Dave the Diver In the Jungle Guide: Complete Hub (2026)

Updated 2026-10-13: Rechecked against MINTROCKET's Steam posts, the Steam store and two fan wikis. Corrected the Blue Hole claim (you can return), removed "net gun first" advice (the wiki recommends the Rifle as the default), removed boss HP figures, staff stats and the director quote we couldn't trace to a source, and added the August 6 update, the 10 million copies milestone and the Subnautica 2 crossover announcement.

In the Jungle at a glance

The store pitches a hidden village, a freshwater lake with "hidden dangers lurking deep within an ancient underwater civilization," and villagers who "might stop by as guests" at Bancho Grill. MINTROCKET said on September 9 that Dave the Diver had passed 10 million copies, and on October 8 it announced a Subnautica 2 crossover DLC for early 2027.

BESTPRICE: Want Dave the Diver: In the Jungle Content Pack? Eneba sells a Steam key: Buy on Eneba →

Before you start

If you've cleared the main story, MINTROCKET says you can start In the Jungle right away. New Game also offers a Skip to Jungle start, but you can't earn main-game achievements on that save, so MINTROCKET strongly recommends finishing the base game first. On a normal save, return to the boat with Cobra and let Dr. Bacon's introduction play.

Your base-game upgrades carry over: oxygen capacity, carry weight, diving depth, harpoon damage, drone access, knife progression and crab traps. Duff's weapon collection doesn't; the jungle runs on the Jungle Gun. The fan wiki calls oxygen "the single best pre-DLC upgrade," with carry weight second.

You aren't stuck in the jungle. Talk to Rimbo, choose the Beach and take the boat; an active story sequence can block the trip until you finish it. The August 6 patch fixed a bug with the Jungle Gun in the Blue Hole and added "additional rewards" for returning there after the Jungle ending.

• Dave the Diver In the Jungle Guide: 9 Essential Tips: oxygen and filter priorities, Jungle Gun upgrades, Bancho Grill and the Blue Hole trip.
• Dave the Diver In the Jungle DLC: Release Date and Contents: the launch announcement and what was confirmed at release.

A sensible order through the DLC

The fan wiki's recommended route runs in seven steps, and it matches the way the guides below are grouped:

1. Start from a completed save. You keep your oxygen, carry weight and depth upgrades, and you can still earn main-game achievements.
2. Meet Utara. The opening chapter introduces the village and its villagers, who later become your Bancho Grill guests and quest givers.
3. Open Bancho Grill. Night shifts and missions are where Doni comes from, and Doni pays for the filter and the gun.
4. Upgrade the Jungle Gun. The Rifle path first, then the form your current target needs.
5. Explore both lake layers. The filter level decides how deep you can stay: 55 m with the Improved filter, 75 m with the Advanced one.
6. Finish the Lakebed Sea story. Chapter 4, The Sea Beneath the Lake, is where that part of the story starts.
7. Clean up collections and requests. Fish, insects, recipes, staff and villager affinity, plus the August content that unlocks once affinity is maxed.

If you get stuck on one step, jump to the matching section below rather than reading the guides in order.

Walkthrough and bosses

The seven chapters are The Village with Bad Food, Jungle Life!, Diving Suit of the Sunang Civilization, The Sea Beneath the Lake, Fruit of the Blue Divine Tree, Sea People Settlement and Deep Down. The fan wiki tracks 28 main-story missions and 101 objectives across them. Hydrogen Sulfide gets stronger the deeper you swim, so the Purification Filter decides how far you can go: the Improved filter reaches 55 m and the Advanced filter 75 m.

The fan wiki lists Xiphactinus as the final boss and the Giant Snapping Turtle as an optional fight triggered by Sato's request. Black Caiman is a recurring Upper Lake hunt and the base of the best repeatable dish. The August 6 update added a Giant Wild Boar rematch in Setah Forest and three high-level monsters: Asian Water Monitor, Reticulated Python and Asian Forest Scorpion.

Source: In the Jungle launch trailer frame at 1:18 (MINTROCKET, YouTube)

• Dave the Diver In the Jungle Walkthrough: All 7 Chapters: chapter by chapter, with the filter and Lakebed Sea gates.
• How Many Chapters in Dave the Diver? All 7, Plus Prologue: the short answer on story length and structure.
• Dave the Diver Giant Goby Boss Guide: Murau Temple: the first Murau Temple fight.
• Dave the Diver Sarcastic Fringehead Boss Guide: the harder fight deeper in the temple.
• Dave the Diver Sulong Boss Guide: How to Win the Hunt: the crocodile hunt that unlocks Bull Shark.
• Dave the Diver Remaining Jungle Bosses: All 3 Explained: Stethacanthus, Xiphactinus and the Giant Snapping Turtle.
• Dave the Diver Black Caiman: How to Beat It (2026): the repeatable hunt behind the taco.
• Dave the Diver Wild Boar Guide: New August Update 2026: the August 6 boar rematch, Spirits and Bull Shark.

Bancho Grill: recipes and staff

Bancho Grill serves "jungle-exclusive drinks and skewers grilled over an open flame," and you can recruit special staff. Three default dishes are unlimited, grilled fish recipes generally unlock when you collect the fish, and complex dishes cost Artisan Flames, villager Rank Ups or the Bonita VIP chain. The fan wiki rates Black Caiman Taco (two Artisan Flames) the best repeatable premium dish and the six-serving Ophthalmosaurus head dish the late-game pick.

Staff don't come from a hiring list. As one Steam reviewer put it, "you have to unlock them through some quests." The wiki counts nine of them.

• Dave the Diver Bancho Grill Recipes: All Dishes Listed: the recipe list and Artisan Flame costs.
• Dave the Diver Jungle Staff Guide: All 9 Unlocks (2026): where each recruit comes from.

Jungle Gun and gear

The Jungle Gun unlocks at the start of the DLC and has four forms you switch between while diving: rifle, shotgun (three short-range pellets), net gun and sniper (high damage, low ammo). Muna upgrades it in Utara Village, and downgrading refunds materials but not Doni. The fan wiki's advice is that "Rifle is the best default," with net mode for small live catches and sniper for large threats.

• Dave the Diver Jungle Gun Guide: Every Confirmed Mode: forms, upgrade materials and costs.
• 7 Best Dave the Diver Mods for In the Jungle (2026): Nexus quality-of-life mods with current-build warnings.

Fish, insects and the lake

The fan wiki's map splits the lake into Shallow (0 to 35 m, 18 fish), Middle (35 to 75 m, 22), Deep (75 to 110 m, 14) and the Lakebed Sea (80 to 140 m, 16). Its collection guide listed 82 Marinca Bloom creatures and a 37-entry Insectagram as of July 25; the August 6 update then added Bull Shark, unlocked after clearing Sulong. Surface fishing opens through Basu's Piraiba Catfish request.

Source: In the Jungle launch trailer frame at 0:57 (MINTROCKET, YouTube)

• Dave the Diver Jungle Fish Guide: 83 Species by Zone: the roster by zone, including Bull Shark.
• Dave the Diver Insectagram Guide: All 37 Species (2026): the Bug Net, Beetle Battles and every entry.

Villagers, Spirits and achievements

Raising affinity with villagers, by fulfilling requests or giving gifts, unlocks new stories and rewards. Max every villager's affinity and the August 6 update lets you meet hidden Spirits, rescue them in the lake and set them to gather materials for you.

On achievements: the content pack's Steam data lists none. MINTROCKET added a Jungle Achievements app to Dave's smartphone on July 7. It's separate from platform achievements, counts progress you'd already made, and rewards a special interior decoration.

Source: In the Jungle launch trailer frame at 1:12 (MINTROCKET, YouTube)

• Dave the Diver Villager Gifts: All 23 Favorites (2026): favorite gifts and heart rewards for each villager.
• Dave the Diver Jungle DLC Achievements: There Are None: the Steam answer and the in-game tracker.

MINTROCKET's launch trailer switches to in-game footage at 0:48; the deep lake is around 0:57 and the giant boar around 1:18.

What changed since launch

MINTROCKET has patched In the Jungle steadily since June 18, and several changes affect advice you'll still find in older guides:

• June 19: a short video update on progression-blocking bugs, Chinese localization and achievements, on top of the launch-week hotfixes.
• June 29: Mini Update #2 brought quality-of-life improvements, a content update and Switch stability work.
• July 7: the Jungle Achievements app arrived on Dave's smartphone, counting progress players had already made.
• July 22: Mini Update #3 was a video covering Switch stability, post-game content, the future content plan and a modding support plan.
• August 6: the big content patch for the DLC, with hidden Spirits, the Giant Wild Boar rematch, three high-level monsters, Bull Shark and the Blue Hole return rewards.
• September 15: a base-game patch added a GGST (Guilty Gear Strive) collaboration DLC and a new rhythm game song.
• October 8: MINTROCKET announced a Subnautica 2 crossover DLC for Steam in early 2027.

If a guide you're reading predates August 6, it won't mention Spirits, Bull Shark or the return rewards.

Is it worth it?

Steam reviews for the DLC sit at Mostly Positive, well below the base game. The split is about pacing: one reviewer noted "In the DLC diving is 1/4 of the game," while a completionist counted "about 25-30 hours of new content." The fan wiki puts the story at about 10 hours and full cleanup at 25 to 30 or more.

• Dave the Diver In the Jungle Review: Worth It? (2026): our verdict on the expansion.

Our take

We'd buy In the Jungle on sale if you finished the base game and liked the village and restaurant side as much as the diving, because a big share of the DLC's hours goes to Utara and the grill rather than the lake. If you're coming back now, the August content (Spirits, the boar rematch, Bull Shark) and the Blue Hole return rewards make it a better package than it was at launch. Start with the tips guide, then use this page as the index.

How we checked this

• On 2026-10-13 we read MINTROCKET's Steam announcements from launch to October 9 (patch notes of July 7, August 6 and September 15, the 10 million copies post and the Subnautica 2 announcement) through Steam's news API.
• Price, release date, store description, review totals and the empty achievement list come from Steam's store and review APIs on 2026-10-13.
• Chapter names come from the Dave the Diver Fandom wiki's Missions page; carry-over, Blue Hole travel, Jungle Gun advice, lake depths, recipes and playtime estimates come from davethediver.wiki pages read on 2026-10-13.
• We watched MINTROCKET's launch trailer and took frames at 0:53, 0:57, 1:12 and 1:18.
• We haven't played the DLC to completion for this update; player experience is attributed to the Steam reviewers quoted.

All Dave the Diver: In the Jungle guides

• Dave the Diver In the Jungle DLC: Release Date and Contents: launch announcement.
• Dave the Diver In the Jungle Walkthrough: All 7 Chapters: full story path.
• Dave the Diver Giant Goby Boss Guide: Murau Temple: Murau Temple boss.
• Dave the Diver Sarcastic Fringehead Boss Guide: second temple boss.
• Dave the Diver Sulong Boss Guide: How to Win the Hunt: crocodile hunt.
• Dave the Diver Remaining Jungle Bosses: All 3 Explained: Stethacanthus, Xiphactinus, Giant Snapping Turtle.
• Dave the Diver Black Caiman: How to Beat It (2026): repeatable hunt.
• Dave the Diver Bancho Grill Recipes: All Dishes Listed: recipes.
• Dave the Diver Jungle Gun Guide: Every Confirmed Mode: weapon forms and upgrades.
• Dave the Diver Jungle Staff Guide: All 9 Unlocks (2026): staff.
• Dave the Diver Jungle Fish Guide: 83 Species by Zone: fish.
• Dave the Diver Villager Gifts: All 23 Favorites (2026): villagers.
• Dave the Diver Jungle DLC Achievements: There Are None: achievements.
• Dave the Diver Insectagram Guide: All 37 Species (2026): insects.
• Dave the Diver In the Jungle Guide: 9 Essential Tips: tips.
• Dave the Diver Wild Boar Guide: New August Update 2026: August update.
• 7 Best Dave the Diver Mods for In the Jungle (2026): mods.
• Dave the Diver In the Jungle Review: Worth It? (2026): review.
• How Many Chapters in Dave the Diver? All 7, Plus Prologue: chapters.
• Dave the Diver Hide and Seek: Eka, Saniah, Bima Locations: Dave the Diver hide and seek answers: Saniah by Lathi's house, Bima behind Perak's forge

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dave the Diver: In the Jungle? MINTROCKET's paid content pack for Dave the Diver, released June 18, 2026. It adds Utara Village, a freshwater lake with an ancient underwater civilization, the Bancho Grill restaurant and over 10 hours of new story and gameplay.

How many chapters does the In the Jungle DLC have? Seven: The Village with Bad Food, Jungle Life!, Diving Suit of the Sunang Civilization, The Sea Beneath the Lake, Fruit of the Blue Divine Tree, Sea People Settlement and Deep Down. The fan wiki counts 28 main-story missions.

Can you go back to the Blue Hole during the jungle DLC? Yes. Talk to Rimbo, choose the Beach, then take the boat. An active story sequence can block travel for a while. The August 6 patch also added extra rewards for returning to the Blue Hole after the Jungle ending.

Does the jungle DLC have Steam achievements? Its Steam store data lists none. MINTROCKET added a Jungle Achievements app to Dave's smartphone on July 7, separate from platform achievements, with a special interior decoration as a reward.

How much does In the Jungle cost? The content pack lists at $9.99 and was $7.99 (20% off) on October 13, 2026. The base game lists at $19.99 and was $9.99 (50% off).

Do you need to finish the base game first? MINTROCKET strongly recommends it. A cleared save starts the DLC right away; New Game offers a Skip to Jungle start, but you can't earn main-game achievements on that save.

How long is In the Jungle? The store says over 10 hours of story and gameplay. The fan wiki estimates about 10 hours for the story, 15 to 20 with side content and 20 to 30 or more for completion.

References

• DAVE THE DIVER Steam key on Eneba (NA key): the base game, which In the Jungle requires; North America region key
• DAVE THE DIVER: In the Jungle Content Pack on Steam: MINTROCKET's store page
• DAVE THE DIVER news on Steam: patch notes, the 10 million copies post and the Subnautica 2 announcement
• davethediver.wiki In the Jungle guide: fan wiki pages on starting, carry-over, travel, the map, recipes and the Jungle Gun
• Dave the Diver Fandom wiki: Missions: chapter list
• In the Jungle launch trailer: MINTROCKET's YouTube channel