Everything is Growing
Fraser River Lodge is an Indigenous-owned lodge offering luxury adventure travel, guided fishing excursions, a range of group activities, gourmet dining, and more from its private riverside location in the Fraser Valley.
Authentic Indigenous recognizes Fraser River Lodge for its work to share Cheam culture and protocols with visitors, to grow and create opportunities for its People under the guidance of community and Elders, and to build community partnerships that encourage mutual growth and respect, and prioritize support for the care of local lands and waterways.
There is something you feel when you arrive at Fraser River Lodge, nestled on the banks of the great river under Mount Cheam in Aggasiz, BC, just one hour from Vancouver and 10 minutes from Harrison Hot Springs.
Not just the scale of the valley or the movement of the Fraser River, but something deeper, something carried in the air, in the water, in the way people gather.
“The feelings and the essences that come here, you don’t get that just anywhere. It’s on the banks of the Fraser,” says Tsimalanoxw Cheam, Cheam Cultural Lead.
Since August 2024, when Cheam First Nation took ownership of Fraser River Lodge, that feeling has been grounded in something clear and intentional.
“The first thing we did was reach out and integrate a lot more cultural experiences here. We just dived right into that after ownership changed. We started building relationships, connections, and integrating–hiring staff here from Cheam,” shares longtime employee Claudette Krahn, General Manager at Fraser River Lodge.
This is an Indigenous-owned lodge on Cheam Traditional Territory, operating with a commitment to local Indigenous protocols, cultural integrity, and community-led direction in every part of its business.
Everything is growing here.
Indigenous-Owned Lodge
Fraser River Lodge is proudly owned by Cheam First Nation and operates on their Traditional Territory. That ownership is not symbolic; it shapes how the lodge functions day to day.
There is a commitment to uphold local Indigenous protocols and respect Cheam values in all aspects of operations. This includes how guests are welcomed, how land is acknowledged, and how decisions are made in relationship with community leadership and knowledge keepers.
Fraser River Lodge actively engages with Cheam First Nation leadership and knowledge keepers to ensure operations honour traditional values and respect the land. This includes acknowledging unceded territory in communications and events, ensuring that every gathering begins with recognition of place and responsibility. The Lodge collaborates with Cheam First Nation on conservation efforts that align with Indigenous values of respecting and protecting the land and waterways.
Through these initiatives, Fraser River Lodge is not just a business within the Cheam First Nation Territory—they are an active, respectful, and engaged community partner dedicated to mutual growth, cultural preservation, and sustainable development. Indigenous leadership is also embedded through partnerships. The lodge prioritizes collaborations with Indigenous-owned businesses and vendors to ensure economic benefits remain within Indigenous communities.
At Fraser River Lodge, cultural practice is not separate from operations; it is part of how the space functions.
At the centre of gatherings are opening ceremonies and Indigenous welcomes, led by Cheam Elders and Knowledge Keepers. These moments bring people into alignment with land, intention, and community values before any work or event begins.
Our Indigenous ways -
“Our Indigenous ways–the best way to learn is to be there. Our ceremonies require four essential ingredients, and one is food. Prayer–we always have prayers, or there’s an opening drum to get everyone to the same intention. There’s the teaching, like what we’re doing here–talking and learning. And then there’s the generosity side, usually it’s gift giving,” shares Tsimalanoxw.
From there, learning continues in many forms. Guided grounding meditations use drumming, teachings, and embodied practice to support presence and connection to land. Traditional talking circles create space for listening and shared understanding, reinforcing the teaching that all people, and all life, are interconnected.
Keynote teachings explore Indigenous and holistic approaches to healing and workshops expand on trauma and culturally grounded approaches to wellbeing. Elder and community gatherings happen regularly, ensuring cultural continuity is not occasional, but ongoing.
At the foot of Mount Cheam, the dog-friendly Lodge offers panoramic views of the Cascade Mountain Range. Produce from Cheam’s regenerative farms is available at the recently opened Xwchíyò:m Farm Market, with ingredients making their way into the Lodge’s menus and culinary experiences.
Fraser River Lodge, in partnership with Compass Heli Tours, offers unforgettable wilderness adventures. Guests can explore remote alpine landscapes by helicopter, from guided heli-fishing and kayak fishing on pristine glacial lakes to scenic sightseeing flights and custom wilderness experiences. Or relax riverside and throw axes or enjoy a hot tub with an eye-level view of their small bison herd.
Fraser River Lodge isn’t just a tourism destination; it is a community space for both Cheam and the local community.
Cheam leadership is engaged through regular town halls and open communication, ensuring transparency and shared direction for the lodge’s operations. Cultural and educational events bring community members together with visitors in ways that centre on storytelling, knowledge sharing, and relationship-building.
Employment and training opportunities are prioritized for Cheam First Nation members, with pathways into hospitality, tourism, and cultural interpretation. This creates not only jobs but long-term capacity within the community.
Fraser River Lodge also supports local Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs by showcasing and selling their work in its gift shop, strengthening cultural economies and visibility. The lodge space is regularly used for community meetings, workshops, and gatherings, ensuring ongoing access for cultural and civic life.
Across all of this, there is a consistent principle: the Lodge exists not apart from community, but as part of it.
Operating on Cheam Territory along the Fraser River carries deep responsibility.
Sustainability at Fraser River Lodge is guided by Cheam First Nation leadership and rooted in Indigenous land-based values. Environmental stewardship is not treated as separate, but as integral to how the place and people thrive and share this with visitors.
Fraser River Lodge respects and upholds environmental stewardship by aligning operations with traditional Indigenous values, minimizing ecological footprint, and promoting sustainable tourism. Guests are supported in learning about the significance of the land, water, and ecosystems they are visiting.
Cheam-led initiatives guide conservation work across land and waterways. The lodge supports environmental education through guided land-based experiences, talking circles, and cultural programming that connect people directly to place.
Community gatherings and environmental celebrations reinforce shared responsibility for protecting the land for future generations.
Fraser River Lodge is not a business on Indigenous land. It is a place shaped by Indigenous governance, Indigenous knowledge, and Indigenous responsibility.
The intention is for Fraser River Lodge to actively honour and reflect the cultural identity, values, and traditions of Cheam First Nation in every aspect of its operations. This includes cultural protocols, community employment, environmental stewardship, and ongoing learning. It also reflects a broader vision that tourism can support healing, land restoration, and long-term community wellbeing.
As expressed through Cheam leadership, this work is about healing land and people together, and ensuring future generations inherit something stronger, more balanced, and more connected. Fraser River Lodge continues to evolve through that vision.
Everything is growing here.
Join Us
Learn more about this Authentic Indigenous business at the link below.
Fraser River Lodge offers an exclusive discount for Indigenous Peoples.
