How to Get to Pandaria in MoP Classic – First Time Guide for 2025

So, Mists of Pandaria Classic is finally live, and you’re ready to explore the lost continent of Pandaria. Whether you’re a returning vet or a fresh blood newcomer curious about pandas, Chi-Ji, and some of the best zone design Blizzard ever made, the first step is just getting there. And believe me—there's no skipping the journey.

In this guide, we’re breaking down how to get to Pandaria in MoP Classic for both Horde and Alliance, how the intro questlines work, where to find the Pandaria portals, and how to leave Pandaria when you're done brewing tea with monks or smashing mogu.

Let’s get into it.
how to get to pandaria from stormwind

How to Get to Pandaria in MoP Classic (For the First Time)

If it’s your first time trying to reach Pandaria in WoW MoP Classic, there’s one thing you need to know: you can’t skip the intro quests. You must complete a short storyline that takes you from your capital city onto the first gunship heading into the mists.

This intro questline unlocks the continent and triggers your access to zones, dungeons, scenarios, and eventually Pandaria portals. If you don’t do this, trying to sneak your way in is just going to result in disappointment.

Let’s walk through the process—Alliance first, then Horde.

Alliance: How to Get to Pandaria in MoP Classic

As an Alliance player, you’ll get the starter quest “The King’s Command” automatically upon entering Stormwind once the MoP Classic servers go live (remember, quests only unlock after the launch on July 21, 2025—not during pre-patch).

Here’s the exact flow:

1. The King’s Command

Go to Stormwind Keep and speak to Grand Admiral Jes-Tereth.
She’ll direct you to board the Skyfire, Stormwind’s elite skyship.

2. The Mission

Head northwest of Stormwind Keep. Fly up to find Sky Admiral Rogers aboard the Skyfire.
She’ll brief you on the mission to enter Pandaria.

3. Unleash Hell / Touching Ground

You’ll soon be dropped into The Jade Forest, kicking off your first actual boots-on-the-ground quests in Pandaria.

This series of quests sets up your involvement in the Alliance-Horde conflict on Pandaria’s shores and is unskippable the first time around.

Horde: How to Get to Pandaria in MoP Classic

For the Horde, things follow a similar flow, but you’re reporting to General Nazgrim—a familiar face if you remember your Cataclysm days.

1. The Art of War

This first quest will pop as soon as you enter Orgrimmar after launch.
Talk to General Nazgrim inside Grommash Hold.

2. All Aboard!

Head to Bladefist Bay in northeast Durotar. The Horde’s ship, Hellscream’s Fist, floats in the air above the harbor.
Fly up and board.

3. Into the Mists / Paint It Red! / Touching Ground / Fire Is Always the Answer / The Final Blow!

This is the Horde's opening arc, full of fiery landings and combat-heavy intros in The Jade Forest.

Once you're done with this series, congratulations—you've unlocked Pandaria properly. From this point, you can return any time via Pandaria portals, which we’ll cover next.

Where to Find Portals to Pandaria in MoP Classic

After completing the intro quests and setting foot in Pandaria, portals will become available in your faction’s capital. These are major time-savers, especially for endgame content and daily hub hopping.

Alliance – Stormwind Pandaria Portal

Go to Stormwind Mage Quarter and head into the Eastern Earthshrine, located in the lake at the north of Stormwind.
The portal to The Jade Forest will be active once you’ve done your intro.

Tip: If you don’t see the portal, double-check you’ve completed “Touching Ground” in The Jade Forest.

Horde – Orgrimmar Pandaria Portal

The Horde portal to Pandaria is in the Valley of Honor, next to Ji Firepaw.
Coordinates: 68.8, 40.4

From here, just click and you’re back in Pandaria in seconds. Perfect for dungeon runs, farming routes, or checking out the August Celestials.

Can I Get to Pandaria Without Doing the Questline?

Short answer: No—at least not the first time.

While you can technically fly toward the continent or try using alternate teleport tricks, Pandaria is phased off for players who haven’t completed the introduction. The portals won’t show up, and the zones may appear empty or unavailable. Blizzard made sure this step couldn’t be skipped.

Once you’ve done it once on your account, your alts can often pick up an expedited version or start near the portal points—but your first character needs to push through that initial storyline.

How to Leave Pandaria in MoP Classic

Eventually, you’ll want to hearth back to a main city, queue for a battleground, or just reset. Good news—getting out of Pandaria is quick.

Option 1: Use Your Hearthstone

The simplest and most reliable option. Hearth back to your set location.

Option 2: Use Pandaria-to-Capital Portals

Alliance – Stormwind Return Portals:

Paw’don Village (The Jade Forest): Next to Matthew Owens at 46.2, 85.0
Shrine of Seven Stars (Vale of Eternal Blossoms): Main capital hub for Alliance players on Pandaria

Horde – Orgrimmar Return Portals:

Honeydew Village (The Jade Forest): Near Kofa the Swift at 28.6, 13.8
Shrine of Two Moons (Vale of Eternal Blossoms): Main Horde hub in Pandaria

Having these return portals makes daily questing and farming less of a hassle. You’re never too far from civilization—or the Auction House.

Bonus: Should You Be Farming MoP Classic Gold in Pandaria?

Absolutely. Pandaria is gold farming paradise in MoP Classic. From fast respawn nodes and mob-rich zones to high-demand materials for professions and reputation tokens, there's gold everywhere if you know where to look.

If you're looking to maximize profits, areas like Krasarang Wilds, Townlong Steppes, and Timeless Isle (when it drops) are all worth checking out.

Just a heads-up—don't sleep on third-party trading hubs like MoPClassicGold, which can sometimes give you a leg-up if you're after large-scale trades or rare mats. Always trade smart.

Final Thoughts – Getting to Pandaria Is Just the Beginning

Getting to Pandaria in WoW MoP Classic isn't hard—but it’s absolutely essential if you’re planning to take part in this expansion’s rich content. Whether you're aiming for raid progression, rare mounts like the Heavenly Onyx Cloud Serpent, or want to max out your professions, your journey starts with that intro questline.

Once you’ve completed it, the Pandaria portal will be your best friend. And from there? The real adventure begins—Pet Battles, Scenarios, Sha of Anger, and yes, more daily quests than you can shake a yak at.

So saddle up, get through those intro quests, and enjoy one of the most atmospheric expansions World of Warcraft ever gave us.

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Recommended Read: Need a hand gearing up fast or building your stash? Check out MoPClassicGold—your go-to for trustworthy trades.

Written by Jerry, a long-time WoW vet who remembers the first time he got punted by a hozen. Stay safe in the mists, heroes.