WoW Leveling Route Planner - Optimal Paths 1-80
Why Route Planning Matters
A good leveling route saves 50-100 hours. A bad route wastes time on:
- ❌ Backtracking across zones
- ❌ Grey/low-XP quests
- ❌ Travel inefficiency (no flight paths, hearthstone mismanagement)
- ❌ Class-inappropriate quests (warriors doing escort quests solo)
A great route flows naturally: pick up quests → complete in order → turn in → fly to next zone.
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Alliance Leveling Route (1-80)
1-10: Starter Zones
- Human: Elwynn Forest (Northshire → Stormwind)
- Dwarf/Gnome: Dun Morogh (Coldridge Valley → Ironforge)
- Night Elf: Teldrassil (Shadowglen → Darnassus)
- Draenei: Azuremyst Isle (Ammen Vale → The Exodar)
Time: 2-3 hours
10-20: First Expansion
- Alliance: Westfall (Sentinel Hill) → Loch Modan → Redridge Mountains
- Quests: Deadmines (Storyline) + zone quests
- Time: 6-8 hours
20-30: Mid-Game
- Route: Duskwood → Wetlands → Ashenvale (if Alliance)
- Key Dungeons: Shadowfang Keep, Stockades, Gnomeregan
- Time: 8-10 hours
30-40: Stranglethorn Era
- Route: Stranglethorn Vale (Nesingwary quests) → Hillsbrad Foothills → Alterac Mountains
- Key Dungeons: Scarlet Monastery (Library, Armory, Cathedral, Graveyard)
- Time: 10-12 hours
40-50: High Level Classic
- Route: Tanaris → Feralas → Felwood → Winterspring
- Key Dungeons: Zul'Farrak, Maraudon, Blackrock Depths
- Time: 12-15 hours
50-60: Endgame Classic
- Route: Un'Goro Crater → Silithus → Eastern Plaguelands → Western Plaguelands
- Key Dungeons: Stratholme, Scholomance, Dire Maul
- Time: 15-18 hours
60-70: The Burning Crusade
- Route: Hellfire Peninsula → Zangarmarsh → Terokkar Forest → Nagrand → Shadowmoon Valley
- Key Dungeons: Hellfire Ramparts, Blood Furnace, Slave Pens, Underbog, Mana-Tombs
- Time: 18-22 hours
70-80: Wrath of the Lich King
- Route: Borean Tundra → Dragonblight → Grizzly Hills → Zul'Drak → Sholazar Basin → Icecrown
- Key Dungeons: Nexus, Utgarde Keep, Drak'Tharon, Violet Hold, Gundrak, Halls of Stone/Lightning, Oculus, Culling of Stratholme
- Time: 22-28 hours
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Horde Leveling Route (1-80)
1-10: Starter Zones
- Orc/Troll: Durotar (Valley of Trials → Orgrimmar)
- Tauren: Mulgore (Camp Narache → Thunder Bluff)
- Undead: Tirisfal Glades (Deathknell → Undercity)
- Blood Elf: Eversong Woods (Sunstrider Isle → Silvermoon)
Time: 2-3 hours
10-20: The Barrens
- Route: Northern Barrens (Crossroads) → Southern Barrens
- Key Dungeons: Ragefire Chasm, Wailing Caverns
- Time: 6-8 hours
20-30: Horde Expansion
- Route: Stonetalon Mountains → Ashenvale (Horde) → Hillsbrad Foothills
- Key Dungeons: Shadowfang Keep, Stockades
- Time: 8-10 hours
30-40: Stranglethorn & Beyond
- Route: Stranglethorn Vale → Thousand Needles → Desolace
- Key Dungeons: Scarlet Monastery (All wings)
- Time: 10-12 hours
40-50: Dustwallow & Tanaris
- Route: Dustwallow Marsh → Tanaris → Feralas
- Key Dungeons: Zul'Farrak, Maraudon
- Time: 12-15 hours
50-60: Plaguelands
- Route: Un'Goro Crater → Silithus → Eastern/Western Plaguelands
- Key Dungeons: Blackrock Depths, Stratholme, Scholomance
- Time: 15-18 hours
60-70: Outland (Same as Alliance)
- Route: Hellfire → Zangarmarsh → Terokkar → Nagrand → Shadowmoon
- Time: 18-22 hours
70-80: Northrend (Same as Alliance)
- Route: Borean Tundra → Dragonblight → Howling Fjord → Grizzly Hills → Zul'Drak → Sholazar → Icecrown
- Time: 22-28 hours
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Dungeon Integration Route
Many players level fastest by mixing questing + dungeons. Here's when to queue:
Level 15-28: Early Dungeons
- Deadmines (Alliance) / Wailing Caverns (Horde) - Level 18-22
- Shadowfang Keep - Level 22-25
- Stockades (Alliance) / Razorfen Downs (Horde) - Level 24-28
Level 30-45: Mid-Game Dungeons
- Scarlet Monastery - 4 wings, levels 33-42
- Zul'Farrak - Level 44-47
- Maraudon - Level 46-50
Level 50-60: Classic Endgame
- Blackrock Depths - Level 52-56
- Stratholme / Scholomance - Level 56-60
- Dire Maul - Level 57-60
Level 60-70: TBC Heroics
- Hellfire Ramparts - Level 60-63
- Blood Furnace - Level 62-65
- Slave Pens / Underbog - Level 63-66
- Mana-Tombs / Auchenai Crypts - Level 65-70
Level 70-80: WotLK Heroics
- Nexus / Utgarde Keep - Level 70-73
- Drak'Tharon / Violet Hold - Level 74-77
- Gundrak / Halls of Stone - Level 76-80
- Oculus / Culling of Stratholme - Level 78-80
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Route Optimization Tips
Tip 1: Batch Quests by Location
Pick up 5+ quests in town → complete all in same area → return to turn in. Minimizes backtracking.
Tip 2: Use Your Hearthstone Wisely
- Set hearth to the zone you'll return to most often
- Use it every 30-60 minutes (don't waste hearth cooldown)
- Update hearth every 10-15 levels as you move zones
Tip 3: Unlock Flight Paths Early
Every time you enter a new town: Talk to the flight master FIRST. Flight paths save massive time later.
Tip 4: Skip Grey Quests
Grey quests give 20% or less XP. Skip them unless (a) required for chain, or (b) dungeon quest.
Tip 5: Use Quest Items Efficiently
Many quests give items (totems, torches, etc.) that must be used to complete objectives. Hotkey these items to avoid fumbling in bags.
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Speedrun Route (RestedXP Style)
Speedrunners skip ~30% of quests by:
1. Skipping low-XP quests (less than 5,000 XP/minute)
2. Ignoring dungeon quests unless on the way
3. Choosing zones with high quest density (Stranglethorn > Desolace)
4. Hearthstone juggling (set hearth optimally every 4-5 hours)
Speedrun time 1-80: 3-4 days played (~72-96 hours)
Normal questing time 1-80: 6-7 days played (~144-168 hours)
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Bottom Line
Best Route: Follow Zygor/RestedXP guide (100-110 hours)
Good Route: Plan your own path (150-180 hours)
Bad Route: Wing it, skip flight paths, no hearth strategy (200+ hours)
Recommendation: Buy Zygor for auto-routing or RestedXP for speedrun routes. Saves 50-80 hours.
Ready to optimize your route?
👉 Get Zygor Guides (auto-routing) | Get RestedXP (speedrun-tested)