Η Σπηλιά του Ελέφαντα: το πιο θρυλικό καταδυτικό σημείο της Κρήτης
Κρυμμένη κάτω από τους βράχους της βόρειας Κρήτης, η Σπηλιά του Ελέφαντα είναι μια τεράστια θαλάσσια σπηλιά 150 μέτρων με μοναχοφώκιες, σταλακτίτες και μια ιστορία που ξεκινά από το 1999.
Category: Dive Sites
Date: June 2026
Read time: 8 min read
Just minutes by boat from Almyrida, Elephant Cave combines a shallow underwater passage, a vast natural air chamber, impressive limestone formations and prehistoric elephant remains in one of Crete's most distinctive dives.
Some dive sites are memorable for their marine life. Others for their underwater landscape or history. Elephant Cave is different: the experience begins underwater and leads into a natural air chamber hidden inside the cliffs of northern Crete, where prehistoric elephant and dwarf deer remains can still be seen today.
Located near Almyrida in Chania, Elephant Cave is a shallow boat dive with a maximum depth of approximately 8–9 metres. For Kefi Divers, the dedicated Elephant Cave programme combines two boat dives: Lighthouse Wall first, followed by Elephant Cave.
What Is Elephant Cave?
Elephant Cave is a sea cave with an underwater entrance along the coast of northern Crete. The entrance lies at approximately 4–9 metres, with our normal entry around 8 metres.
From the entrance, divers follow a spacious passage approximately 5 metres high and 6 metres wide. Our normal route includes around 20–25 metres of overhead environment, with no tight sections.
After passing through this section, the dive continues underwater towards the back of the cave. Divers then surface in a large natural air chamber, where they remain floating in their scuba equipment and can remove their masks and regulators because the air is breathable.
The guide surfaces with the group and explains the cave, its history, limestone formations and prehistoric remains. Afterwards, everyone descends again and exits underwater along the same route.
There is no natural light inside the cave, so every diver is provided with an individual dive torch. The guide also carries a backup.
Prehistoric Elephant and Dwarf Deer Remains
Elephant Cave takes its name from the prehistoric elephant remains discovered inside.
The species is Elephas chaniensis, an extinct elephant endemic to Crete. Dwarf deer remains have also been discovered inside the cave.
Two elephant leg bones and two molar teeth can still be seen inside. The elephant remains are visible underwater and can also be pointed out from the surface while the group is in the air chamber. Dwarf deer remains are scattered around the cave and can be seen underwater.
The elephant remains are estimated to be approximately 50,000–60,000 years old.
Combined with the cave's stalactites and other limestone formations, these remains make the surface stop inside the chamber as much a journey into Crete's prehistoric past as part of the dive itself.
The Discovery of Elephant Cave
Elephant Cave was discovered in 1999 by local diver and spearfisher Manolis Efthymakis (Μανώλης Ευθυμάκης).
For Kefi Divers, there is also a personal connection to that history: Manolis is the uncle of our boat captain and co-owner, Sotiris.
Today, Sotiris regularly takes our divers from Almyrida towards the same stretch of coastline where his uncle discovered the cave.
Mediterranean Monk Seals
Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) are occasionally sighted inside Elephant Cave, where they use the sheltered environment to rest.
From our own experience diving the cave, sightings are most frequent at the beginning of the season, particularly in April and May, before regular diving activity in the cave increases. Sightings are never guaranteed — these are wild animals moving freely through their natural environment.
Encountering a monk seal inside Elephant Cave is a rare and memorable experience, and divers should always observe them calmly and respectfully without approaching or disturbing them.
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The Two-Dive Elephant Cave Programme
Our dedicated Elephant Cave experience costs €130 per person and consists of two boat dives at two different sites.
The first dive is Lighthouse Wall. On the normal route, the site reaches approximately 20 metres, while every diver remains within the depth limits of their certification.
Lighthouse Wall also gives the guide an opportunity to observe a diver's comfort, buoyancy and general ability before the second dive when an assessment has not already been completed with Kefi Divers. Divers who have completed a Kefi refresher have already been assessed during that session.
The second dive is Elephant Cave, with a maximum depth of approximately 8–9 metres.
The programme is subject to suitable weather and sea conditions.
Who Can Dive Elephant Cave?
The minimum certification is Open Water Diver or a recognised equivalent.
Junior Open Water Divers can also participate within the depth restrictions of their certification and subject to individual suitability.
There is no fixed minimum number of logged dives. Newly certified Open Water divers can often participate, and each diver's suitability is considered individually based on their experience, comfort and ability.
A cave-diving certification is not required for Kefi Divers' Elephant Cave programme.
If you have been out of the water for around 12 months or more, we may require a refresher before joining the programme. This is not an automatic rule based only on time: we also consider your previous diving experience and individual circumstances.
Certified guided groups have a maximum of 6 divers per guide, and we may reduce the group size depending on diver experience.
Have more questions? See our Elephant Cave Diving FAQ .
What Is Included?
The €130 per person programme includes:
two boat dives
guide/instructor
tanks
full scuba equipment
an individual dive torch for Elephant Cave
water
snack bar
Greek tea
Photos and videos are not a standard inclusion.
Divers bringing a complete personal scuba equipment set receive a €10 discount. Individual pieces of equipment alone do not qualify for this discount, and we still provide the required Elephant Cave torch.
Diving Insurance and Safety
Certified recreational divers are responsible for arranging their own appropriate diving insurance.
Because policies differ, divers should check their own insurance if they want confirmation of particular benefits or treatment coverage.
Kefi Divers carries emergency oxygen and a first-aid kit on every trip.
Departure from Almyrida
The experience starts and finishes at the Kefi Divers dive centre in Almyrida.
We prepare equipment and complete the briefing at the dive centre before travelling together to the boat. Almyrida is the closest harbour to Elephant Cave, and the boat journey takes approximately 10 minutes in normal conditions.
Guests remain aboard between the two dives, with the second cylinders already carried on the boat. Water, snack bars and Greek tea are available, with refreshments generally enjoyed during the surface interval.
The complete programme takes approximately four hours.
How to Book Elephant Cave
If Elephant Cave is the dive you specifically want to experience, choose or request our dedicated Elephant Cave programme.
A normal guided boat-diving booking consists of two dives at two different dive sites, but Elephant Cave is not guaranteed as part of a general boat-diving programme.
Booking the dedicated programme ensures that Elephant Cave is the planned second dive after Lighthouse Wall, subject to suitable weather and sea conditions.
Dive Elephant Cave with Kefi Divers
From the shallow underwater entrance to the natural air chamber and prehistoric remains inside, Elephant Cave offers an experience unlike our other dive sites around Chania.
Starting from Almyrida, our dedicated two-dive programme combines Lighthouse Wall with Elephant Cave and gives certified divers the opportunity to experience the site with a guide who knows both the dive and its history.
Explore the Elephant Cave Experience
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