Cave Now

Philip took my group of 6 and I on an amazing 5 hour caving trip in Sewanee, TN. We all absolutly loved it! Philip was a fantastic and knowledgable guide. We will be planning many more trips with him soon!

My girlfriend & I went on our first caving trip a couple weeks ago w/​Philip @ Indian Grave Point Cave in Dowelltown, TN. It was a great experience & Philip was very informative & helpful throughout the whole day while guiding us. It was more physical than I expected, but I enjoyed the challenge & will more than likely go again.

I have been on two caving trips guided by Philip Rykwalder with Cave Now, Inc. Both trips were awesome. Before I met Philip, I had gone into caves a limited number of times. I have been rock climbing for 8 years and have spent most of my time with that. I enjoy caves, but I have to go in with someone who knows the cave because I don’t have the experience necessary to navigate my way through caves. I have to trust the person guiding me through the cave, because, if we got separated from each other, or if they didn’t know their way around, I would be lost in a cave which is a scary thought for me.
Philip has my complete trust as an extremely capable, knowledgeable, and experienced caver. He also has two degrees in geology, which he studied so he could find caves and navigate through them better. This man loves caves. He is fascinated by caves and has spent half his life exploring them. So I trust he can find his way in and out, without a doubt. In addition to that requirement, Philip also kept me safe in the caves. The first trip I went on with him, I was repelling and ascending in and out of a pit, dangling 200 feet in the air, on his equipment, following his instructions, and I came out more alive than I had been in a while! He is very patient, he makes it fun, and he led me to the best take-​away I could possibly get: accomplishment.
The second trip I went on with Philip, I brought my ten year old niece with me. She loved the experience! Philip educated us as we walked, scrambled, crawled, wriggled, and squeezed our way through the passage ways. He led us to a gorgeous, 40 foot waterfall in the cave, showed us cave-​life, like bats and skinks, and taught us what the different layers of rocks were, and how the cave formed. His enthusiasm about caves is contagious. The experience of going deep in the dark earth, where the air is cool and light, then coming up out of the cave and into the warm, heavy air and brightness and color of the outside world is truly unparalleled by any other outdoor adventure. It’s an experience you need to have. Outside the cave is gorgeous, with waterfalls and beauty you would have to see to believe. Even the drive to the cave is beautiful! My niece and I had a great time. It was her first caving trip and she loved it. I know that if we were not with a guide as capable and professional as Philip, she would not have had such a great time. The very next weekend, she went to a birthday party that was held at Mammoth Cave. She said when she got back «I didn’t like Mammoth Cave. We didn’t get to do all the fun things we got to do in Philip’s cave!»
What Philip offers with his company, Cave Now, Inc, is an opportunity to experience safely the challenge of exploring the underworld, and all the beauties and discoveries that it holds — an experience we might not otherwise get unless someone like Philip takes us there.