Underwater Safaris - Chicago, Illinois

T M.

My experience (so far) at underwater safaris has been amazing! I first became interested in scuba diving back in 2014 when I did it for the first time and had kept it in my thoughts as something I might want to pursue. This year many years later I decided i wanted to try it again! I signed up and have so far had such a life changing experience! Hannah was my confined water instructor and she has been an amazing teacher for me! I learn very differently from other people and was amazed and happy to have Hannah be my instructor! She has been very nice, fun, and patient with me! My second dive I had trouble with my buoyancy skills and I was able to come back and have Hannah help me pass it by myself and I was able to pass! Would definitely recommend underwater safaris to anyone who wants to become a diver!

Craig F.

I have to say that Underwater Safaris went way above and beyond and deserves 5 stars! They helped me find a scuba mask that actually fits me and doesn’t hurt my forehead like so many others. There was a large selection to choose from and knowledgeable staff. Then they were able to get prescription lenses made and back to the shop in a week just in time before we leave the country. The thing that most impressed me is their willingness to get them to me since the lens manufacturer couldn’t ship them directly to my home. I’m not sure if they do that for everybody but it saves me an hour of driving and allows me to avoid the traffic. I’m telling everyone who is interested in scuba diving - this is the place!

Sophie R.

I did my open water pool dives here, and I highly recommend! Orest was a fantastic instructor, he explained everything completely and simply, and catered to all the levels of the group paying special attention if someone needed extra assurance or guidance. He was very knowledgeable (and funny!) and had lots of great stories, I left feeling confident and well prepared for the open water dives.

Christago

I loved my experience here. Hannah was an amazing instructor. She really understood what each person's learning styles were and adapted. She was patient, and fun to talk to about her own experiences. I hope to cross paths with her on a dive one day!

Samuel C.

Def recommend this small family run business!

This place was amazing! They made us feel right at home before and during our classes!

We tried to go to another place that was a non for profit, and the time line was too long and it cost more money! Underwater Safaris was able to get us in within days and was a lot less expensive. They have a great indoor pool attached with a small class size. My bestie and I were the only ones in the class.

Ultimately, Alex the instructor was badass! Thank you so much guys!

Kate L.

During the pool portion of my ReActivate refresher course, Lotta did an amazing job reviewing dive skills with me. It’s been several years since I’ve been diving and I was feeling pretty nervous, but she made me feel really prepared and confident to go diving again. I highly recommend her as an instructor and this scuba shop seems like a great place to continue learning!

Aaron G.

Great office staff and great instruction. We did our pool sessions with Hannah, she was great! Very clear in her instructions and had great patience and ways of explaining things. Come prepared for some long evenings in the pool if you do the sessions after work! Would definitely recommend Underwater Safaris!

Marissa H.

100/10 highly recommend this family owned shop!

I enrolled in and completed my open water dive certification through Underwater Safaris. John helped me pick out the basic gear I needed, walked me through the different packages and gave me some great tips to help prepare me. Stacy was our instructor for the in-pool portion; she’s very knowledgeable and made the experience fun. I usually like to shop online, but my experience with her and the trust I felt encouraged me to purchase some additional gear from the shop. I wasn’t disappointed. They have great deals and won’t push you to get things you don’t need. You can also have your gear serviced/tested there.

For our dives at Haigh Quarry, Stacy, Ashton and Frank were our instructors. They all have a lot of experience and I felt safe and supported with them even when I had some mishaps. This was a great way to meet other divers and start building/involving myself with the dive community.