mbtur,Jun 24, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fabulous & engaging way to demonstrate native living, history and pride
Great review
Sherry H,Jun 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Loved the dog sled part the most. Very informative. Thanks again for the opportunity and the great work you did to make this happen
Great tour, just do it
NYTom64,Jun 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did this tour with a couple that had done it before, but we all loved it. It is run very well, and all the details are planned out to the last detail. They have a nice gift shop that you can go in before or after the tour. It was very relaxed and I would recommend it. The staff on and off the boat were very friendly and assisted with anything you needed.
Unique Tour
Angel Z,Jun 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour had a lot of unexpected highlights, including lunch, excellent narration on the boat, commentary from the riverside as the boat traveled along the river and educational demonstrations.
Steamboat up the river
N7378EXjanek,Jun 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Beautiful day for a steamboat ride up the Chena river. Bush pilot demonstration, sled dog show and Athabascan village. Extensive gift shop and lunch in the restaurant is a must do. Great experience
Riverboat cruise
A1706GHgregr,Jun 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A must do if in Fairbanks and the smoked salmon is out of this world!
Beautiful old river boat cruise
wally04,Jun 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a wonderful way to spend a morning. The boat is huge and has 5 floors, inside and outside, and a row of seats at the front in the sun. All staff are professional and friendly. They are well organized and things run like clock work. We chose the 4th floor and thought it was great, behind the wheel house and the left side of the boat is best to sit on, on the way up river. You stop at a native camp where you learn about salmon fishing, the way the Natives used to live and about the animals they caught to live. Really interesting. You pull up beside a real working dog sled kennel and learn about that. It is very relaxing.
More than expected
cindywF2616UV,Jun 19, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was the coolest thing. A floatplane took off, landed, and took off again right beside us. Then, we stopped for a sled dog exhibition. Lastly, we stopped at a heritage site for an hour to explore. First rate experience! LOVED IT. Everyone is super nice. There is also a HUGE gift store with the best prices around. I found several Alaska themed shirts at much better prices than Anchorage.
Nice to do in Fairbanks
Sandibeachtraveler,Jun 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Something to do in Fairbanks. The dogs were my favorite. I did like seeing life for the indigenous people. Gave me an insight into their lives. Sort of felt like an adult school trip. Needed a little more time to explore the village. Boat is roomy.
Related Experiences
Operated by Riverboat Discovery