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The Jade Forest is the very first zone of Pandaria, and how you reach it depends heavily on which version of WoW you’re playing. In Retail, it’s a one-click portal from your capital city once you’ve unlocked it. In MoP Classic, you’ll need to run a short intro questline — complete with a gunship scenario — before the portal opens up. This guide covers both routes from Orgrimmar and Stormwind City.
What Is the Jade Forest? (Retail vs. MoP Classic)
Jade Forest access works differently depending on your version:
- Retail: Once you’ve completed the Mists of Pandaria introduction on any character, portals to Paw’don Village (Alliance) and Honeydew Village (Horde) stay unlocked account-wide, right in your capital city’s portal room.
- MoP Classic: You must complete the full intro chain — starting at your Hero’s Call or Warchief’s Command board — which includes a gunship scenario before you actually land in the Jade Forest for the first time.
How to Get to Jade Forest from Orgrimmar
Retail
- Head to the Gates of Orgrimmar in the Valley of Strength.
- Inside the gates, find the Pathfinder’s Den — Orgrimmar’s portal room.
- Look for the portal to Jade Forest on your right; it drops you at Honeydew Village.
🎯 If you’re coming from a different current-expansion hub (Oribos, Valdrakken, or Dornogal), take the portal to Orgrimmar first, then use the Pathfinder’s Den portal above.
MoP Classic
- Head to the Warchief’s Command Board next to Grommash Hold and select “The Jade Forest” to pick up Warchief’s Command: Jade Forest!.
- Report to General Nazgrim inside Grommash Hold to start The Art of War.
- Follow the short quest chain to All Aboard!, which puts you on a Horde gunship bound for Pandaria.
- Completing the intro scenario lands you in the Jade Forest and unlocks the Orgrimmar portal permanently.
How to Get to Jade Forest from Stormwind City
Retail
- Head to the Wizard’s Sanctum, the large tower in Stormwind’s Mage District.
- Climb to the top to reach Stormwind’s portal room.
- The portal to Jade Forest is on the right side of the room and drops you at Paw’don Village.
MoP Classic
- Find a Hero’s Call Board and select “The Jade Forest” to pick up Hero’s Call: Jade Forest!.
- Report to Grand Admiral Jes-Tereth in the war room at Stormwind Keep to start The King’s Command.
- Follow the short quest chain until you board a gunship bound for Pandaria.
- Completing the intro scenario lands you in the Jade Forest and unlocks the Stormwind portal permanently.
Quick Reference: Routes to Jade Forest
| Version | Faction | Starting Point | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail | Horde | Orgrimmar — Pathfinder’s Den | Direct portal to Honeydew Village |
| Retail | Alliance | Stormwind — Wizard’s Sanctum | Direct portal to Paw’don Village |
| MoP Classic | Horde | Orgrimmar — Grommash Hold | Intro questline + gunship scenario |
| MoP Classic | Alliance | Stormwind Keep | Intro questline + gunship scenario |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a portal to Jade Forest in Retail before I’ve been to Pandaria?
No. The portals in Stormwind and Orgrimmar only appear once you’ve completed the Mists of Pandaria introduction on at least one character; after that, they’re unlocked for your whole account.
What level do I need to start the Jade Forest questline in MoP Classic?
You can begin at level 10, though many players wait until they’re a bit higher to handle the early Pandaria content more comfortably.
Can I skip the gunship scenario in MoP Classic?
No, the gunship scenario is part of the required intro chain the first time through. Once it’s complete, you can use the capital city portals for all future visits and alts.
Do the Jade Forest portals work the same way for alts?
Yes. Once one character on your account has completed the Mists of Pandaria intro, the capital city portals are unlocked for all of your characters, including new alts.
Where do the Jade Forest portals actually drop me off?
The Orgrimmar portal leads to Honeydew Village, and the Stormwind portal leads to Paw’don Village — the two initial faction camps in the zone.
