How to Get to the Scadu Altus Early in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The first area you reach in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, the Gravesite Plain, is a fairly restrictive zone. There are only a few places you can go and only a couple of ways to explore the wider world. The DLC opens up in a big way once you reach the Scadu Altus, and you can do so as soon as you enter the Realm of Shadow without fighting a single enemy.

How to Get to Scadu Altus Earlin in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

It wouldn’t be a FromSoftware game if there weren’t some shortcuts hidden at the ends of the earth that open up so much more of the game. Like the shortcut to Liurnia of the Lakes, the secret path to the Scadu Altus in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is neither obvious nor straightforward, but it is available the instant you enter the DLC.

To reach the early path to Scadu Altus, I suggest getting the map fragment for the Gravesite Plain and then heading to the southeasternmost portion of the map.

To get there, head to the front of Castle Ensis and grab the Castle Front Site of Grace, then follow the path south toward the poison swamp you should just be able to see on your map. Keep Castle Ensis, the only such keep in the opening area, behind you as you progress until you can see the poison swamp far below you.

You can actually make your way down to said swamp by hugging the southern edge of Castle Ensis’s walls. You can safely jump to the platforms the castle overlooks. If you’re in the right place, you’ll have Ensis at your back and the high cliffs on your left.

Proceed all the way down into the poison swamp, past the two sets of bats, and south beyond the riverbed with the two large crabs. Keep south, with the cliffs on your left, until you continue past the Miranda Flower enemies and can see a shack in the distance. You’ll come upon a sealed Spirit Spring, which you can open by destroying the small cairn of stones on the platform just above it.

With the spring active, use Torrent to jump up not only to the first platform but then use the Spirit Spring there to jump all the way up to the back of the Fort of Reprimand. On your way up to the fort, you’ll see the Scadu Altus location text appear on your screen.

Be sure to grab the Site of Grace near where you and Torrent land, and once you exit the fort, you can head northwest to grab the Scadu Altus map fragment and start your journey in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree in earnest. For more on the DLC, check out our Elden Ring guides hub.