Reaching the Guiding Lands in Monster Hunter World: Iceborne is a significant milestone, marking your entry into a truly endgame experience. This unique region, a sprawling expanse composed of four distinct quadrants that echo familiar maps from the base game, offers a fresh challenge and a wealth of opportunities. But before you dive headfirst into hunting those formidable monsters, there's a crucial first step that will make your entire journey smoother: establishing your camps.
Think of these camps as your vital outposts. They're not just convenient respawn points when things inevitably go south; they're your fast travel hubs. And trust me, in a region as vast as the Guiding Lands, saving precious travel time is paramount. Getting these set up should absolutely be your top priority upon arrival.
So, how do you go about securing these essential bases? It's a two-part process. First, you need to physically locate them. The game doesn't exactly hand you a map with blinking icons for these hidden gems. You'll often find them tucked away in quieter spots, perhaps on the fringes of an area, nestled within a cave, or perched high up where the monsters can't easily reach. Keep an eye out for those less-traveled paths; straying from the beaten track is often the key.
When you stumble upon a potential campsite, your trusty Handler will usually chime in with an observation, something along the lines of "This looks like a good campsite." That's your cue! Once you've found one, you'll need to head back to the Resource Center (or Astera's Research Center in the base game context) to complete a specific delivery quest. These quests, typically titled "Setting Up Camp: Guiding Lands I" (or similar variations for other regions), require you to gather a few specific materials.
For the Guiding Lands specifically, there are two camps to discover. The first one, the First Western Camp, is actually unlocked automatically as soon as you enter the Guiding Lands region. Easy peasy!
The second camp, the Eastern Camp, requires a bit more effort. The delivery quest for this one, "Setting Up Camp: Guiding Lands I," asks for 3 x Heavy Dragonvein Bone – which you'll get from taking down large monsters within the Guiding Lands itself – and 1 x Prosperous Crystal. You can find these crystals in the Forest area of the Guiding Lands, specifically at ore rarity level 2. It might take a little exploring, but the payoff in terms of convenience is absolutely worth it.
While the base game had a more extensive network of camps across its various maps, the Guiding Lands streamlines things a bit with these two crucial locations. Mastering their discovery and unlocking them early will undoubtedly enhance your overall experience, allowing you to focus more on the thrill of the hunt and less on the trek to get there.