You arrive at Haven, talk to Cassandra, and suddenly you’re dropped into the Ferelden countryside. It’s green. It’s massive. It’s the Hinterlands. For most players, the Dragon Age Inquisition Hinterlands map is the first real taste of BioWare’s ambitious (and sometimes polarizing) open-world design. It’s also the place where completionists go to die. Honestly, the sheer scale of this single zone probably turned more people off the game than the tactical camera ever did.
The Hinterlands isn't just a map. It's a lesson in pacing.
If you try to clear every icon before moving the story forward, you’ll be level 12 and bored out of your mind before you even see Skyhold. BioWare actually had to tell people to "leave the Hinterlands" on social media back in 2014 because players were treating it like a linear checklist. It’s not. It’s a sprawling ecosystem of mage-templar violence, lost goats, and high dragons that you aren’t meant to conquer in one sitting.
Navigating the Chaos of the Hinterlands
The geography here is a bit of a nightmare if you don't know the landmarks. You've got the Crossroads in the center, which acts as your primary hub, but everything radiates out into distinct sub-regions that vary wildly in difficulty. To the north, you have the Horsemaster’s domain—relatively peaceful if you ignore the wolves. To the southwest? That’s where things get ugly. The Forest Camp area is a vertical maze of rocky outcroppings and hidden paths that can lead you straight into a Level 12 rift while you're still rocking Level 4 gear.
Getting around usually involves a lot of jumping. You’ll spend half your time trying to "Skyrim" your way up a mountain because the actual path is three hundred yards back the other way.
One of the most frequent complaints about the Dragon Age Inquisition Hinterlands map layout is the lack of clear signposting for level gating. You can be strolling through a peaceful meadow and suddenly stumble into the Lady Shayna's Valley. If you see charred grass and giant skeletons, turn around. That’s the home of the Greater Frostback dragon. It's a spectacular fight, but trying it at level 6 is basically a digital suicide mission.
The Quest Density Problem
There are over 50 side quests in this zone alone. Some are great! Helping the refugees at the Crossroads actually feels like you're doing "Inquisition work." Others, like "Blood Brothers" or "shallow breaths," are just fetch quests that fill up your journal without adding much to the lore of Thedas.
The problem is the map markers. The Dragon Age Inquisition Hinterlands map is littered with them.
- Astrariums: These star-chart puzzles are scattered in three locations. Solving all of them opens a hidden cave (a landmark called a "Splintered Mountain" cache) containing decent early-game loot.
- Oculara: Those skull-telescopes that highlight shards. If you’re trying to unlock the temple in the Forbidden Oasis later, you’ll need every single one of these.
- Campsites: These are your fast-travel lifeblood. Never skip a camp. Setting them up gives you power and influence, which you need to unlock the next actual story mission.
- Rifts: The green holes in the sky. Some are easy; some will spawn Despair Demons that will freeze your entire party in three seconds flat.
A lot of players feel like they have to do everything. You don't. Seriously. The "Power" mechanic in Inquisition is designed to be generous so you can pick and choose what you enjoy. If you hate hunting druffalo, don't hunt druffalo. The game won't punish you for it.
The Secret Pockets You Might Have Missed
Even if you’ve spent twenty hours on the Dragon Age Inquisition Hinterlands map, there are spots that are easy to overlook. Take Valammar, for example. It’s a subterranean dwarven thaig tucked behind a waterfall in the southernmost part of the map. You need a key from a mercenary leader to get in. It’s a self-contained dungeon with its own boss and lore entries that feel much more like "classic" Dragon Age than the open-world fluff on the surface.
Then there’s the cult in the hills. Most people find the Apostate camps and the Templar encampments because the main quest points you there. But if you wander toward the edges of the map, you’ll find weird little vignettes—a dead lover’s note, a haunted house, or a lone NPC who just wants you to find their flowers.
The verticality is what gets people. The map looks flat on your screen, but the actual terrain is a series of ridges. If you're looking for a landmark and the icon says you're right on top of it but you see nothing, look up. Or down. Usually, there's a cave entrance hidden behind some bushes nearby.
Managing Your Sanity in Ferelden
To truly master the Dragon Age Inquisition Hinterlands map without burning out, you need a strategy. Don't be a completionist. Not yet.
- Hit the Crossroads first. Get your bearings and talk to Mother Giselle. This moves the plot.
- Recruit Blackwall and Dennet. You need a tank and you definitely need a horse. The Hinterlands is too big to traverse on foot for the whole game.
- Secure the camps. This clears the "fog of war" and gives you safe zones to restock potions.
- Do the "Mage-Templar War" questline. This stops the random encounters from being so incredibly annoying while you're trying to explore.
- Leave. As soon as you have enough Power to go to Val Royeaux, go. You can always come back when you're higher level to finish off the remaining rifts and the dragon.
The Hinterlands is a beautiful, messy, overstuffed piece of game design. It represents the best and worst of the 2014 era of RPGs. It’s got atmosphere for days—the sound of the wind through the trees, the distant roar of the dragon, the ambient bickering of your companions. But it’s also a trap. It's a trap designed to make you stay in one place until you're sick of it.
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If you treat the map as a buffet rather than a grocery list, it’s actually one of the most rewarding zones in the series. The environmental storytelling is top-tier if you take the time to read the notes scattered around the burnt-out farms. Just remember: the rest of the game is waiting for you. Don't let a "Collect 10 Ram Meat" quest keep you from saving the world.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
- Priority 1: Reach the Crossroads and talk to the Corporal. Get the "Business Abroad" and "Hunger Pangs" quests immediately to start building Power while you walk.
- Priority 2: Head North to the farm. Getting a mount changes the entire experience of the Dragon Age Inquisition Hinterlands map. It makes the travel time between the southern camps and the northern peaks bearable.
- Priority 3: Ignore the Level 12 rifts. If the demons coming out of the hole have a red "skull" icon next to their health bar, run away. There is no shame in tactical retreat.
- Priority 4: Check the "Hidden Parcel" quest early. It’s a simple "find the spot on the map" task that rewards you with decent starting gold and influence with minimal combat.
Once you have about 10-15 Power, stop. Open your world map. Go somewhere else. The Storm Coast or the Fallow Mire will provide a much-needed change of scenery before you return to the Hinterlands to finish off the high-level bosses.