Photo by Mikhail Vedyokhin · CC BY-SA 2.5
Intro to Cave
First formal cave certification beyond Cavern, introducing basic cave navigation and single-line-following technique with conservative penetration limits before progressing to Full Cave. Teaches jump-free single-line navigation, silt-avoidance finning, and team communication specific to cave environments, without yet allowing the complex multi-line navigation Full Cave covers. Deliberately designed as a bridge course—TDI limits penetration distance and duration here specifically so divers build cave comfort in stages rather than jumping directly to unrestricted cave access.
Centres that teach this course
16 dive centres 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.
- $1,050total
- $1,320total
- $800total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- $325per day
- $300per day
- Cave AdventurersUnited StatesIntro to CavePrivate class$450/day→ $900 for the 2-day minimumGroup class$350/day→ $700 for the 2-day minimum each$450per day
- Under The JungleMexicoIntro to Cave (TDI)private$345/day→ $1,035 for the 3-day minimumper diver in a group$295/day→ $885 for the 3-day minimum each$345per day
- Go Dive MexicoMexicoIntro to caveprivate$330/day→ $990 for the 3-day minimum2+ divers$300/day→ $900 for the 3-day minimum each$330per day
- $350per day
- $235per day
- MX$9,500total
- MX$20,000total
- THB 35,000total
- THB 35,000total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- €300per day
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- Air Dive AlorIndonesiaIntro to Cave1 student, privateIDR 3,200,000/day→ IDR 9,600,000 for the 3-day minimum3 studentsIDR 2,400,000/day→ IDR 7,200,000 for the 3-day minimum eachIDR 3,200,000per day
Same training under a different agency
14 centres
A separate set of centres, teaching Intro to Cave 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.
- $1,000total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- $275per day
- Protec MexicoMexicoIntro to CavePSAI1 student$420/day→ $2,520 for the 6-day minimum2+ students$370/day→ $2,220 for the 6-day minimum each$420per day
- $295per day
- $330per day
- $300per day
- ByMoMoDiveMexicoIntroductory to Cave DiverIANTD1 student$245/day→ $980 for the 4-day minimum3 students$205/day→ $820 for the 4-day minimum each$245per day
- THB 39,000total
- THB 39,000total
- THB 30,000total
- THB 39,000total
- THB 25,000total
- €2,000total
- €1,000total
- €800total
Same tier, agency not stated
4 centres
These centres publish a price for Intro to Cave, 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.
- $1,500total
- $900total
Charged by the day or dive rather than as a course price:
- $280per day
- Cave AdventurersUnited StatesApprentice CavePrivate class$450/day→ $900 for the 2-day minimumGroup class$350/day→ $700 for the 2-day minimum each$450per 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
TDI Cavern Diver or equivalent; minimum age 18, 15 with parental consent.
Standards
What a diver must demonstrate to pass this course — not always published by the certifying agency.
Divers must perform jump-free single-line navigation, demonstrate silt-control finning, maintain team communication and awareness, complete 4 dives with limited penetration (no fixed depth, limited by gas and distance), accumulate 80 minutes of bottom time minimum across 2 different cave locations, and execute emergency procedures safely.
Instructors Teaching This Course
Mexico
United States
Thailand
Indonesia
Philippines
Other locations
Dive Centres Offering This Course
Mexico
United States
Thailand
Indonesia
Philippines
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 TDI Intro to Cave
How much does TDI Intro to Cave cost?
Published prices for TDI Intro to Cave range across 7 centres in the TecDiveTools directory — roughly US$500 to US$1,350 at current exchange rates. In each centre's own currency: $800–$1,320 (3 centres), MX$9,500–MX$20,000 (2 centres) and THB 35,000 (2 centres). 9 centres charge 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 TDI Intro to Cave take?
Between 2 and 4 days, based on the durations 15 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 TDI Intro to Cave?
TDI's standards require: TDI Cavern Diver or equivalent; minimum age 18, 15 with parental consent.
What is the minimum age for TDI Intro to Cave?
TDI's standards state: Minimum age 18, 15 with parental consent.
What does TDI Intro to Cave training involve?
According to TDI's published standards: Divers must perform jump-free single-line navigation, demonstrate silt-control finning, maintain team communication and awareness, complete 4 dives with limited penetration (no fixed depth, limited by gas and distance), accumulate 80 minutes of bottom time minimum across 2 different cave locations, and execute emergency procedures safely.
What is the equivalent of TDI Intro to Cave in other agencies?
At the same tier in TecDiveTools' cross-agency comparison: NSS-CDS Apprentice Cave Diver, RAID Cave 1, SSI XR Cave Diving, ANDI Intro to Cave, PSAI Intro to Cave Diver and IANTD Introductory Cave Diver. 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.
What course comes after TDI Intro to Cave?
The next step in TDI's progression is TDI Full Cave.
Where can I take TDI Intro to Cave?
131 dive centres and 183 instructors in the TecDiveTools directory teach TDI Intro to Cave across 6 countries, most in Mexico, the United States, Thailand and Indonesia. Each is listed further up this page.
Does the price of TDI Intro to Cave 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.