Whether they’re coming back to World of Warcraft Classic after several years away or starting up for the first time, players are always on the hunt for the quickest path to max level. Currently, you can work your way all the way up to level 70 in The Burning Crusade expansion, which takes quite the time commitment. However, if you know which zones to visit, you can start to move much more quickly and efficiently on your quest. Let’s take a look at each WoW Classic zone and what level you should be when you’re questing in it.

Starting Zones

Depending on which faction you side with, your starting zones are going to differ. Alliance members can’t quest through the same places Horde players can until they near level 10. And even then, some of the early zones are more focused on a certain faction before they all come together in later zones. Here are the starting zones broken down by faction and level.

Alliance Starting Zones

  • Dun Morogh: 1-10Elwynn Forest: 1-10Teldrassil: 1-10Azuremyst Isle: 1-10Darkshore: 10-20Loch Modan: 10-20Westfall: 10-20Bloodmyst Isle: 10-20

Horde Starting Zones

  • Durotar: 1-10Mulgore: 1-10Tirisfal Glades: 1-10Eversong Woods: 1-10Silverspine Forest: 10-20Ghostlands: 10-20Barrens: 10-25

Contested Classic zones

After hitting level 20, players are freer to pick and choose zones they’d like to adventure through. There is still a level curve they should follow, but both factions have access to quests across the higher-level contested zones. Here they all are:

  • Redridge Mountains: 15-27Stonetalon Mountains: 15-27Ashenvale: 18-30Duskwood: 18-30Hillsbrad Foothill: 20-30Wetlands: 20-30Thousand Needles: 25-35Alterac Mountains: 30-40Arathi Highlands: 30-40Desolace: 30-40Stranglethorn Vale: 30-45Dustwallow Marsh: 35-45Badlands: 35-45Swamp of Sorrows: 35-45Feralas: 40-50Hinterlands: 40-50Tanaris: 40-50Searing Gorge: 45-50Azshara: 45-55Blasted Lands: 45-55Burning Steppes: 50-58Western Plaguelands: 51-58Eastern Plaguelands: 53-60Winterspring: 53-60Deadwind Pass: 55-60Moonglade: 55-60Silithus: 55-60

The Burning Crusade zones

As with the contested zones, the zones in The Burning Crusade let both factions adventure through them. You’ll need to be near level 60 before making your journey through the Dark Portal. Then, you can start to work through the zones as you see fit. Here are all seven zones in The Burning Crusade:

  • Hellfire Peninsula: 58-63Zangarmarsh: 60-64Terokkar Forest: 62-65Nagrand: 65-67Blade’s Edge Mountains: 65-68Netherstorm: 67-70Shadowmoon Valley: 67-70

The Wrath of the Lich King zones

Just like The Burning Crusade, this island of new zones that came as part of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion is full of contested zones for you to level through. While we recommend following your faction’s path (it’s started from your faction’s main city when you install the expansion), you can pick and choose which zones you level through. You’ll need to be around level 68 to start, but levels should go relatively quickly by this point. Here is every zone on the island:

  • Borean Tundra – 68-72Howling Fjord – 68-72Dragonblight – 71-75Grizzly Hills – 73-75Zul’Drak – 74-76Sholazar Basin – 76-78Crystalsong Forest – 77-80Hrothgar’s Landing – 77-80Icecrown – 77-80Storm Peaks – 77-80Wintergrasp (PVP Zone) – 77-80

If you follow this loose guideline, you should find yourself well on your way to max level in no time. Then, you can start to try out the many dungeons and raids that World of Warcraft Classic has to offer.