Leveling a Horde character in World of Warcraft: Forever has its own route. Orcs, Trolls, Tauren, Forsaken and Windshaper Skyborne begin in different parts of Azeroth, and the best path depends heavily on whether your character starts in Kalimdor or the Eastern Kingdoms.
Quick answer: Orcs and Trolls should move naturally from Durotar into the Barrens. Tauren can finish Mulgore before connecting through the Barrens and Stonetalon. Forsaken have a strong Eastern Kingdoms route through Tirisfal, Silverpine, Ruins of Lordaeron and Hillsbrad without needing to cross to Kalimdor early. Horde Skyborne should finish Zephras Isle and their Windshaper faction introduction before joining the normal Horde route, which explicitly points them toward the Barrens. From the mid-30s, Riverglades becomes a major shared Horde leveling option before the route continues through Tanaris, Feralas, Un'Goro, Felwood, the Plaguelands and Winterspring.
This guide focuses specifically on Horde zones, racial routes, Horde quest hubs, faction travel and dungeons that fit naturally into Horde progression. For RestedXP, addons, fastest classes, XP optimization and pure speed-leveling tactics, use our WoW Forever Speed Leveling Guide. Alliance players should use the Alliance Leveling Route.
WoW Forever Horde Leveling Route 1–60
| Level | Primary Horde Zones | Alternative Route | Dungeon Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | Durotar, Mulgore or Tirisfal Glades | Zephras Isle for Windshaper Skyborne | — |
| 1–12 Skyborne | Zephras Isle | Complete the Windshaper story before joining mainland Horde | — |
| 10–15 | The Barrens or Silverpine Forest | Late Mulgore / early Stonetalon | Ragefire Chasm |
| 15–20 | Barrens + Stonetalon or Silverpine | Ashenvale / Hillsbrad | Ruins of Lordaeron 15–20 |
| 20–25 | Barrens, Stonetalon, Ashenvale or Hillsbrad | Thousand Needles | Wailing Caverns / Shadowfang Keep |
| 25–30 | Thousand Needles, Hillsbrad, Stonetalon | Ashenvale / southern Barrens | Excavation Site optional; City of Dalaran begins at 28 |
| 30–35 | Arathi Highlands, Stranglethorn Vale, Desolace, Thousand Needles | Alterac Mountains | City of Dalaran 28–33 |
| 35–40 | Riverglades, Stranglethorn Vale, Desolace | Dustwallow Marsh | The Drowned City 35–40 |
| 40–45 | Riverglades, Tanaris, Feralas | Hinterlands / Dustwallow | Krol'dok Stronghold 40–45 |
| 45–50 | Tanaris, Feralas, Hinterlands | Searing Gorge, early Un'Goro | Alcaz Prison 48–53 |
| 50–55 | Un'Goro, Felwood, Western Plaguelands | Burning Steppes, Azshara | Alcaz Prison / Blackrock dungeons |
| 55–60 | Eastern Plaguelands, Winterspring, Silithus | Felwood, Azshara, Burning Steppes | Blackmaw Hold 55–60 / Shaper's Terrace 58–60 |
| 60 | Mount Hyjal and endgame progression | Finish valuable high-level quest chains | Pre-raid gearing begins |
Forever has no level scaling. Do not treat these level brackets as mandatory zone-change points. The useful question is whether your current quest hub still gives dense, appropriately leveled objectives without excessive travel.
The ExpCarry Route Efficiency Test
Before we recommend changing zones or crossing a continent, we use four checks:
| Question | Good Route | Bad Route |
|---|---|---|
| How much quest overlap is left? | Several objectives complete in one circuit | One isolated quest several minutes away |
| What does travel cost? | Nearby flight path, zeppelin, ship or natural zone transition | Long cross-continent trip with no other unlock |
| Does a dungeon overlap? | Several quests, useful rewards and nearby entrance | You merely reached its minimum level |
| Where does the route leave you? | Near the next quest hub or level bracket | Forced to travel all the way back afterward |
This is why Ruins of Lordaeron is extremely valuable for Forsaken but only situational for an Orc questing deep in the Barrens, and why Hall of Thanes should almost never be forced into a normal Horde route despite its low-level range.
Horde Starting Routes by Race
| Race | Start | Recommended Opening |
|---|---|---|
| Orc | Durotar | Durotar → Barrens → Stonetalon / Ashenvale |
| Troll | Durotar | Durotar → Barrens → Stonetalon / Ashenvale |
| Tauren | Mulgore | Mulgore → Barrens → Stonetalon / Thousand Needles |
| Forsaken | Tirisfal Glades | Tirisfal → Silverpine → Ruins of Lordaeron → Hillsbrad |
| Windshaper Skyborne | Zephras Isle | Zephras → Thunder Bluff → Orgrimmar → Barrens |
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Orc and Troll Route: Durotar to the Barrens
Orcs and Trolls have the cleanest traditional Horde route.
Levels 1–10: complete the connected Durotar hubs instead of leaving immediately for another racial zone.
Levels 10–15: move into the Barrens, generally through the Crossroads network.
Levels 15–20: continue productive Barrens quest clusters and begin using Stonetalon or Ashenvale when their nearby chains line up.
Levels 20–25: remain in useful Barrens/Stonetalon/Ashenvale content rather than automatically clearing every distant Barrens objective.
The Barrens is huge. Its size is both its strength and its biggest trap. Several quests can often be stacked together, but a single remote delivery can be less efficient than changing hub entirely.
Tauren Route: Mulgore Into Central Kalimdor
Tauren should finish the strong local Mulgore structure before forcing a move to Durotar.
Levels 1–10: Mulgore.
Levels 10–15: move into the Barrens once the local chains thin out.
Levels 15–20: use Barrens hubs while opening Stonetalon and nearby objectives.
Levels 20–30: Stonetalon, Barrens leftovers and Thousand Needles give Tauren a very natural southward Kalimdor path.
This route also positions the character well for Desolace and the new Shen'dralas region later without requiring an early Eastern Kingdoms trip.
Forsaken Route: Tirisfal, Silverpine and Ruins of Lordaeron
Forsaken have the most distinct Horde leveling path because they can remain in the Eastern Kingdoms for a long time.
Levels 1–10: Tirisfal Glades.
Levels 10–15: continue Tirisfal and move into Silverpine Forest.
Levels 15–20: combine Silverpine with Ruins of Lordaeron.
Levels 20–30: Silverpine transitions naturally into Hillsbrad Foothills and then toward Arathi.
A Forsaken character does not need to cross to the Barrens simply because most Horde leveling guides are written around Orcs.
Ruins of Lordaeron: The Horde's Best New Early Dungeon
Ruins of Lordaeron is officially a level 15–20 dungeon located above the Undercity.
For Horde, the entrance is effectively part of your capital region. That gives Forsaken a major route advantage and makes the dungeon reasonably accessible to other Horde players who already have Undercity travel unlocked.
Horde Quest Bundle
Current data contains six Horde-compatible quests, including:
- The Wrath of Rath'mael;
- A Frightened Request;
- Light's Justice;
- The New Plague;
- Unending Torment;
- Crest of Lordaeron.
The first four can be prepared from Tirisfal, Silverpine and Undercity before the run, while the remaining objectives are discovered inside the dungeon.
Useful Ruins of Lordaeron Rewards
Notable quest rewards include:
- The Stitcher — Horde-only one-handed healing mace from Light's Justice;
- Gnarled Necromancer's Staff — a strong caster staff from The Wrath of Rath'mael;
- Slain Baron's Signet — useful ring available from dungeon quest progression.
The Gnarled Necromancer's Staff is particularly interesting for Horde leveling because its current effect also grants movement speed in Silverpine Forest and Hillsbrad Foothills. That gives it route value beyond its raw caster stats.
This is exactly the kind of reward we value more highly than a generic dungeon drop: the item helps in the same zones your Forsaken route is already using.
Should Orcs and Tauren Travel to Ruins of Lordaeron?
Not automatically.
Ruins of Lordaeron is excellent content, but the travel cost is part of the calculation.
For an Orc at the Crossroads, Wailing Caverns plus several Barrens quests may generate more useful progression than travelling across the world solely for one Lordaeron run.
Go when:
- your group already wants the dungeon;
- you can collect multiple Horde quests beforehand;
- you specifically want a reward;
- you are already transitioning toward the Eastern Kingdoms.
Skip or postpone it when the dungeon would break a dense local Kalimdor route.
Horde Skyborne: Zephras Isle to the Barrens
Windshaper Skyborne begin on Zephras Isle and use their own faction introduction rather than simply being dropped into Durotar.
The Horde version of Welcome to Azeroth sends the character through Thunder Bluff and then to Orgrimmar to meet Thrall.
The following Exploring the Horde quest asks the character to visit:
- Orgrimmar;
- Thunder Bluff;
- Undercity;
- the Horde leadership representing Orcs, Trolls, Tauren and Forsaken.
After completing the tour, the quest explicitly recommends adventuring around the Barrens.
That gives Windshaper Skyborne a clear mainland handoff:
Zephras Isle → Thunder Bluff → Orgrimmar → Exploring the Horde → Barrens.
This is more accurate than treating a Horde Skyborne as an Orc who simply starts at level 12.
See our WoW Forever Skyborne Guide for classes, racials and the complete faction choice.
Levels 10–20: Barrens or Silverpine?
This is the first major Horde route split.
| Character | Recommended Route | Natural Dungeon |
|---|---|---|
| Orc / Troll | Barrens | Ragefire Chasm → Wailing Caverns |
| Tauren | Mulgore → Barrens | Wailing Caverns |
| Forsaken | Tirisfal → Silverpine | Ruins of Lordaeron |
| Windshaper Skyborne | Barrens after Horde introduction | Whatever fits the mainland route you choose |
Do not force all Horde characters into one continent at level 10. Both branches are legitimate.
Levels 20–30: Stonetalon, Hillsbrad and Thousand Needles
During the 20s, Horde characters still benefit from staying near their existing continent.
Kalimdor routes can use:
- remaining Barrens objectives;
- Stonetalon Mountains;
- Ashenvale;
- Thousand Needles as the character climbs toward the upper 20s.
Eastern Kingdoms routes can continue through:
- Silverpine leftovers;
- Hillsbrad Foothills;
- early Arathi progression.
Excavation Site Is Usually Not a Horde Priority
Excavation Site covers levels 24–29 but sits in the Wetlands.
That makes it a strong Alliance dungeon and a more situational Horde option.
For Horde, it becomes attractive only if the group, quest bundle or desired rewards justify entering Alliance-heavy territory.
Do not travel to Wetlands simply because Excavation Site appears next in a numerical dungeon list.
Levels 28–35: City of Dalaran and the Eastern Kingdoms Branch
City of Dalaran covers levels 28–33.
It fits especially well for Horde characters already progressing from Hillsbrad into Alterac or Arathi.
Kalimdor characters can instead continue through Thousand Needles and Desolace until a larger reason justifies switching continents.
This is another example where the correct Horde route is determined by where your character already is, not by a universal dungeon order.
Levels 35–45: Riverglades Becomes a Shared Horde Hub
Riverglades is one of Forever's largest additions to the 1–60 world and is explicitly designed for both factions.
Yes, Horde can level in Riverglades.
Blizzard places the zone through much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience and gives it a large pool of new quests.
Levels 35–40: use Riverglades alongside Stranglethorn, Desolace and Dustwallow.
Levels 40–45: continue productive Riverglades chains and integrate Krol'dok Stronghold.
Do not attempt to clear the entire zone. A large quest pool means you can skip weak or travel-heavy chains.
For Riverglades, Shen'dralas and other new regions, use our WoW Forever New Zones Guide.
Powderfuse Port and the Tanaris Connection
Powderfuse Port connects Riverglades directly with the Steamwheedle Cartel route from Tanaris.
This matters especially for Horde because Tanaris already fits naturally into many Kalimdor routes.
A strong midgame transition can therefore be:
Riverglades → Krol'dok Stronghold → Powderfuse Port → Steamwheedle/Tanaris
or the reverse, depending on where the character reaches the correct level first.
The connection is useful because it reduces one of the biggest costs in Classic-style leveling: empty travel between two otherwise good quest regions.
What About Shen'dralas?
Shen'dralas lies south of Desolace through the Valley of Bones and is especially interesting for Horde characters already following the Mulgore → Barrens → Stonetalon → Desolace side of Kalimdor.
However, Blizzard has not published a precise enough level bracket to justify replacing a proven Desolace/Feralas route with a fabricated mandatory Shen'dralas block.
Until the live quest progression is fully mapped, treat Shen'dralas as an additional route option, not a compulsory level range.
Krol'dok Stronghold: Levels 40–45
Krol'dok Stronghold sits inside Riverglades and covers levels 40–45.
That creates one of the most efficient dungeon integrations for both Horde and Alliance:
Riverglades questing → collect dungeon objectives → Krol'dok Stronghold → continue Riverglades or transition toward Tanaris/Feralas.
The dungeon should fit into the route rather than force the route to fit around the dungeon.
Levels 40–50: Tanaris, Feralas and Hinterlands
| Zone | Horde Hub / Route | Why Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Tanaris | Gadgetzan | Natural Kalimdor continuation and Riverglades sea connection. |
| Feralas | Camp Mojache | Strong Horde questing route after Desolace/Tanaris. |
| The Hinterlands | Revantusk Village | Excellent Horde-specific Eastern Kingdoms quest hub. |
| Dustwallow Marsh | Brackenwall Village | Useful Kalimdor alternative and later Alcaz access. |
| Searing Gorge | Thorium Point | Good transition toward Blackrock content. |
Alcaz Prison: Levels 48–53
Alcaz Prison is on Alcaz Island in Dustwallow Marsh.
For Horde characters already using Brackenwall Village, Tanaris or central Kalimdor, the dungeon can fit without a huge continental detour.
Run it when:
- you have several relevant quests;
- your group is already nearby;
- the rewards improve important slots;
- you are naturally moving through Dustwallow.
Levels 50–55: Un'Goro, Felwood and Western Plaguelands
The main options are:
- Un'Goro Crater;
- Felwood;
- Western Plaguelands;
- Burning Steppes;
- Azshara when its quests align with your route.
Horde geography makes Azshara particularly useful because the route eventually leads toward Blackmaw Hold at 55–60.
Levels 55–60: Build the Character You Want at Level 60
During the final levels, XP should no longer be the only thing you evaluate.
Strong options include:
- Eastern Plaguelands;
- Winterspring;
- Silithus;
- remaining high-level Felwood;
- Azshara;
- Burning Steppes.
Blackmaw Hold — 55–60
Blackmaw Hold is one of the most Horde-friendly new late-level dungeons because it lies in Azshara.
It also matters after leveling because the dungeon's tunnel network connects into the Barrow Deeps endgame region.
Shaper's Terrace — 58–60
Shaper's Terrace in Un'Goro is the final new dungeon in Blizzard's launch leveling list and naturally works as both a leveling and early pre-raid destination.
Classic Endgame Dungeons Still Matter
Blackrock Depths, Lower and Upper Blackrock Spire, Dire Maul, Scholomance and Stratholme remain important. By 58–60, the line between leveling gear and pre-raid gear becomes increasingly thin.
Mount Hyjal Starts After the Leveling Route
Mount Hyjal is primarily level-60 progression.
Do not abandon efficient 56–59 Winterspring, Plaguelands or dungeon content just to enter a new zone early. Finish the leveling journey, then use Hyjal for reputations, professions, questing and raid preparation.
Continue with our Mount Hyjal Guide at level 60.
Where All Nine New Forever Dungeons Fit for Horde
| Dungeon | Level | Horde Route Value |
|---|---|---|
| Hall of Thanes | 13–18 | Low. Deep inside Alliance territory. |
| Ruins of Lordaeron | 15–20 | Very high, especially for Forsaken. |
| Excavation Site | 24–29 | Situational due to Wetlands travel. |
| City of Dalaran | 28–33 | Strong for Hillsbrad/Alterac progression. |
| The Drowned City | 35–40 | Good for Stranglethorn routes. |
| Krol'dok Stronghold | 40–45 | Very high during Riverglades progression. |
| Alcaz Prison | 48–53 | Good for Kalimdor/Dustwallow routes. |
| Blackmaw Hold | 55–60 | Very high for late Horde progression. |
| Shaper's Terrace | 58–60 | High-value final-level and pre-raid option. |
For boss locations and dungeon-specific details, use our WoW Forever Dungeons Guide.
Horde Flight Paths and Travel Hubs Worth Prioritizing
| Level Range | Useful Horde Hubs |
|---|---|
| 10–20 | Crossroads, Ratchet, Sun Rock Retreat, Sepulcher |
| 20–30 | Camp Taurajo, Freewind Post, Tarren Mill, Splintertree Post |
| 30–40 | Grom'gol, Hammerfall, Shadowprey Village, Riverglades hubs |
| 40–50 | Gadgetzan, Camp Mojache, Revantusk Village, Brackenwall Village, Thorium Point |
| 50–60 | Marshal's Refuge, Bloodvenom Post, The Bulwark, Light's Hope Chapel, Everlook, Cenarion Hold |
A flight path is worth taking when you expect to return to the region. The initial detour is often repaid several times over during later dungeon, profession and level-60 travel.
Professions and Legacy Should Follow the Route
Do not convert a faction leveling guide into a profession grind.
Train professions early enough to gather materials naturally while moving through Horde territory, but avoid repeated city trips for tiny skill increases.
Use our WoW Forever Professions Guide for profession pairings and Camping progression.
Legacy should work the same way. Complete challenges that naturally overlap with questing, exploration and dungeons. Avoid abandoning a strong leveling circuit for an unrelated Legacy objective unless the reward is specifically part of your plan.
See the WoW Forever Legacy Points Guide.
Horde Leveling Mistakes to Avoid
- Sending every Horde race to the Barrens immediately.
- Making Forsaken cross to Kalimdor before using Silverpine and Ruins of Lordaeron.
- Clearing the entire Barrens simply because quests still exist there.
- Travelling to Hall of Thanes solely because it is a new dungeon.
- Travelling to Wetlands for Excavation Site with no quest or reward reason.
- Ignoring Ruins of Lordaeron while already questing around Undercity.
- Trying to complete every Riverglades quest.
- Forcing Shen'dralas into a made-up level bracket.
- Treating Mount Hyjal as a normal 55–60 zone.
- Following an Alliance route because the zone level happens to match.
WoW Forever Horde Leveling FAQ
What is the best Horde leveling route?
It depends on your race. Orcs and Trolls naturally use Durotar and the Barrens, Tauren use Mulgore into the Barrens, Forsaken should use Tirisfal, Silverpine and Hillsbrad, while Windshaper Skyborne complete Zephras Isle before joining the Horde route.
Should every Horde character level in the Barrens?
No. The Barrens is excellent for Orcs, Trolls, Tauren and Horde Skyborne, but Forsaken have a strong Eastern Kingdoms route through Silverpine and Ruins of Lordaeron.
What is the best new early Horde dungeon?
Ruins of Lordaeron. Horde access is directly above the Undercity and the dungeon has several Horde quests and useful rewards.
Can Horde do Hall of Thanes?
Yes, but Blizzard specifically notes that Horde must enter Alliance territory to reach it. It is normally a poor leveling detour unless your group has a specific reason to go.
Can Horde level in Riverglades?
Yes. Riverglades is designed for both factions and covers much of the mid-30s to mid-40s experience.
How does a Horde Skyborne join the main route?
Finish Zephras Isle, follow the Windshaper introduction through Thunder Bluff and Orgrimmar, then complete Exploring the Horde. The quest explicitly points the character toward the Barrens.
Should Horde level in Mount Hyjal before 60?
No. Mount Hyjal is primarily level-60 endgame progression.
Is this a speed-leveling guide?
No. This page owns the Horde faction route: racial starts, zones, hubs, travel and dungeon placement. For RestedXP, addons, XP optimization and fastest-leveling tactics, use our WoW Forever Speed Leveling Guide.
If you prefer to skip part of the manual route, the available options are listed separately in our WoW Forever Leveling service.
At level 60, continue with our WoW Forever Pre-Raid BiS Guide and Mount Hyjal Guide.
