You've finally brought Simba back to the Valley. He’s home. But, honestly, he’s a bit of a mess. He’s moping around near the Dreamlight Tree, feeling guilty about the past and worrying that he isn't a "real" king. If you’re stuck on The Circle of Life Dreamlight Valley quest, don't worry. It’s one of those missions that feels like a simple fetch quest but actually requires a bit of specific inventory management and some patience with growth timers.
Simba wants to restore the valley, and specifically, he wants to fix the graveyard area in the Sunlit Plateau. It’s symbolic. It’s about growth. But mostly, it’s about you running around with a shovel and a watering can while a lion watches you work.
Getting Started: The Talk with Simba
To even trigger this, you need Simba at Friendship Level 7. If he’s not there yet, go grab some flowers or grilled fish and start spamming him with gifts. You also need to have progressed enough with Scar to have the Sunlit Plateau unlocked, which is basically a given if you’ve reached this point.
Simba will pull you aside. He’s been talking to Rafiki—well, remembering Rafiki—and he wants to purify the Elephant Graveyard. The problem? The Wildebeest Bones are everywhere. They’re an eyesore. They represent the decay of the "Forgetting" years. Simba thinks if he can remove them, the plateau will start to heal.
You can't just dig them up with your basic shovel. No. Disney Dreamlight Valley loves a good tool upgrade. You’re going to need to craft a Functional Shovel Head.
The Grocery List from Hell
This is where the quest gets grindy. Simba isn't much of a handyman, so the gathering falls on you. You’ll need a few specific items to upgrade your shovel.
First up: 10 Purified Night Shards.
If you’ve been playing for a while, you know these are a pain. You need Dream Shards and Night Shards to craft them at a station. Dig up those sparkling holes in the ground. If you’re short on Night Shards, head to the Forgotten Lands or the Sunlit Plateau; they seem to drop more frequently there.
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Next: Seed of Life.
This isn't something you just find in a chest. You have to go to the Vitalys Mines. Deep inside the mines, near the back where the secret room is (the one associated with the "Seed of Memories" quest line), you’ll find a place to interact. You’re basically looking for a specific spot where the "Seed of Life" can be extracted.
Once you have the seed and the shards, you aren't done. You have to talk to Mother Gothel. Yeah, everyone’s favorite "mom." She’s the expert on dark magic and restoration, even if she’s condescending about it.
Planting the Seed of Life
Gothel will tell you that the seed is dormant. To wake it up, you have to plant it in the Sunlit Plateau.
Go to the area near the pond in the Plateau. Dig a hole. Drop the seed in.
Now, wait.
The Seed of Life takes about 20 to 30 minutes to grow. It’s not an instant pop. You have to keep it watered. If the icon on your map turns red, get over there with your watering can. While you’re waiting, maybe go mine some iron ore or check on your pumpkins. Time in the Valley moves at a steady clip, so don't just stand there staring at the dirt. It won't grow faster if you watch it.
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Once it’s fully grown, harvest it. You now have the Dreamlight Fruit. This is the core component for the shovel upgrade.
Crafting the Functional Shovel Head
Head to your nearest crafting bench. You’re looking for the "Functional Shovel Head" under the Potion and Enchantment tab.
The recipe is:
- 10 Purified Night Shards
- 1 Dreamlight Fruit
Craft it. Then, go into your inventory and "use" the item. Your shovel will glow for a second. Congratulations, you are now the ultimate bone-remover. You can finally clear those massive Wildebeest Bones that have been blocking the bridge in the Sunlit Plateau for weeks.
Cleaning Up the Elephant Graveyard
Go find Simba. He’ll be thrilled, or as thrilled as a brooding lion can be. He wants you to clear out the bones in the Elephant Graveyard.
Walk over to the large bones—the ones that look like ribs sticking out of the ground. Use your newly upgraded shovel. They’ll crumble into dust and usually drop some Clay. Clay is actually super useful for later quests (looking at you, Minnie Mouse and your clock tower), so hoard it.
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After you’ve cleared about five of the large bone clusters, the quest updates. Simba wants to plant something new to signify the "Circle of Life." He gives you some seeds to plant in the graveyard.
The Final Touch
Plant the seeds around the graveyard area. Water them. Unlike the Seed of Life, these grow pretty much instantly or after a very short wait. Once the greenery starts popping up, the vibe of the Sunlit Plateau changes. It feels less like a wasteland and more like a savanna.
Simba will give you a final speech about being a leader and how the Valley is finally starting to look like the Pride Lands again.
Why This Quest Matters for Your Game
Completing The Circle of Life Dreamlight Valley quest isn't just about making Simba happy. It’s a mechanical necessity.
- Pathfinding: Those bones block off half of the Sunlit Plateau. Once they’re gone, you can actually run across the bridges instead of fast-traveling to the other side of the map.
- Dreamlight Trees: This quest is the precursor to getting Dreamlight Trees in your Valley. These trees produce Dreamlight Fruit, which is a high-energy food source and a required ingredient for several late-game recipes.
- Friendship Levels: This pushes Simba toward Level 10, which unlocks his final reward—the King of the Jungle outfit and the Pride Rock statue.
Actionable Next Steps for Efficient Completion
If you want to knock this out fast, follow this workflow:
- Pre-farm Night Shards: Before even talking to Simba, make sure you have at least 50 Night Shards and 10 Dream Shards in your storage. You’ll need them for the Purified Shards.
- Check the Mines First: Go to the Vitalys Mines and clear out the nodes. You might get the extra materials you need while you're looking for the Seed of Life location.
- Use Miracle Growth Elixir: If you’re impatient while waiting for the Seed of Life to grow, you can apply a Miracle Growth Elixir to your watering can. It will make the seed grow instantly.
- Clear the Path: Once the shovel is upgraded, don't just clear the 5 bones Simba asks for. Go around the entire Sunlit Plateau and clear every bone cluster you see. It clears up space for spawns (like flowers and vanilla) and makes navigating the biome much easier.
- Save Your Clay: You’re going to get a lot of clay from those bones. Do not sell it to Goofy. Put it in a chest. You will need hundreds of pieces of clay for future missions with Minnie and for crafting paths.
This quest is a turning point for the Sunlit Plateau. It turns a dead zone into a functional part of your map. Once those bones are gone, the "Circle of Life" is officially back in motion.