How to Reach Thousand Needles as Alliance and Horde

◆Where Thousand Needles Is

The zone lies in southern Kalimdor: the Barrens are to the north, Feralas to the west and the Tanaris desert to the southeast. The western and central part is a narrow canyon where tauren settlements sit on top of the stone "needles", connected by rope bridges. In the east the canyon opens into the Shimmering Flats, a dried-up salt lake where goblins and gnomes race their rocket cars at the Mirage Raceway.

The recommended level is roughly 25–35. There are no dungeons or battlegrounds inside the zone itself. Read more about the area in the Thousand Needles zone article.

How to Get There as Alliance

The Alliance has no flight path inside the zone, so the first trip almost always has to be made on foot.

1. From Menethil Harbor, take the ship to Theramore Isle in Dustwallow Marsh.
2. From Theramore, head west into the Barrens and then south to the Great Lift. Dustwallow Marsh is a level 35–45 zone, so this route is fast but risky for low-level characters.
3. Alternative: sail from Booty Bay to Ratchet and walk south through the Barrens from there.
4. Horde guards stand at the top of the lift, so give them a wide berth before riding down into the canyon.

Later on, two flight paths at the edges of the zone help the Alliance: Thalanaar on the western border with Feralas and Gadgetzan in Tanaris. See the flight paths guide for how to unlock them.

How to Get There as Horde

For the Horde, Thousand Needles is a direct continuation of the Barrens.

1. From Thunder Bluff or the Crossroads, fly to Camp Taurajo in the southern Barrens.
2. From Camp Taurajo, follow the road south to the edge of the cliff.
3. Ride the Great Lift down into the canyon and head southeast to Freewind Post.
4. Learn the flight path there: in 1.12, Freewind Post connects to Thunder Bluff, the Crossroads, Camp Taurajo, Camp Mojache in Feralas and Gadgetzan.

Where the Entrance Is and How to Find Your Way

The Great Lift is a wooden tauren elevator on the northern border of the zone. There is a graveyard near its lower platform. Close to the lift, still on the Barrens side, is the entrance to the Razorfen Downs dungeon, so it is easy to combine a dungeon run with your move into the zone.

Freewind Post stands on a tall mesa in the middle of the canyon: tauren lifts and a chain of rope bridges lead to the top. Centaur war bands roam the canyon floor, so stay on the road. Darkcloud Pinnacle is a favourite ambush spot for players of the opposing faction, and the Shimmering Flats near the Tanaris border are another place to watch your back.

Routes and Key Locations

◆What to Do in Thousand Needles

The Horde gets its main 25–35 quest line here, fighting centaurs, harpies and the Grimtotem tribe. Both factions can pick up the neutral goblin and gnome quest chains at the Mirage Raceway. The full levelling plan is covered in the Thousand Needles levelling guide. From here, the natural next steps are Feralas or Tanaris.

◆Related Guides

• Thousand Needles — zone overview
• Thousand Needles levelling guide
• Flight paths in WoW 1.12
• Travelling around Azeroth
• How to get to Razorfen Downs
• Barrens levelling guide

Want to cross the canyon yourself? Register on WoW x5 and connect to the server — with x5 experience you can reach Thousand Needles on your very first evening.