To get to Ashenvale from Stormwind in World of Warcraft: Forever, take the ship from Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine in Darkshore, then ride south along Darkshore’s road into Ashenvale. The road brings you past Maestra’s Post in the northwest of the zone and on to Astranaar, Ashenvale’s main night elf town, where you learn the flight path that makes every later trip a short flight.
That Stormwind ship is new in Forever, and it turns what used to be a trip through Ironforge and the Wetlands into one boat ride. Below we cover the route step by step, the older way through Menethil Harbor, the places worth knowing in Ashenvale, the Horde camps to watch for and the trip back, checked against Blizzard’s own posts as of November 12, eight days after launch.
The Ship That Makes It Short
Blizzard’s Found Photos panel recap lists the new route first: “Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine opens an early path between the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor.” In the original game, Stormwind had no harbor, so a human going to Ashenvale had to take the Deeprun Tram to Ironforge, ride through Dun Morogh and Loch Modan to Menethil Harbor, and sail from there. Auberdine is still the gateway either way: every Alliance ship to northern Kalimdor calls there.
Stormwind to Ashenvale, Step by Step
- Go to Stormwind Harbor. If you do not know the way, ask a city guard. Blizzard’s new player’s starter guide says guards give directions and mark the spot on your map.
- Board the ship to Auberdine and stay aboard until it docks in Darkshore.
- Learn Auberdine’s flight path at the hippogryph master in town.
- Ride south out of Auberdine on Darkshore’s main road. Darkshore is a zone for the teens, so a character around level 18 can ride it without trouble.
- Cross into Ashenvale. The road enters the zone in the northwest and passes Maestra’s Post, a small Alliance outpost.
- Keep following the road southeast to Astranaar, the town on an island in a lake. Talk to its hippogryph master to learn the flight path, and set your Hearthstone at the inn if you plan to quest in the zone.
From then on, any Alliance flight master in Kalimdor can fly you to Astranaar. Our guide to how flight paths work explains learning points and fares.
The Older Route Through Menethil Harbor
If you are a dwarf or gnome starting in Ironforge, or already in the Wetlands, this way still works:
- Take the Deeprun Tram from Stormwind to Ironforge if you are starting in Stormwind.
- Ride to Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands through Dun Morogh and Loch Modan.
- Take the ship to Auberdine. Blizzard says “Menethil, Southshore, and Auberdine add another route,” so check which stop each ship is heading for before you board.
- Follow the Darkshore road south to Ashenvale as above.
For a Stormwind character it is the long way round, since the Wetlands road runs through zones above a new character’s level.
What Is Where in Ashenvale
| Place | What it is |
|---|---|
| Maestra’s Post | Alliance outpost in the northwest, the first stop off the Darkshore road |
| Astranaar | Alliance town with the flight master, inn and most of the zone’s quests |
| Splintertree Post | Horde outpost in the east |
| Zoram’gar Outpost | Horde outpost on the west coast |
| Blackfathom Deeps | Dungeon on the western coast, for levels 24 to 32 |
Ashenvale is a level 18 zone and up, and there is no level scaling, as our zone level ranges explain, so a character arriving in their low teens should finish Darkshore first. For Blackfathom Deeps and the rest, see our dungeon level ranges. Night elves level through Darkshore and then Ashenvale, and our Druid leveling guide follows that path.
Watch for the Horde
Ashenvale is contested: the Horde levels here too, out of Splintertree Post and Zoram’gar. On the PvP rulesets, expect Horde players on the roads, and keep away from both outposts, whose guards attack Alliance characters. Our ruleset guide explains what each ruleset means for world PvP.
The road southeast from Astranaar also leads to the Barrens, which is Horde country. If that is where you are going, our guide to getting to the Barrens as Alliance covers that leg and the Horde outpost at the border.
Going Back to Stormwind
- Fly from Astranaar to Auberdine, then take the ship to Stormwind Harbor.
- Use your Hearthstone if it is set in Stormwind. Our Hearthstone guide covers how it works and its cooldown.
- Night elves heading home can fly to Rut’theran Village instead; our guide to getting to Darnassus covers the boat and portal.
If a ship does not show up, it may be Blizzard’s launch-week transport bug: on November 5 Blizzard said boats and zeppelins were “becoming lost in the maelstrom” and put temporary portals near most docks while it worked on a fix.
Every WoW Forever guide we have is on our World of Warcraft hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to Ashenvale from Stormwind in WoW Forever? Take the ship from Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine, then ride south on Darkshore’s road into Ashenvale and on to Astranaar.
Is there a boat from Stormwind to Kalimdor? Yes. Forever added a ship from Stormwind Harbor to Auberdine in Darkshore, the closest port to Ashenvale.
Where is the flight path in Ashenvale? In Astranaar, the town on an island in a lake. Talk to its hippogryph master once and you can fly there afterward.
What level should I be for Ashenvale? The zone starts at level 18. Darkshore, on the way, is a good place to level until then.
Is Ashenvale an Alliance zone? It is contested. Astranaar and Maestra’s Post are Alliance, but the Horde has Splintertree Post and Zoram’gar Outpost in the same zone.