Baldur's Gate 3: How To Reach The Underdark

The Underdark is your second major goal in Baldur’s Gate 3. After discovering the location of the Moonrise Towers, you’ll need to reach the other side of the mountains to learn more about your parasitic condition. There are two routes to get to Moonrise Towers — the overland route through the Shadow-Cursed Mountain Pass, or through the Underdark. If you’ve worked with Halsin tried to help the refugees, the Underdark is your only option. Only players that choose to side with the Goblin Camp leaders can use the Mountain Pass.

But finding a way to the Underdark is a challenge in of itself. While exploring the overworld map of Act 1, we’ve found four entrances to the Underdark. All of them are dangerous. You’ll need to delve into secret areas of the world to find the path to the Underdark — and each one involves fighting a major dangerous foe. Entrances are guarded by a Phase Spider Matriach, an evil bog witch, one of the leaders of the Goblin Camp and agents of a secret society. Every entrance is an ordeal, and we’ll explain where to find them all in the full guide below.

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Underdark Entrances In Act 1

There are four paths to the Underdark in Act 1. If you’re on the side of Halsin and help save the Emerald Grove and the Tiefling Refugees, you’ll need to use the Underdark path to reach the Moonstone Towers as part of the main quest.

Whispering Depths Underdark Entrance: In the Blighted Village, there are two entrances to an area called the Whispering Depths. This is part of the ‘Search the Cellar‘ quest.
You can either enter the large building with the webs covering the floor by destroying the webs and jumping down, or by entering through the lower exterior doors. You can also enter the Whispering Depths from the well when you pass a Perception check.
In the Whispering Depths, progress until you reach a large arena with a Matriarch Phase Spider. Defeat it or avoid it. You just need to reach the arena.
Using a Feather Fall spell or scroll or other means to survive a long fall, jump into the green-hued hole in the center of the arena. This leads straight down into the Underdark.

Dropping down from the Whispering Depths leads directly into the stomping grounds of multiple Minotaur. To your north, you’ll find the wooden elevator behind an illusory wall that leads to the Zhentarim Hideout.

Goblin Camp Underdark Entrance: As part of the quest ‘Save the Refugees‘ you’ll be tasked with killing the three leaders. To access the Underdark, you need to defeat the easiest leader — True Soul Gut. By killing her, you’ll gain the key to the Defiled Temple.
Enter the Defiled Temple — which is her personal bedroom — and reach an old church further in the ruins. Solve the puzzle or hit the secret switch to the right of the hidden door to reveal a ladder to the Underdark. Learn how to solve the puzzle here.

The ladder takes you to the Selunite Outpost in the Underdark, a large fortress that’s currently protected from outside threats. You’ll find a waypoint immediately here.

Zhentarim Hideout Underdark Entrance: This area is naturally reached during the ‘Find the Missing Shipment‘ quest. Travel to The Risen Road by jumping the broken stone bridge north of the Blighted Village.
To the north, search the destroyed caravan attacked by Gnolls. Further north you’ll find a cave entrance besieged by a war party of Gnolls. Defeat them and talk to the leader of the caravan.
If you pass the skill checks, he’ll tell you about a secret hideout in Waukeen’s Rest to the east. This large building is currently burning and destroyed.
Whether he tells you about the location or not, travel to the barn in the northwest corner of Waukeen’s Rest. Inside you’ll find a sneaking agent of the Zhentarim. If you have the pass phrase, he’ll let you pass peacefully.
Get the key (he’ll give it away or you’ll have to take it off him) and enter the cellar of the barn. In the back corner of the cellar, interact with the cupboard using the key from the guard. The secret entrance to the Zhentarim Hideout will unlock.
Down below, defeat the agents of the Zhentarim or agree to work with them. Either way, reach the two locked gates in the north of the cave. There’s an illusory wall you can pass through on the west side of the cave, down the ladders on the lower level.
Walk through the wall to reveal a hidden elevator down to the Underdark.

This path leads to an overgrown mushroom field guarded by a Minotaur. From the wooden stockade, you should be able to prepare an ambush against the giant-sized creature.

Overgrown Tunnel Underdark Entrance: This is part of the ‘Save Mayrina‘ quest. Start it by traveling south from Blighted Village and reaching the Sunlit Wetlands.
Progress into the Teahouse where Auntie Ethel will greet you. She’ll retreat into her lair. Follow her by deactivating the fire in the fireplace, then going through the hidden passage.
Down below, reach the Gnarled Door in the Entrance Gallery. Grab a Whispering Mask from the table nearby.
Progress through the Overgrown Tunnel and defeat Auntie Ethel. Once she’s been driven out, wear the Whispering Mask in the passage full of explosive flowers and noxious fumes that directly precedes the Ethel boss arena. There’s another Gnarled Door here that will only open when wearing the Whispering Mask.
Jump to the ledge with the second Gnarled Door. If you’re wearing the Whispering Mask, it will be permeable. Walk right through it. In the room ahead, you’ll find a Mushroom Circle that leads to the Underdark.

The Overgrown Tunnel Underdark portal takes you to a hidden room in the underground full of Sylvan Stones. The secret passage is just southwest of the Selunite Outpost. This is a dangerous area, so be prepared before attempting this path.