Photo by Mikhail Vedyokhin · CC BY-SA 2.5
Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver
This specialized cave course teaches divers already qualified as Technical Cave Divers to master sidemount cylinder configuration within cave systems, where streamlined tank placement improves profile and navigability through tight passages. The focus is on sidemount-specific trim and buoyancy control, gas management across multiple independent sidemount cylinders, and stage abandonment from the sidemount position. Sidemount cave diving unlocks exploration of restricted passages and technical sumps that would be hazardous with back-mounted tanks, and is a prerequisite for the Advanced Cave - No Mount specialization.
Centres that teach this course
1 dive centre in the directory publish a price for this exact certification, checked Sep 2026. Each centre's own wording is shown beneath its name. Ranges cover whole-course prices only — where a centre charges per day or per dive, its rate is listed separately below, since a daily figure is not comparable with a course total.
- $900total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- Advanced Diver MexicoMexicoAdvanced sidemount cave diving course$300/day→ $900 for the 3-day minimum$300per day
Same training under a different agency
3 centres
A separate set of centres, teaching Cave Sidemount under a different agency. These are not the same certification — the standards and the card differ — but they cover the same depth and scope, which is why centres price them alike. Every row here names whose rating it is, and none of them is counted above.
- $1,100total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)MexicoSidemount Cave (crossover)TDI1 student$300/day→ $1,500 for the 5-day minimum$300per day
- Under The JungleMexicoCave Sidemount CrossoverTDIprivate$345/day→ $2,070 for the 6-day minimumper diver in a group$295/day→ $1,770 for the 6-day minimum each$345per day
- CDT Mexico (Cave Diving Training)MexicoSidemount CaveTDI1 student$300/day→ $600 for the 2-day minimum$300per day
Same tier, agency not stated
1 centre
These centres publish a price for Cave Sidemount, but their own wording does not say which agency's certification it buys — many teach several and name the card only once you enquire, and some price one course for either agency. The figure is comparable; the certification is not identified, so we do not guess at one.
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- Protec MexicoMexicoOverhead Sidemount1 student$420/day→ $2,100 for the 5-day minimum2+ students$370/day→ $1,850 for the 5-day minimum each$420per day
These prices are not like-for-like. Two centres can charge very differently for the same certification because they include different things. One price may cover twinsets, stages, deco gas and cylinder rental for every training dive, a dedicated classroom for the theory, boat or transport to the site, and the agency's registration and materials; another may be tuition only, with all of that charged separately — or the other way round, with a centre bundling in extras the first leaves out. Class size, whether the course is one-to-one, and how many days are allowed for it move the figure too. Check what each centre's price includes before comparing them, and confirm with the centre before booking.
Consumables are usually extra. Sorb, helium, O₂ and other fills, park and cenote fees, certification fees and rental are commonly charged on top.
Packages combining several certifications, upgrades from an existing one, and open-ended day rates are excluded — none of them is the standalone price of this course, and including them would move the figures away from what a new student can actually book.
Prerequisites
IANTD Technical Cave Diver (or equivalent), minimum 50 logged cave dives, minimum 18 years old. Training depth limited by current cave depth certification.
Instructors Teaching This Course
Mexico
United States
Indonesia
Dive Centres Offering This Course
Mexico
United States
We're still building out the directory country by country, so this list isn't every instructor or dive centre teaching it in the world — more locations are coming soon.
Common questions about IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver
How much does IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver cost?
One centre in the TecDiveTools directory publishes a whole-course price for IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver: Advanced Diver Mexico, at $900. 1 centre charges by the day instead, which is not comparable with a course total. Prices differ mainly in what they include, so compare the inclusions before comparing the numbers. Prices were last checked in September 2026.
How long does IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver take?
3 days, based on the durations 2 centres publish for it. The time depends on the centre's schedule, weather, and how quickly the required skills are demonstrated — agencies set a minimum number of dives, not a fixed number of days.
What are the prerequisites for IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver?
IANTD's standards require: IANTD Technical Cave Diver (or equivalent), minimum 50 logged cave dives, minimum 18 years old. Training depth limited by current cave depth certification.
What is the minimum age for IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver?
IANTD's standards state: Minimum 18 years old.
How many dives do I need before starting IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver?
IANTD's standards state: Minimum 50 logged cave dives.
What is the equivalent of IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver in other agencies?
At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: TDI Cave Sidemount. They cover comparable training, but each agency sets its own standards, depth limits and certification card, so they are comparable rather than interchangeable — check which one your next course accepts.
Where can I take IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver?
24 dive centres and 37 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver, in Mexico, the United States, Thailand and Indonesia. Each is listed further up this page.
Does the price of IANTD Adv. Cave - Sidemount Diver include gas and equipment?
Not always — it varies by centre. Certification fees, equipment rental and boat or site fees are commonly charged on top of the course price. Each centre's price list on TecDiveTools shows what it notes as included.