Photo by Mikhail Vedyokhin · CC BY-SA 2.5
GUE Cave Sidemount
Specialized course training experienced cave divers to navigate overhead environments using sidemount equipment configuration—ideal for narrow passages, archaeological work, or specialized surveying applications. Covers sidemount-specific buoyancy, trim, valve manipulation, and emergency procedures in cave settings. Training develops mastery-level proficiency with this alternative configuration while maintaining all cave diving safety standards and protocols. Opens access to cave passages and projects otherwise unreachable with traditional backmount doubles.
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.
- $3,250total
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
GUE Cave Diver 2 certification required (minimum 50 logged dives beyond Cave 2 certification). Minimum 200 total logged dives beyond autonomous entry-level. If using DPVs in course, must hold GUE Diver Propulsion Vehicle Cave certification. Minimum age 18. Must be physically and mentally fit, non-smoker, and able to swim.
Instructors Teaching This Course
United States
Dive Centres Offering This Course
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 GUE Cave Sidemount
How much does GUE Cave Sidemount cost?
One centre in the TecDiveTools directory publishes a whole-course price for GUE Cave Sidemount: Zero Gravity Dive Center Mexico, at $3,250. 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 GUE Cave Sidemount take?
5 days, based on the durations 1 centre publishes 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 GUE Cave Sidemount?
GUE's standards require: GUE Cave Diver 2 certification required (minimum 50 logged dives beyond Cave 2 certification). Minimum 200 total logged dives beyond autonomous entry-level. If using DPVs in course, must hold GUE Diver Propulsion Vehicle Cave certification. Minimum age 18. Must be physically and mentally fit, non-smoker, and able to swim.
What is the minimum age for GUE Cave Sidemount?
GUE's standards state: Minimum age 18.
How many dives do I need before starting GUE Cave Sidemount?
GUE's standards state: GUE Cave Diver 2 certification required (minimum 50 logged dives beyond Cave 2 certification).
Where can I take GUE Cave Sidemount?
1 dive centre and 3 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach GUE Cave Sidemount, in Mexico and the United States. Each is listed further up this page.
Does the price of GUE Cave Sidemount 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.