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  • Quality, fun and a customer focus in every diving course

    PADI diving courses from beginner to professional.
    Top quality, fun and a real focus on you:
    My name is André Fahrni and I am your diving instructor.

  • Diving courses from Open Water Diver to Advanced and Divemaster

    Learn to dive with a professional.
    Practice makes perfect –
    for you AND for your instructor.

  • Dive guide and instructor

    I regularly work as a dive guide on Antarctic expeditions.
    Whether you like it warm or cold:
    with me you will become a competent diver.

  • PADI Instructor #494984

    Active PADI Instructor since 2008.
    Courses from beginner level (Open Water Diver)
    to professional level (Divemaster).

  • Diving courses for beginners and advanced divers

    Learning to dive opens the door to a
    fascinating world. Beginner or experienced diver:
    working with you is a real pleasure.

Diving courses – about me

Diving experience

  • Active PADI Instructor since 2008. Courses from beginner level (Open Water Diver) to professional level (Divemaster), plus a wide range of Specialty Instructor certifications
  • Full Trimix Diver
  • Teaching experience in Switzerland, Sweden, the Maldives and the Philippines
  • Regular dive guide on Antarctic expeditions
  • Warmest water dived: +29°C (Indian Ocean)
  • Coldest water dived: -1.5°C (Southern Ocean)

Personal

  • Passionate diver with an interest in sport, nature, politics and business. And red wine.
  • At home in Switzerland, but love to travel
  • I speak German, English and French

Motivation

My aim is to offer top quality, fun and a real focus on you. A diving course can become an unforgettable experience – in the best sense. Or a disappointment.

The difference is the instructor. I want you to enjoy diving as much as I do – with maximum safety. It is like driving a car: only when you no longer have to think about every move can you relax. You will reach that level of ease, whether in the basic skills or in the advanced courses.

DATES, LOCATIONS AND LEARNING PACE ARE TAILORED EXACTLY TO YOU.

André Fahrni, diving instructor
PADI Instr. #494984 André Fahrni Diving instructor

Diving courses

I teach all PADI courses from beginner to professional. Enjoy the benefits of private lessons.
Individual dates. Individual learning pace. Individual support.
Courses such as Nitrox Diver can be completed at short notice, even without dives.

Overview of diving courses
  • Try diving
    Try diving

    PADI Discover Scuba® Diving (age 10+)

    About 70% of our planet is covered by water. What does it look like down there? A trial dive is your first step to finding out. In the sheltered environment of an indoor pool I will show you, safely and under control, what makes breathing underwater so fascinating. I am happy to credit the trial dive towards a subsequent course.

    Included

    • Rental equipment
    • Briefing

    Requirements

    • No health restrictions
    • Good swimming skills

    You need

    • Swimwear, rash guard if you like
    • Towel

    Duration

    approx. 2½ hours

    Price

    CHF 160.00

    Sign up nowRegistration
  • Beginner courses
    Beginner course

    PADI Open Water Diver (age 10+)

    In the Open Water Diver course you learn everything you need to dive safely – and to have just as much fun as I still do after almost 20 years. With the OWD certification you can dive at thousands of dive centres around the world. It is your ticket to an incomparable world, one you will sometimes not want to leave, and you will wonder why you did not take this step long ago. Accompanying new divers on this journey is always a highlight of my work. Start your diving course now!

    You can complete all the theory online in advance with PADI eLearning – a very efficient option if you like to learn flexibly and in a modern way. Contact me for more information.

    You can also do a so-called referral: you learn the theory and pool skills with me and complete the open water dives at your holiday destination.

    Included

    • Rental equipment
    • Open Water Diver manual in your preferred language or PADI eLearning
    • Certification fees
    • Theory, answers to your questions and everything you are curious about
    • Pool and open water dives

    Requirements

    • Good health, medical certificate if required
    • Good swimming skills

    You bring

    • Mask, snorkel and fins. I am happy to advise you.
    • Swimwear, rash guard if you like
    • Towel

    Duration

    • 5 pool sessions over two days
    • 5 open water sessions in the lake over two days
    • 2 theory sessions of approx. 3 hours each – in my classroom in Zurich West, at your home or at another place of your choice

    Price

    CHF 1,650.00

    CHF 1,550.00 with eLearning

    Sign up nowRegistration
    Beginner course

    PADI Open Water Diver Referral

    With a referral you learn the theory and pool skills with me and complete the open water dives at your holiday destination. This way you can master the important skills and finish the theory here in peace, and then enjoy your open water dives in the clear water of the sea on holiday. This course is very popular. (age 10+)

    Included

    • Rental equipment
    • Open Water Diver manual in your preferred language or PADI eLearning
    • Certification fees
    • Theory, answers to your questions and everything you are curious about
    • Pool dives

    Requirements

    • Good health, medical certificate if required
    • Good swimming skills

    You bring

    • Mask, snorkel and fins. I am happy to advise you.
    • Swimwear, rash guard if you like
    • Towel

    Duration

    • 5 pool sessions over two days
    • 1 theory session of approx. 3 hours – in my classroom in Zurich West, at your home or at another place of your choice

    Price

    CHF 790.00

    Sign up nowRegistration
  • Advanced courses
    Advanced course

    PADI Adventure Diver

    Adventure Diver courses are diving à la carte. You already have a certification and want to learn new skills. What will it be? Perfect buoyancy (my favourite course)? Night diving? Deep diving? There are so many possibilities! Here we work together as a team on your skills. You will find an overview on the PADI website.

    Included

    • Rental equipment if you do not have your own
    • Required course materials
    • Certification fees
    • Required pool and open water dives

    Requirements

    • At least (Junior) Open Water Diver or equivalent certification from another agency

    You bring

    • Mask, snorkel and fins. I am happy to advise you.
    • Swimwear, rash guard if you like
    • Towel

    Duration

    • Depends on the course.

    Price

    • Depends on the course. Just ask using the contact form.
    Sign up nowRegistration
    Advanced course

    PADI Advanced Open Water Diver

    So you enjoy diving and want to go one step further? Great decision! The AOWD course opens up many new possibilities. With the AOWD certification you are a welcome guest on dive boats – and you can finally explore the beauty of reefs below 18 metres. Together we work through the theory and practice you need, as always at your own pace and on your dates.

    Included

    • Rental equipment if you do not have your own
    • Required course materials
    • Certification fees
    • Night dive
    • Deep dive
    • 3 Adventure Dives of your choice, depending on the location

    Requirements

    • At least (Junior) Open Water Diver or equivalent certification from another agency
    • Good health, medical certificate if required

    You bring

    • Depends on the course.

    Duration

    • Depends on the course.

    Price

    CHF 1,290.00

    Sign up nowRegistration
    Advanced course

    PADI Rescue Diver incl. Emergency First Response Provider

    Ask any diver certified as Rescue Diver or higher which course was the most valuable. The answer will be «Rescue Diver». This course can be a little stressful at times – but as in real life, you only grow when you leave your comfort zone. You and I will work intensively together, learning rescue techniques above and below the water. You will become a more attentive diver with more reserves, able to stay calm and composed even in critical situations.
    To make the Rescue Diver course as effective as possible, I need an assistant who can play the victim, or another course participant. We will arrange this individually.

    The course requires a valid Emergency First Response Provider certification. With me, this course is integrated into the Rescue Diver training. First aid and CPR are the core topics – skills we all hope never to use. But if necessary, you can save a life!

    Included

    • Rental equipment if you do not have your own
    • Course materials for Rescue Diver and EFR
    • Certification fees
    • 2 theory sessions of approx. 2 hours each – in my classroom in Zurich West, at your home or at another place of your choice
    • 3 practical days in open water

    Requirements

    • At least (Junior) Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent certification from another agency
    • At least 20 logged dives
    • Good health, medical certificate if required

    You bring

    • Mask, snorkel and fins. I am happy to advise you.
    • Swimwear, rash guard if you like
    • Towel

    Duration

    • Depends on the course.

    Price

    CHF 1,590.00

    Sign up nowRegistration
  • Professional
    Professional course

    PADI Divemaster

    Now we are talking! The diving bug has really got you – why else would you step into the professional side of diving? Of course you do not need to convince me; for me, too, this was the logical next step one day. This course is very special because you and I work together as equals. It becomes a kind of mentor–student relationship. I am still in touch with my own instructor from back then.

    LET'S DISCUSS ALL THE DETAILS OF THIS COURSE IN PERSON.

    Sign up nowRegistration
  • Professional

Upcoming courses

I usually offer private courses only. If the next start dates below do not suit you, or you are interested in a different course, contact me and we will fit the dates to your schedule.

There are no fixed course dates scheduled at the moment. Private courses can start any time by arrangement – just let me know when suits you.

Questions? Write to meContact form

Further services

I offer guided dives in Switzerland and abroad.
There are many other topics around diving, and I am happy to help with advice.
Whether it is about travel, equipment or the underwater world in general: contact me.
If I cannot help you, someone in my network certainly can.

Guided dives in Switzerland and dive trips abroad

Diving courses – why me

The work of a diving instructor is often underestimated. Experience – both in teaching and in diving – is crucial. You would want to train as a pilot with a seasoned and safe professional, wouldn't you? That is why you will notice a clear difference in quality between occasional instructors and instructors with extensive experience. I can say that I have this experience – and you will benefit from it directly.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced diver, I take your training as seriously as you would expect from pilot training.

  • Customer focus is my creed.
  • Private courses only – you are the only student. If several of you are interested, that is possible on request.
  • Theory and practice tailored to your learning pace.
  • Dates arranged around you.
  • Location wherever suits you best.
  • VIP treatment.
  • Pure focus on training.

My training focuses on three things

Training focused on safety, fun and skills

Safety · Fun · Skills

Then we are a good match

  • You are looking for a personal trainer for your diving courses.
  • You want individual support.
  • You can swim. ;-)
Questions? Write to meContact form