Be careful if you use this company or plan on using them. if you have ever left them a bad review-four years old. They may choose to leave you on the side of a mountain in November with a storm approaching. After agreeing to a price and a pick up time and location. read more

With a group of about 15, it cost about $45 each way for a ~20 minute ride from Homer, AK, across the bay to Kachemak Bay State Park. If you have a big group, be aware they allow about 6 people at a time on their boats. Coming back, we were scheduled for a 3pm pickup. We ran late due to some issues while rafting and messaged them on our InReach, easily rescheduling for a 7pm pickup. We finished early and with only about 45 minute's notice, they came and got us at 5:45pm instead! The captains have all been friendly. You can sit outside or in their cabin. They're also knowledgeable about the trails in the area; some are not very well maintained and they will give you a head's up on those. read more

Mako's is staffed by friendly, dependable folks. They gave good advice and a small print map for the Glacier Lake & Saddle Trail hike, which ended up being one of our favorite experiences in Alaska. On the way over on the Orca, the captain told us all about Kachemak Bay, the wildlife, and communities. We got dropped at Glacier Spit and the captain pointed out the trailhead for us. Hike was amazing, but with nasty weather coming in, we texted for a slightly earlier pickup and they swooped in. They really went the extra mile for us. Heads up - we got a bounceback when texting the text-only number saying it was undeliverable, but they did receive the text and came through for us. read more

Mako's Water Taxi - The orca dropping off hikers at Glacier Spit. - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

Totally recommend this water taxi outfit. They were beyond friendly. I called a few days before our trip to ask a few questions and was given such amazing guidance. They let me know the plan I had wasn't a good option. That the trail I had planned to hike was in bad shape. And offered an alternate route. Very informative and friendly. Check in was an easy process and loading up. We got dropped at the beach and had a plan to be picked up two days later. Everything went really smoothly. Definitely recommend this company! read more

think one of the things keeping me from messing around in Kachemak Bay State Park has always been: "dude, I don't even water taxi." I decided to fix that. I started researching water taxis and Mako's (pronounced like a Mack Truck, not like a Mako Shark, what a missed opportunity!) seemed to be the way to go. They have the distinct advantage of operating year-round, not just during the sunny tourist season. The prices for all the water taxi services are very similar, if not the same. The shout-out goes to Mako's because our captain, Curt Jackson (I suck at names, I only know hisbecause I forced him to give us his card!), was incredible. He had a deep wealth of knowledge for all things outdoors. Great beta on yurts/cabins/hikes/kayaking/mountain climbs/etc. If you want to do something outside, he's got you covered. He was also very approachable and friendly. He's the type of person that knows his audience's skill level, and meets them at their capability. This is something of a rarity. So many guiding types feel like they are either talking down to you like you know NOTHING or the complete opposite: dropping non-stop proprietary jargon and expecting you to follow-along. Curt struck a perfect balance. He suggested that we begin our research at Mako's next time (Mako's was the last place I called, having already booked a yurt). And I think he's right. They seem to know the status of most of the tails/yurts/cabins/etc in the K-bay area. I will be back, and I will be special-requesting Curt! read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Storefront - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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Thanks for the recommendation for a spectacular hike and chill time at the glacial lake from Grewingk Glacier. The hike from Right Beach was pretty flat and extremely beautiful. Tons of bear scat but no actual bears. We were able to enjoy about an hour on the beach (and soak our feet in ice water!) before heading "down" to be picked up. Though we were told to allow 45-60 minutes to the other beach it really should have been 75. The captain had to wait for us but said the trail had recently been changed in a way that added .4 miles worth of switchbacks. It was still very steep but pretty spectacular. People with knee issues should use hiking poles (fortunately we had a long and sturdy driftwood pole my aunt used) to navigate and support. With Halibut Cove closed to visitors right now this was a fabulous option. Oh, and the ride back to Homer was fast, splashy, and more invigorating than anything Disney could ever offer. read more

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Top notch. I used this taxi to go hike Grace Ridge. The service is easy to use, and they have great staff. (It's cheaper than other taxis, too.). The ride back and forth was a little more thrilling than I expected, but that was part of the fun. Highly recommend if you need a water taxi in the area. read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

Makos water taxi is the way to get over to Grewink Glacier on kachemak bay, on a uninhabited island. You might get mixed feelings from your boat drivers. Our first captain rushed us off the boat and was not flexible with time, however the captain who took us back was very nice and friendly. read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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Our ride out to the Glacier was great. Nice little boat on the Blue too and great captain and smooth ride and drop off. On the pick up, it was completely different. Large boat that didn't have any ramp. We were over two feet of water and six feet difference from the ladder of the boat to the beach. They grabbed a small bench that we were supposed to step on to get to the ladder. Well that sank and these poor older people nearly fell in and got their shoes soaked. Didn't give us any safety rules or tell us where life jackets were. It was very ill equipped and they were unprepared to pick us up in the manner they should have. read more

Great service and amazing hike! Captain Paul and Curt were very friendly and easy to communicate with. Thank you!! read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Captain Paul was prompt in meeting us at the trailhead for our ride home :) thank you! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

We were very happy with their service. The girls in the office were helpful and patient with us as we asked our many questions. Our plan was to take the water taxi over to hike to Grewink glacier. One concern we had was the presence of brown bears, being only in a group of 2. It turned out not to be a problem as there was quite a bit of hiker activity over there. When we arrived in the morning, we learned that, due to the rougher ocean conditions, they had to adjust the drop-off point. Although disappointing, safety is first and I appreciate their conscientious management of the business. Everything went well as we were taken to Saddle Junction, the new drop-off point. Crossing over in one of their larger boats, they had to shuttle us to the shore in a smaller boat that could deliver us to dry land. There isn't a dock at this location but the stern of the boat comes right up to the shore. There are 3 steps off the back of the boat that allow you to step down and onto dry land. The captain was there to help us. On our return trip we were on the smaller boat. (We should have crossed over on that one but we accidentally ended up on their larger boat-our mistake). Once again, it was easy to keep our feet dry as we climbed the 3 steps into the boat. However, I did time it with the small waves moving onto and off land. The wind had come up during the day, creating large swells. I loved it! Although there was seating inside the small pilot's cabin, I chose to stay outside in the wild weather. It was great fun going over the swells. The captain was sensitive to the needs of his passengers and made sure that the ride was as smooth as possible. Regarding the pick up time: We left Homer around 8:30 and planned to depart the shore at 3:30. Hearing that our hike would be shorter due to the change in drop-off location, we moved our pick up time to 1:30. BIG MISTAKE! There's more to area to hike and see, even for a few older, weaker hikers like us. After having our great hike we decided, we wanted to have more time at the glacier. But we had to get back for our boat! There's no cell reception at the lake. To be able to call the office we hiked back about 1/2 mile from the lake to get reception. It was odd that I didn't have bars on my phone but the call went through. So keep trying as you hike. We were able to arrange to take the 3:30 boat back to Homer. Later I asked the captain what happens if someone doesn't show up. He said that usually people get word to other hikers to let the captain know they won't be on that boat. If not, he will wait around for awhile, but his responsibility is to the boat and so he can't leave it. He would report the absent hikers to the local authorities if there is no word. The level of concern also depends upon the hikers. A grandpa and his young grandson would merit more concern than a few backpackers who are prepared for the area. It made sense and gave me a lot of comfort to know that I wouldn't have been left behind and forgotten (giving me an unwanted chance to encounter the bears I never saw if I didn't show up at the beach). read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Step on up into the boat! - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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We were in Homer and wanted to go backpacking. We heard that going across the bay to Kachemak Bay State Park and Wilderness was a good place for hiking for a few days. We got a recommendation for Mako's Water Taxi. It was easy to find on the Homer Spit, and the staff were very knowledgeable about the routes in the park (but their information was a little out of date as one part of the trail was seriously overgrown and another part was still covered in snow (in June)). The woman there took the time to show us several options for hiking and let us borrow her book about the trails over there while we thought about it. Anyway, they were knowledgeable, helpful, and generally had good customer service. My only minor complaint was that it cost $165 round trip for 2 people. read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Mako's sign along Homer Spit - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

We called Mako's knowing nothing about Homer, and I simply (and ignorantly) requested, "We would like to go across the bay." The friendly gal on the phone suggested Glacier Lake trail and our half day adventure was set! Compared to others we met on the trail, we felt more prepared, thanks to Mako's. They armed us with bear spray and a tiny teeny little map, which was more than others! They also patiently answered all my paranoid questions regarding bears (hence the bear spray). I forgot the name of our taxi boat there, but he was kind and willing to share local stories. On the way back we were with Too Blue. She was so kind and friendly with twin 225 Honda engines!! Woo hoo!! We got back in no time! I don't know if everyone in Homer is so nice, but we certainly felt like we only encountered wonderful people there. read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Yes you arrive at a real glacier lake on Glacier Lake Trail! Just gorgeous - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

A lovely, organized way to take a trip across the bay! This company was able to get my family in last minute for a jaunt to Glacier Lake, and work hard to accommodate our different schedules coming back. All the staff was cheerful and confident, and our captain aboard the Mulligan handled the choppy water with ease. I felt safe and like it was well worth the cost with these guys! Check 'em out first if you ever need a water taxi read more

They were prompt and it was a wonderful boat ride to Halibut Cove. We had 2 different drivers and both were knowledgeable and very helpful. Enjoyed the trip! read more

Use this service if you plan on exploring across the bay. Janel, our boat captain, was so kind and knowledgeable of the area, including the wildlife. On our first trip, she took us to see the otters, harbor porpoises, whales (although we weren't able to find them), etc. We road on the Orca while exploring around the bay that day, which is a beautiful boat, and she navigated the waters expertly and smoothly. Later on the week, we rode the Blue Too (another beautiful boat) with Captain Janel, to hike Grewink glacier. Before dropping us off, she gave us many tips on how to avoid bears (important). She picked us up promptly at the time she said she would after the incredible hike. Will only be using this service whenever we visit. read more

The 3rd part of our Fly, Hike, and Boat tour was a pickup from Halibut Cove. All we knew was Mako's was picking us up. I thought the boat would have Mako's written on it, but it didn't. We waited around on the upper deck of the boat ramp before we realized this guy waiting below was our ride. It was our first ride so we didn't know better. We stopped at one other location to pick up another couple and back to the Spit we went. Once ashore we stopped in the office to pay for our ride. While there we started talking to the girls and arranged a kayak trip for the next morning. We were able to arrange an after hours pickup, giving us more time on the kayaks. The girls waived the after hours fee because there was another group also being picked up late and they were already covering the overtime. We arrived the next morning and two different girls tried dinging us for the late pick up. Apparently the other group cancelled. After checking out various schedules they were able to keep us out as late as they could, which turned out to be the perfect amount of time. Kayaking was an absolutely amazing experience and a big thanks to the first two girls who recommended the area to go to. We had the bay to ourselves and had absolutely perfect weather. Our return taxi was a little early but arrived at our beach just as we were. I highly recommend this place. read more

I'd recommend Mako's to anyone looking for a water taxi (& maybe even flightseeing, though we didn't do that). The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and happy to go through all the different options with us and make recommendations. We ended up taking a water taxi across the bay to Kachemak State Park & then getting picked up a few hours later for $75. They can also fly you over, drop you off in the park, then have a water taxi meet you down by the bay to bring you back (I think maybe that was like $175). Their shop is next to Coal Towne Coffee, across from the public bathrooms. It was so much fun & I'm so glad we did it. :) read more

Mako's Water Taxi - Mako's Water Taxi office - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

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Good customer service . Showed us around the bay . Pricey but worth it . It was a beautiful day as well in Alaska

If I could give this water taxi company 6 stars, I would. I purchased a taxi through Mako for the day in order to hike the grace ridge summit ( I would strongly recommend this hike to anyone who is ready for a workout). I reached kayak beach at 1:30 and began my hike. Unfortunately, I miscalculated how long it would take me to get down from grace ridge and I missed my 7:30pm return taxi. However, I was able to get In touch with the caring and professional staff at Mako and they sent a taxi over to wait for me to finish the hike. It was truly gracious of Mako to wait as I finished the hike 50 minutes later than I planned on. I cannot thank the captain and the entire staff for being so classy and providing such great service. I would absolutely return to Mako if I ever needed a water taxi, and I recommend them to anyone looking for a journey across the water from Homer! read more

We used the water taxi to get to a day hike at Kachemak Bay. Everyone was very friendly - we reserved ahead of time and it was easy to set up. They were also flexible and told us to call if we needed to change the return time. We took some time to get a closer look at wildlife which was great! read more

Mako, Mako, Mako (shaking my head). I went to Mako to go Kayaking ($180 for two people). I didn't make a reservation but I should have (make a note of that). They did the best to accommodate me, but along the way I got to see the choas that is Mako's business model. A couple of hours later Mako found a guy to take us out. Without signing any liability forms or giving us any advice at all, or discussing ocean kayaking as a general matter; or even giving us a map; my wife and I were dropped off at a beach about 5-10 miles from Homer, and told to meet them back at this beach in 6 hours. During that six hours we had a good time and did a lot of kayaking in Peterson Bay. It was really fun and we saw otters and sea lions up close. Lots of bald eagles too. We got a little lost (seeing as we had NEVER BEEN TO ALASKA BEFORE and its a big place!) and we hit some rough waters out on the ocean. But all's well that ends well. We made it back to the beach 6 hours later and Mako's boat picked us up promptly as promised. I was a little suprised and impressed that all the pieces came together. Nevertheless, due to the price and the lack of organization, I have to ding ol' Mako a couple of stars. read more

Mako's was great. Both our drivers for the taxi were accommodating and one of them have us a little extra sightseeing. Would definitely recommend. The only minor issue is that our driver on the way back was 5 minutes late. Still a five star read more

Mako's is great! Friendly, fun staff who take the time to answer questions even while juggling the masses that go there, because they are the best! I use them whenever I have guests in town because they have a wide variety of options for about 80$ a person, which I think is fair considering you get a boat ride across the bay, excellent customer service, and they will drop you off at one location for kayaking or hiking and pick you up at another location so you don't have to backtrack. My feeble friends love the 2 hour Wildlife Tour because you stay on the boat and get to see so much at Gull Island and around Katchemak Bay. My favorite is the Seldovia Water/Land/Flight package because you get to do and see a lot for about $150 and we take our time and enjoy the day. read more

Four adults and two children each spent $75 each fir two hours on a group nature tour on the water. We did see lots of sea otters and went by the bird rookery but nothing else. The Captain did not make one comment during the entire trip-- other than a few safety directions. And we spent about half an hour touring Halibut Cove seeing lots of fancy houses. That being said the water and views of the mountains were spectacular-- but also can be enjoyed from walking on the beach. read more

This is a fantastic gig... The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable. Most importantly, they are PUNCTUAL. My family ended up finishing our hike early, and they worked out an arrangement with another taxi company to pick us up early since they couldn't get a taxi to us before our scheduled time. I would highly recommend this business for anyone that needs a water taxi in Homer. read more

These guys are great. They lived my kayaking trip up and agreed to hold my post cards while I was out. When we returned after their closing time they made a special trip back to the store to get me my cards. These guys care and they'll go the extra mile! read more

Great service. The staff will do whatever it takes to accommodate your needs. They get crazy busy in the summer so reservations are a must. However, they will do what they can to fit you in with any of their schedules. Very punctual! read more

Reliable, friendly, safe water taxi services offered throughout the Kachemak Bay area. Mako and his crew are our Go To water taxi service when we need a ride.. read more

We had an EXCELLENT day, made perfect by our friendly and fun water taxi driver Gabe. We saw whales and learned about salmon, and were dropped off at the Grace ridge trailhead and picked up at the end of the hike right when we finished. It was super Fun, would def use again!!! read more