WoW Classic Exploration Guide

Finding your way around Azeroth is the first step in getting anything done in WoW Classic. Since flying wasn’t added to the game’s original zones until the Cataclysm expansion, you’ll mostly be getting around on foot. That makes travel in the vanilla world particularly time-consuming and difficult. Knowing where you’re going and how to get there can make your life a lot easier, and this guide is here to help!

Be sure to check out the Azeroth Atlas tool for detailed maps of every zone, including the in-game map and satellite view. You can even zoom in on caves and other local maps!

Azeroth in WoW Classic

While modern World of Warcraft has hundreds of zones spread across multiple continents and worlds, the original vanilla version of the game consisted of two continents: Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. Each continent is subdivided into dozens of zones of varying level ranges.

Eastern Kingdoms

Eastern Kingdoms is the eastern continent of Azeroth. It is the original home of the human kingdoms as well as dwarves and gnomes. The northern part of the continent is now largely controlled by the Scourge and the Forsaken.

Starting Zones in Eastern Kingdoms

• Elwynn Forest (humans)
• Dun Morogh (dwarves and gnomes)
• Tirisfal Glades (undead)

Major Cities in Eastern Kingdoms

• Stormwind (Alliance hub and human capital, Elwynn Forest)
• Ironforge (dwarf capital, Dun Morogh)
• Undercity (undead capital, Tirisfal Glades)

Zones of Eastern Kingdoms

Zone	Level Range	Faction
Dun Morogh	1-10	Alliance
Elwynn Forest	1-10	Alliance
Tirisfal Glades	1-10	Horde
Loch Modan	10-20	Alliance
Silverpine Forest	10-20	Horde
Westfall	10-20	Alliance
Redridge Mountains	15-25	Contested
Duskwood	18-30	Contested
Hillsbrad Foothills	20-30	Contested
Wetlands	20-30	Contested
Alterac Mountains	30-40	Contested
Arathi Highlands	30-40	Contested
Stranglethorn Vale	30-45	Contested
Badlands	35-45	Contested
Swamp of Sorrows	35-45	Contested
The Hinterlands	40-50	Contested
Searing Gorge	43-50	Contested
Blasted Lands	45-55	Contested
Burning Steppes	50-58	Contested
Western Plaguelands	51-58	Contested
Eastern Plaguelands	53-60	Contested
Deadwind Pass	55-60	Contested

Kalimdor

Kalimdor is the western continent of Azeroth. It is the original home of the night elves, but much of the continent has been controlled by the Horde ever since the orcs arrived in Azeroth.

Starting Zones in Kalimdor

• Durotar (orcs and trolls)
• Mulgore (tauren)
• Teldrassil (night elves)

Major Cities in Kalimdor

• Orgrimmar (Horde hub and orc capital, Durotar)
• Thunder Bluff (tauren capital, Durotar)
• Darnassus (night elf capital, Teldrassil)

Zones of Kalimdor

Zone	Level Range	Faction
Durotar	1-10	Horde
Mulgore	1-10	Horde
Teldrassil	1-10	Alliance
Darkshore	10-20	Alliance
The Barrens	10-25	Horde
Stonetalon Mountains	15-27	Contested
Ashenvale	18-30	Contested
Thousand Needles	25-35	Contested
Desolace	30-40	Contested
Dustwallow Marsh	35-45	Contested
Feralas	40-50	Contested
Tanaris	40-50	Contested
Azshara	45-55	Contested
Un’Goro Crater	48-55	Contested
Felwood	48-55	Contested
Winterspring	53-60	Contested
Moonglade	55-60	Contested
Silithus	55-60	Contested

Getting Around Azeroth

There are a few options for getting from one place to another in WoW Classic:

• On foot or by riding a mount
• By flight path
• Via a portal or teleport ability
• Ride a boat or zeppelin

Mounts

Mounts are the fastest way to get around on the ground. Standard level 40 mounts are 60% faster than running on foot, and epic level 60 mounts are 100% faster.

Flight Paths

Flight Masters can be found at most major quest hubs. Before you can fly to a particular location, you must find the Flight Master on foot and speak to them to learn the flight path. You’ll then be able to select that location by speaking with another Flight Master at a connected location.

Portals

Mages can transport themselves and their group members to their faction’s major cities via Teleport and Portal spells. They must first visit the Portal Trainer in the given city to learn the spell. They’ll also need to have the appropriate reagent in their bags: Rune of Teleportation or Rune of Portals.

Druids can similarly teleport themselves to Moonglade using Teleport: Moonglade, although they cannot transport anyone else.

Engineers are able to craft a teleportation device with a 4-hour cooldown. Each device requires a particular Engineering specialization to craft and use:

• Gnomish Engineers have access to Ultrasafe Transporter: Gadgetzan to teleport themselves to Tanaris
• Goblin Engineers can access Dimensional Ripper – Everlook to teleport themselves to Winterspring

Finally, Horde characters can complete a quest to obtain a Goblin Transponder, which will allow them to teleport from Booty Bay in Stranglethorn Vale to Gnomeregan in Dun Morogh.

Boats, Zeppelins, & Trams

Other than Mage portals, the only way to get from one continent to the other is to hop on a zeppelin or a boat. There is also a tram that runs between two Alliance cities. Each of these vehicles arrives at its dock on a regular schedule and takes a few minutes to reach its destination, usually with a loading screen in between.

Note that there are no boats that dock in Stormwind or zeppelin in Thunder Bluff in WoW Classic.

Faction	Transport	Point A	Point B
Neutral	Boat	Booty Bay in Stranglethorn Vale	Ratchet in The Barrens
Alliance	Boat	Rut’theran Village in Teldrassil	Auberdine in Darkshore
Alliance	Boat	Auberdine in Darkshore	Menethil Harbor in Wetlands
Alliance	Boat	Menethil Harbor in Wetlands	Theramore Isle in Dustwallow Marsh
Alliance	Boat	The Forgotten Coast in Feralas	Feathermoon Stronghold in Feralas
Alliance	Deeprun Tram	Inside Stormwind	Inside Ironforge
Horde	Zeppelin	Orgrimmar in Durotar	Undercity in Tirisfal Glades
Horde	Zeppelin	Undercity in Tirisfal Glades	Grom’gol Base Camp in Stranglethorn Vale
Horde	Zeppelin	Grom’gol Base Camp in Stranglethorn Vale	Orgrimmar in Durotar