Horizon Zero Dawn vantage points - all the locations you need to visit

Horizon Zero Dawn vantage points can be found at various places around the map, and interacting with them allows you to take a peek back in time to how the world was before the machines took over. Once you've discovered each of these locations in Horizon Zero Dawn, you often (but not always) need to take on a climbing challenge in order to scale the summit, at which point your Focus can access recordings that reveal what the surroundings looked like before everything went wrong. These memories were documented by a mysterious character, who toured all of the Horizon Zero Dawn vantage points to say goodbye as the world collapsed around him.

However, the Horizon Zero Dawn vantage points are not always easy to find. Handholds hide beneath vines. Ledges to haul yourself up merge into the cliff-face, their white outlines barely visible. So to help out all of you who want to have Aloy scampering up towering structures we’ve hunted down all 12 Horizon Zero Dawn vantage point locations. Now you can learn exactly where they’re hiding and climb as high as a Stormbird to hunt them down.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points map

One thing that will make your life a lot easier is getting the Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage point map. It will highlight the general area of each vantage point so you at least know where to look, although you'll still have to do some poking around to zero in. Once you've finished the opening Proving mission you should be able to get one from the first merchant you find, so buy it and narrow down your options.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 1 - Air Combat Academy

The first vantage point you'll find is on a small mountain near the main Embrace gate on the south east corner of the map. This one's basically a freebie as you can almost walk up, with only a few ledges to scale.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 2 - Colorado Springs

Head to Devil's Thirst on the east of the map for the second Horizon Zero Dawn vantage point. In this collection of ruined structures you should find a large building with yellow hand holds on the west side you can use to climb up, and into the structure. Inside you'll see a distant yellow ledge you'll need to sprint jump to reach and another series of yellow hand holds that will take you to the roof and vantage point.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 3 - Explorer Museum

This this Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage point is north from Devil's Thirst on a small rock pillar between the forest and the river. It's right on the boundary between living trees and burned stumps, near a bridge and a camp.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 4 - Denver Stadium

This Horizon Zero Dawn vantage point is on the east side of the map just past another area of ruined buildings called Devil's Grief. Look for a large square building with a big hole blown through the base and a camp fire on the inside. You should see some torches on a ledge lighting up some climbing hand holds. Follow those up, inside the building to reach the vantage point. This one can be a bit tricky as it's very dark so you'll have to look carefully for climbing holds indicating the route.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 5 - Bridal Veil Falls

Horizon Zero Dawn vantage point 5 is west of the last location, near the ravine heading to Daytower if you're coming from the south. It's part way up one side of the mountain walls on the west side. You should be able to see a supply crate if you look over the mountain side with your Focus. Once you find a few handholds it's just a case of working your way up.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 6 - Sterling-Malkeet Amphitheater

You'll find this Horizon Zero Dawn vantage point west of Devil's Grief in a corrupted zone. It's out in the open south of the camp fire so you'll either have to clear out all the robots, or sneak in to grab it.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 7 - Eagle Canyon

You'll find Vantage Point 7 if you head south along the main path to Meridian. Look to the west as you approach and you should see an outcrop with a branch/rappel point sticking out. Find the white hand holds and follow them up to reach it (some of the hand holds are small so you might have to look a little harder for them).

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 8 - Faro Automated Solutions

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage point 8 is located south of Makers's End on the north western edge of the map. Follow the path south, up the hill, from the Shell-Walker marker and you'll see a stone pillar with another branch/rappel point. Head under the branch to find the first hand hold and then climb up to reach the vantage point.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 9 - King's Peak

You'll approach the general area for this vantage point during a late stage quest. It's a high level area full of Stormbirds - one of which you'll have to fight to proceed, so not somewhere you want to run into until you're a little stronger. It's in the northern most center point on the map and involved a length, multistage climb to the very summit of the mountain.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 10 - Lake Powell

This is south east of the Rustwash Tallneck, near a Glinthawk machine site. If you come at the marker from the north you'll be able to drop down to a plateau where you should see a rock formation with a rappel point branch you can reach via a tightrope. Follow the hand holds at the end and climb up to claim it.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 11 - Bryce Orbital

This Horizon Zero Dawn vantage point is east of Sunfall and easy to get. Just head to the marker from the city and go around the mountain to approach it from behind, where you can run up the hillside and almost walk up. There will be scrappers at the top to deal with though so be ready for a fight.

Horizon Zero Dawn Vantage Points 12 - Monument Valley

This vantage point is on the south western most part of the map, near Sunstone Rock settlement. Face the entrance to the settlement and look to the left of the walls to find some ledges you can climb. Keep climbing and following them up to a zipline and you'll reach it.