How to reach the Shaman Village in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree

The Shaman Village is arguably the most narratively important location in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, even more so than the Shadow Keep or the Stone Coffin Fissure. And surprisingly, despite the massive lore implications of the Shamna Village as well as the Hinterland, it's a completely optional area, one that you can totally miss out on if you fail to obtain a key item.

Much like the end-game areas in the base game, i.e., the Consecrated Snowfield, or the Mohgwyn Dynasty, the Shaman Village is only accessible if you obtain a special item that is hidden in another optional area of the DLC. The special item required to access the hidden village is a gesture, one that's tied to Queen Marika and her past.

Here's a comprehensive guide on how to reach the Shaman Village in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree, as well as the rewards, and bosses you will find there.

---

Where to find the Shaman Village in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree?

The Shaman Village is only accessible once you reach the back area of the Shadow Keep legacy dungeon. The Shaman Village is essentially a part of the Hinterland, which is a small optional region hidden behind a headless statue of Queen Marika. It is only accessible if you have the O Mother gesture in Elden Ring. This gesture is found in Bonny Village.

Location of the Shaman Village in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (Image via FromSoftware)

To get to the Bonny Village, you first need to make your way to Scadu Altus, and then Moorth Ruins. Getting to Scadu Altus requires you to complete Castle Ensis and also defeat Rellana, Twin Moon Knight. Once you reach Scadu Altus, head to the east and you will reach the Moorth Ruins.

From the Moorth Ruins, head to the northeast towards a small chasm, which exits at the Bonny Village. Explore the opening area of the Bonny Village to obtain the O Mother gesture. Next, make your way to the Church District Entrance via Bonny Village. From the Church District, make your way to the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace.

Getting to the Shadow Keep, Back Gate is quite easy in Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree. Make your way inside Shadow Keep's back entrance via the rooftops. And once you are inside, you will be able to reach the Shadow Keep, Back Gate via an elevator that takes you to the first floor of the castle.

On the first floor, you will find a wall with a crack that exits to a small wooden structure. Exiting via the cracked wall leads you to another elevator that takes you to the Shadow Keep, Back Gate Site of Grace. Upon reaching the Site of Grace, instead of heading directly toward the boss fog and fighting Commander Gaius, head to the small alleyway on the right.

At the end of the alleyway, you will find a statue of Queen Marika. Perform the O Mother gesture near the statue to reveal the path to the Hinterland. Once you arrive at the Hinterland, make your way forward until you see two Tree Sentinels. Defeat the Tree Sentinels and head to the small path on the right to reach the Shaman Village.

The O Mother gesture (Image via FromSoftware)

At the Shaman Village, you will find a Golden Order Incantation - the Minor Erdtree. On a sidenote, the Minor Erdtree Incantation was previously seen used by Melina if you summon her against Morgott the Omen King in Elden Ring's base game. Additionally, in the Shaman Village, you will also find the Golden Braid Talisman, which grants Holy defense.