Harriet Wetton
Embarking on a long journey across the vast and dangerous continents of Azeroth remains one of the most memorable experiences in World of Warcraft. However, navigating from major capital cities to mid level zones is rarely a simple walk in the park.
If you are currently sitting at your desk wondering how to get to Hinterlands, you have likely opened your world map, stared at the massive mountain ranges surrounding the zone, and realized that finding an actual entrance is surprisingly tricky.
The Hinterlands is a lush, mountainous region located in the northeastern section of the Eastern Kingdoms. It is filled with dense forests, massive troll temples, dangerous wildlife, and crucial quest hubs for players roughly between levels 40 and 50.
Whether you play as a brave hero of the Alliance or a fierce warrior of the Horde, reaching this territory requires solid regional knowledge, deliberate planning, and a fair bit of patience. In this comprehensive travel guide, we will break down every viable pathway, flight hub, and navigation secret so you can arrive safely without getting lost in high level zones.
Understanding the Geography of the Hinterlands
Before packing your bags and setting off on the road, it helps to understand why reaching this zone confuses so many travelers. The Hinterlands is almost entirely landlocked by mountain ranges.
To its north lies the Eastern Plaguelands, to its west sits the Western Plaguelands and Hillsbrad Foothills, and to its south rests the Arathi Highlands. The eastern edge faces the Forbidding Sea.
Despite sharing borders with several regions, there is only one primary terrestrial ground entrance into the Hinterlands for travelers coming on foot or mount. That entrance is located in the northeastern corner of the Hillsbrad Foothills.
If you try to trek directly from the Western Plaguelands or climb over the mountains from Arathi, you will run into impassable cliffs. Knowing how to get to Hinterlands efficiently means understanding how to navigate toward that specific mountain pass in Hillsbrad.
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Preparing for the Dangerous Journey Ahead
Depending on your current character level and faction, your route might force you through high level contested zones like the Western or Eastern Plaguelands. Aggressive monsters in these regions can spot low level players from a great distance and eliminate them in a single strike. Preparation is your best line of defense.
Here are a few practical rules to follow before starting your travel:
- Unequip your gear: If you know you will be running through level 50 plus zones as a level 30 or 40 character, take off your armor and stash your weapons in your inventory. Dying in World of Warcraft causes item durability loss, leading to expensive repair bills. Stripping down keeps your gear safe while you make dangerous runs.
- Grab every flight point along the route: Never pass an outpost without talking to the Flight Master. Unlocking intermediate flight nodes turns a painful one hour foot trek into a effortless five minute automated flight in the future.
- Set your Hearthstone strategically: Bind your Hearthstone to a central hub like Undercity, Ironforge, or Booty Bay before starting out. If you take a wrong turn or fall off a cliff, you can instantly teleport back to safety.
- Use Spirit Running to your advantage: If a high level monster slays your character, do not panic. Running in ghost form allows you to move slightly faster and explore uncharted terrain without taking further damage or drawing threat from enemy mobs.
Mastering these basic survival strategies makes figuring out how to get to Hinterlands stress free, even if you are underleveled for the zones along the way.
Horde Route: Travel from Orgrimmar, Undercity, or Silvermoon
Horde players have a few unique ways to reach the Hinterlands, depending on where their journey begins. The ultimate goal for any Horde traveler is to reach the Hillsbrad Foothills or take a coastal water path directly into the east side of the zone.
Starting in Silvermoon City and Moving South
If you are playing a Blood Elf or starting your expedition from the northern continent of Quel’Thalas, your starting point is Silvermoon City. Locate the main highway exit at the southern gate and follow the path straight down through Eversong Woods into the Ghostlands.
The Ghostlands features a main road running straight from the northern boundary down to the southern exit. Stay on this highway to avoid wandering undead creatures. At the far southern tip of the Ghostlands, you will cross a mountain pass that leads directly into the Eastern Plaguelands.
This is where the journey becomes perilous for mid level Horde characters. The Eastern Plaguelands is populated by deadly level 55 plus monsters. Follow the primary road west toward the border of the Western Plaguelands.
If you draw attention and perish, do not worry. You will land in a nearby graveyard as a ghost. Simply run your ghost form west along the main road toward the Western Plaguelands and down into the Hillsbrad Foothills.
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For Horde players starting in Kalimdor or near Undercity, the route is much simpler. If you are in Orgrimmar, take the Zeppelin located right outside the city gates straight to Tirisfal Glades, which drops you off near the gates of Undercity.
Once you arrive in Tirisfal Glades, follow these precise directions to reach the Hinterlands entrance:
- Exit the Zeppelin tower and follow the main road south toward the ruins of Lordaeron.
- Follow the eastern path exiting Tirisfal Glades into the Silverpine Forest.
- Continue south along the primary paved road in Silverpine, passing near the entrance to Shadowfang Keep.
- Take the eastern road fork at the southern end of Silverpine Forest, which leads directly into the Hillsbrad Foothills.
- Follow the road through Hillsbrad past Tarren Mill, then head northeast toward the mountain range.
Once you are in northeastern Hillsbrad Foothills, look for a winding dirt path that leads upward into the mountains. You will know you are in the right spot when you see wild gryphons neutral to players and thick pine trees line the mountain pass.
Following this path straight through will officially bring you into the western border of the Hinterlands, landing you right near the Horde base of Revantusk Village further east or the neutral territory surrounding the central lakes.
Alliance Route: Travel from Stormwind, Ironforge, and Loch Modan
For Alliance players, understanding how to get to Hinterlands is relatively straightforward because the main path goes through friendly and mid level contested zones. Your primary launching hub will be either Stormwind City or the dwarven fortress of Ironforge.
Taking the Deeprun Tram to Ironforge
If you are starting in Stormwind, do not waste time running across the Burning Steppes or Searing Gorge. Head directly to the Dwarven District in northern Stormwind and step into the portal room for the Deeprun Tram.
Board the underground train, and within two minutes, you will arrive safely inside the heart of Ironforge without encountering a single high level enemy.
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Moving from Dun Morogh through Loch Modan to the Wetlands
From Ironforge, walk out through the main gates into the snowy hills of Dun Morogh. Follow the eastern road past Kharanos until you reach the tunnel leading into Loch Modan. Loch Modan is a calm, low level area, making it a great place to stop and grab supplies.
Follow the main road north through Loch Modan until you reach the Valley of Kings and the northern pass. Continue through the mountain tunnels leading into the Wetlands.
The Wetlands is populated by level 20 to 30 creatures, including raptors and crocolisks along the swamps. Stay firmly on the main stone road running north to keep your character safe from wandering beasts.
As you near the northern end of the Wetlands, you will reach the Dun Algaz bridge system. Cross over the bridges into the Arathi Highlands.
Crossing the Arathi Highlands and Thoradin’s Wall
The Arathi Highlands is a level 30 to 40 contested zone. Once you step into Arathi, follow the highway north toward the center of the map. Make sure to detour slightly to Refuge Pointe, the main Alliance hub in this region, to pick up the flight point from the Gryphon Master.
After securing your flight point, return to the main road and turn west toward Thoradin’s Wall. This ancient stone rampart forms the western boundary of Arathi Highlands. Walk through the large breach broken into the stone wall to enter the Hillsbrad Foothills.
Once inside Hillsbrad Foothills, do not head south toward Southshore unless you need to visit the town for flight points. Instead, immediately turn northeast along the base of the mountains.
Look for the winding trail ascending into the hills. Follow this elevated mountain path, and you will arrive cleanly in the western Hinterlands right beside the Alliance stronghold of Aerie Peak.
Alternative Sea Routes to the Hinterlands
While the mountain path from northeastern Hillsbrad is the official ground entrance, there is another clever route that experienced players sometimes use, especially on PvP servers where the Hillsbrad mountain pass might be heavily camped by the opposing faction.
The Hinterlands features a large eastern coastline bordering the sea. Both Horde and Alliance players can technically swim or use water walking abilities along the coast from adjacent regions.
For instance, a Horde player can run to the eastern shore of the Arathi Highlands, jump into the ocean, and swim north along the coastline until reaching the docks at Revantusk Village.
While swimming takes longer than riding a mount on land, it is almost completely safe from high level mobs and enemy player ambushes.
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Key Destinations and Outposts in the Hinterlands
Once you successfully master how to get to Hinterlands and step foot into the zone, your absolute highest priority must be unlocking the local faction flight point. The zone is massive, and running back from neighboring regions every time you want to quest here is extremely time consuming.
Aerie Peak (Alliance Hub)
Aerie Peak is a massive Wildhammer Dwarf stronghold situated atop the high cliffs in the far western portion of the Hinterlands. As soon as Alliance players enter the zone from Hillsbrad Foothills, Aerie Peak will be visible directly ahead.
Head up the wooden ramps into the city to find quest givers, innkeepers, vendor repairs, and the primary Gryphon Master flight node. Aerie Peak also serves as the center for reputation quests related to the Wildhammer Clan.
Revantusk Village (Horde Hub)
Revantusk Village is a coastal troll settlement located at the far eastern edge of the Hinterlands along the shore. Horde players who enter the zone from the west must travel all the way across the central plains, avoiding Alliance guards near Aerie Peak, to reach this outpost.
Revantusk Village features a Wind Rider Master flight node, an inn, fishing vendors, and dozens of high level Horde quests focused on fighting the local forest trolls.
Neutral Areas and Dungeons
Beyond the primary faction bases, the center of the Hinterlands features several key points of interest. The massive ruined city of Jintha’Alor dominates the southeastern portion of the map.
It is an open air temple populated entirely by elite forest trolls, making it one of the premier group questing locations in the game for players around level 48 to 50.
Additionally, Seradane located in the northern forests features a massive Great Tree with a green dragon portal. This area is home to dragonkin and plays a major role in endgame world boss encounters and high level class quests.
Essential Survival Tips for Leveling in the Hinterlands
Reaching the Hinterlands is only half the battle. Surviving in this dense wilderness requires smart play, especially if you arrive at a lower level.
Consider these essential tips to make your time in the zone enjoyable and efficient:
- Stick to the roads: High level silverback gorillas, wild wolves, and aggressive owlbeasts roam freely throughout the central forests. Staying on paved paths or dirt roads reduces your aggro radius significantly.
- Group up for Jintha’Alor quests: Do not attempt to solo the troll temple of Jintha’Alor unless you are vastly overleveled. The mobs inside are tightly packed elites that will quickly overwhelm a solo player. Gathering a balanced party of five players makes these quests extremely rewarding in terms of experience and rare gear.
- Keep restorative items on your action bar: Health potions, bandages, and mana drinks are vital. Vendors inside Aerie Peak and Revantusk Village sell high tier food and water, so restock your bags before venturing out on long quest loops.
- Watch out for world PvP: Because the Hinterlands features two major faction outposts in close proximity and shared quest targets around Jintha’Alor, player vs. player combat is frequent on PvP servers. Stay aware of your surroundings, especially near narrow mountain passes.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What level range is the Hinterlands designed for?
The Hinterlands is primarily balanced for players between levels 40 and 50. While low level players can enter the zone earlier to grab flight points, most quests require a minimum level of 40 to accept, with eastern elite areas scaling up to level 50.
Where is the exact entrance from Hillsbrad Foothills to Hinterlands?
The ground entrance is located in the northeastern corner of the Hillsbrad Foothills map. Look for a mountain path leading uphill near the area where wild gryphons spawn. Following this trail straight up through the mountains leads directly into western Hinterlands.
Is there a direct portal to Hinterlands in capital cities?
No, there are no direct portals in major capital cities like Stormwind, Orgrimmar, or Ironforge that teleport you into the Hinterlands. You must travel on foot, by mount, or via flight paths after manually unlocking the flight nodes in Aerie Peak or Revantusk Village.
Can Horde and Alliance players use the same flight paths in Hinterlands?
No, the flight paths in the Hinterlands are strictly faction specific. Alliance players must use the Gryphon Master located at Aerie Peak in the west, while Horde players must use the Wind Rider Master located at Revantusk Village along the eastern coast.
Is the Hinterlands an Alliance or Horde dominated zone?
The Hinterlands is a contested neutral zone. Neither faction dominates the region entirely. Alliance players have a strong stronghold in the west at Aerie Peak, while Horde players hold the eastern shoreline at Revantusk Village. The central forests are open contested space.
Conclusion
Learning how to get to Hinterlands is a true rite of passage for World of Warcraft players making their way toward level 60. Though the journey requires traveling across multiple zones, dodging high level monsters, and navigating tricky mountain passes, the reward is well worth the effort.
The Hinterlands offers incredible quest rewards, lucrative elite group content, and essential flight connectivity between northern and central Eastern Kingdoms.
By using the detailed routes outlined in this guide, preparing your character properly, and securing flight points early, you can make your trek fast, safe, and stress free.
Gear up, set your course toward the Hillsbrad mountain pass, and enjoy exploring one of Azeroth’s most vibrant wild zones!
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