Our guides were Ave and Ella. They were great. Both were knowledgeable about the area we kayaked in, the wildlife and geology. As a novice paddler I felt completely safe with them watching over us . read more

True North Kayak Adventures - Ella - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

They were so helpful in terms of booking trips that worked for us. We did several trips through them when we were in Homer, and would definitely recommend them. read more

A mixed review on this one. We rented 2 double kayaks for 4 days and commissioned 3 water taxi transits on the bay. The transits were excellent. Our boatman was efficient, timely, and skilled. Four stars. The kayaks were in poor order. On our arrival it was determined that they did not have the boats we had requested so they arranged with their competitor, Mako, to secure our boats. Unfortunately the boats we were given had many problems. One was in need of repair on the forward cockpit foot pegs. Also this boat leaked a bit and the bulkheads were not sealed. The other had a severely sticky rudder problem. I understand that rental boats take a lot of wear and tear but these two should have been inspected and repaired before rental. So I was disappointed. Two stars. Works out to 3 stars overall. read more

This was such a fun trip. I am not a very experienced kayaker so I was a little nervous at first, but I ended up having a blast. I enjoyed beautiful scenery and loved being out on the water in the sunshine. Thank you Katia for being a great guide! Can't wait to do this again. read more

Such a great experience with our guide Kelsey Kayaking on the half day trip. I would do it again just to see all of the otters, eagles and bears on the island shore. read more

I had a great experience using True North Kayak. The night my friend and I arrived in Homer, we went to the Truth North office to see what type of hiking we could do the following day. The lady working the office (can't remember her name), was very helpful and suggested that we do the hike to the Grewingk Glacier. The following morning, August 16, we started at 8 a.m., and Forrest, the boat captain, dropped us off across Kachemak Bay. We hiked to the tram first and then the glacier. The tram is an awesome detour. The tram is a metal cart attached to a pulley system and goes over a river. In order to get to the other side, you have to pull a rope by hand. It's best taking turns if you have a partner so you don't burn out. The hike was pretty flat for the majority of the time until you start descending down to where the boat picks you up. If it's raining, which it wasn't on that day, I can see how muddy and wet the hike could become. Grewingk Glacier was probably the fifth glacier that I saw on my trip and the sight was still breathtaking. We took our lunch and relaxed by the glacier for probably an hour before hiking again. The hike itself did not take that long. Our pace was pretty slow yet deliberate, we stopped to take a lot of pictures, relaxed during lunch, and still made it back to be picked up at around 2:30 p.m. The following day, we went on the Elephant Rock ¾ day Kayaking trip, with guides Shannon and Brad. It had been a while since I've used a kayak, but it was pretty much like riding a bike; you'll pick it up again pretty fast. As opposed to ice climbing, you really don't need that much physical strength to kayak. The Kayaking trip was picturesque to say the least. The calm waters (fortunately it wasn't windy), the mountain ranges, and the lush green vegetation are something to behold. We also saw a lot of wild life including jellyfish, sea otters, whales, multiple bald eagles, and even baby eagles squawking and practicing flight. I could have spent all day hanging out and kayaking the area. Moreover, I had a great experience with the staff. Forrest, the captain of the boat, was very personable and reliable. For the hike, we were supposed to have been picked up at 5:30 p.m., but we called the office and asked to be picked up a few hours earlier. Forrest was very accommodating and picked us up not long after the call. On our trips across the bay, he would also stop to allow us to whale watch, which was an added bonus. Brad, one of the guides for the kayaking trip, was also a pleasure to talk with. He was always willing to answer any questions regarding Alaskan history and made sure we were taken care of and were having a good time. He seemed to be very knowledgeable about rock formation and plate tectonics. Also an avid collector of several types of seaweed, he discussed how seaweed can attribute to more nutrients and minerals than your average diet. Finally, our other guide from the kayaking trip was Shannon. Although this lady hails from relatively large family, she definitely stands out as a guide and a person. In the best possible way, Shannon is full of shann-anigans and her attitude, energy, and humor are very infectious. She was always attentively looking for wild life to make sure that we didn't miss anything. Quite often, she checked in on everyone to make sure that we were doing okay. Lastly, her smile matched the scenery, as they were both lovely. All in all, I had a great time during the glacier hike and the kayaking trip. The Truth North outfit gets my two thumbs up! If it's your first time visiting Homer, I highly recommend these trips and of course a halibut fishing charter! On my return trip, I plan to do more hiking and kayaking again. =) read more

True North Kayak Adventures - Elephant rock - Rafting/Kayaking Near Me - Homer, Alaska

See all

Allison has been running these trips for about 20+ years, she does a good job. Friendly, patient with newbies, and well versed on nature and history of the area. Price was well worth the experience. Would recommend you choose a single rather than a double kayak so you can spend more time listening to nature than you do the critique of your steering from your spouse lol. If you choose to use this as a bonding activity, men... let the wives steer first (in the back) and don't say a word. This will make the second half of the trip (with you in back) a much more enjoyable ride. Just trust me on this one. :) To reserve your spot call Alison and leave a message, she will call you back as soon as she returns for the day - make reservations. Also, take extra warm clothes over on the boat, you can leave them in one of her storage containers if you don't need them and they will be there for you if you do. Great trip, lots of fun, well worth the price of admission. read more

Great guide (Paul), answered our incessant and random questions, was pleasant and genuinely interested in the subject matter, and gave us way more information than we ever could have expected about the flora and fauna, geology, history and features of the natural area. We soaked it up and loved it. Cost was super well worth it, a great value for the tour, owner was awesome and willing to work with us to craft a unique day. Great business and people. Highly recommended! read more

See all

All around excellent experience! The tour guides were amazing and very knowledgeable. Views were spectacular and definitely would do it again but I would do a while Day tour. read more

Alison is the bomb! She's super knowledgeable, organized, efficient, and so is her staff. The customer service is amazing. The outings were challenging yet super safe and approachable. Top-notch operation. read more

Terrible customer service! We arrived in Anchorage late evening in August to poor visibility and the smell of smoke. The next morning we went to pick up our RV for a week on the Kenai peninsula, and saw the posting from Alaska.gov in the lobby: "Southbound to Homer Sterling Hwy at mile 53 to 75 is closed until further notice." We delayed driving south for a day, tried to get through the next day but turned around at Tern Lake Junction in stand-still traffic in intense smoke waiting for a pilot car to allow traffic through, with fire raging out of control on both sides of the highway. I called all the companies we had booked with in Homer, including Major Marine (wildlife & glacier tour) and Rainbow Tours (halibut trip) and they all promptly and courteously offered me a full refund for our scheduled trips due to the circumstances. Except True North Kayak. Only True North Kayak Adventures refused to reimburse us ANYTHING of our paid in full 1/2 day trip for my husband, myself, and our 2 kids. That was a very major amount of our vacation budget now down the drain. The reason they gave for no refund was that I didn't give them 1 week's notice of cancellation! Well if I had a crystal ball, and would have know a week earlier that there would be an out-of-control wildfire and it would close the highway, and fill the air with intense smoke so you couldn't breath, I would have cancelled in advance! In fact I would have never booked it at all, but unfortunately I do not have the power of predicting the future....... DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY - terrible customer service! read more

I've gone on two adventures with True North, and each time has been a fabulous experience! The first was a stand up paddle boarding excursion on Glacier Lake. Alison, the owner, is a fabulous guide who shared everything from personal stories about starting her adventure company to tidbits about flora and fauna. And that was just on the hike in! When we arrived at Glacier Lake, we pulled on wetsuits and, after a brief introductory lesson, were soon floating on the lake itself. We paddled to what felt like the foot of the glacier before breaking for lunch, then explored the lake's perimeter. We even caught site of an otter and, although we didn't see one, Alison told us that sometimes goats can be glimpsed on the mountains. This was a true adventure that I'm sure I will remember for years to come. I also took a half day kayaking trip with Kelsey, one of the guides. Nothing compares to paddling on the pristine, glassy waters around Yukon Island, pulling strands of kelp out of the water to sample its flavor, and watching seabirds and otters bob in the waters along the coast. After kayaking, Kelsey treated us to hot chocolate and tea on the beach. Another memorable day with another wonderful, personable guide! When visiting Homer, True North is the only outfitter I would use to get out and explore across the bay. read more

True North provided a great trip for my wife and I. We did the half day trip 'cause quite frankly, my aging old back won't stand more than a couple hours on a kayak. When we arrived at the office, we were supplied with boots, raingear, and gloves as needed. Our guide, Ben. was laid back and accommodating to the group. In our case we had ourselves and one other couple in the group. We all had some experience so we could dispense with the basics. We ended up having a nice paddle around the island, enjoying the nature and the geology of the area. Ben was a hoot. I'm pretty sure that half of what he told us was total fabrication, but I get lied to every day without enjoying the view I had that day. On the way back to Homer, the Captain of the boat that had ferried us out said he had seen a stellar sea lion on the trip out. He took us back t the spot and we were able to photograph not only the sea lion but a harbor seal, and a group of sea otters 'just hanging out''. A great photo opp. read more

Loved the 1/2 day trip that Allison, one of the co founders, led us on around Elephant Rock, etc - she's really knowledgable abt the area and paces the trip for all skill levels. Total professional, definitely worth it. read more

I highly recommend this tour operation, I had a great experience with them. I booked an all day tour but the weather proved unfavorable, and they worked with me to reschedule the following day, no problem. If you go ask for Brad, he is a knowledgable guide who puts your safety above all else. I saw lots of jellyfish, starfish, and sea otters on my trip. Just amazing! read more

We went late in the season and Allison was the only one still working. She brought us on an amazing sea Kayak trip where we saw Eagles, seals, sea otters and blue Heron. The trip was amazing she is a PROFESSIONAL when it comes to her boating skills and really made our weekend as fun as it was. She gave us a great tour but also just kind of hung out with us and was really awesome. If i ever go back to Homer again, you can be sure that I will be using True North again. Best money I spent in Homer!!! read more

True North Kayak Adventures offers many different types of trips to cater to any traveler's agenda and they offer a great way to explore Kachemak Bay. I took my whole familly on a day trip with them, and they work well with even the complete novice kayaker. The staff is knowlegeable, friendly and entertaining. You will have fun and learn a bunch about the wildlife and the area. read more

The 2 of us did a hike/kayak combo trip with true north in August 2013. We enjoyed it. We booked last minute and kind of squeezed us into her plans, but she gave us a discount at 150 per person for a full day trip. The biggest negative was that we were super rushed on our unguided glacier hike. We are in very good shape and did not dilly dally, but still had to return to the boat immediately after reaching the glacier. The sea kayak leg of the trip was ok, but we were kind of bored by the end. Not much sea life for us and the guide was a young college girl who couldn't answer many questions. Overall had a good day for a good price but next time will arrange my own trip with water taxis and not pack too much into one day. read more

Allison was a wonderful guide! She was patient and had tons of interesting info to share as we spent an amazing day exploring Alaskan Islands! read more

Paul and Amber were awesome guides and we had such a great experience out on the water. The water taxi over is beautiful and fun and then the paddle is so beautiful!! Such a great way to get some views across the water from Homer. Very knowledgeable instructors who make sure you are safe, having fun paddling and giving you great info on everything you are seeing!! read more