When starting a new character, choosing the right WoW zones by level is really important if you want to level up fast. Needless to say, the best Horde leveling path is different from the Alliance one. These paths can however intersect at some points.
Although it's really easy to choose your leveling path beginning with level 60, when it comes to the WoW zones by level from 1 to 60, there's a different story. Since you don't have a flying mount, and for 40 levels you won't even have a fast ground mount, if you choose the wrong areas, you will waste a lot of time.
In general, it's best to choose zones with high accessibility and visibility, and of course, zones with plenty of quest hubs. This way, your leveling process will be smooth.
Anyway, to make sure you're going to level up without a hassle, at least from level 1 to 60, here are the best WoW zones by level to go through, for Alliance and Horde.
Alliance
Elwynn Forest (1-10)
Westfall (10-15)
Loch Modan (15-19)
Wetlands (19-26)
Northern Stranglethorn (26-32)
Cape of Stranglethorn (32-36)
Western Plaguelands (36-40)
Eastern Plaguelands (40-45)
Badlands (45-47)
Searing Gorge (47-50)
Burning Steppes (50-52)
Swamp of Sorrows (52-55)
Winterspring (55-58)
Blasted Lands (58-60)
Horde
Durotar (1-10)
N. Barrens (10-20)
Ashenvale (20-26)
Arathi Highlands (26-30)
Hinterlands (30-34)
Western Plaguelands (34-39)
Eastern Plaguelands (39-44)
Badlands (44-47)
Felwood (47-51)
Winterspring (51-55)
Un'Goro Crater (55-57)
Blasted Lands (57-60)
Now, depending on the race you create your character from, you may not start in Elwynn Forest or Durotar. But it's best to migrate there and start your questing from those zones. In these zones there are the main cities of Horde and Alliance, and you'll find more players to help you out, you'll find all the trainers etc.
Also, as you can see, both leveling paths for Horde and Alliance contain Western and Eastern Plaguelands. That's because after the Cataclysm, these zones were severely changed, and now there are quite many quest hubs here, with very easy to complete quests. It would be a shame to choose different zones for leveling from 34 to 44. A very good alternative for Badlands, from 44 to 47 is Tanaris.
Many players decide to start with the Outland zones at level 58. Of course, you get more XP from the quests in Hellfire Peninsula by completing them at level 58. But those quests will be much more difficult to complete at this level. Plus, if you're on a populated PvP server, you'll probably be delayed by enemy players as well. So, it's best to play it safe, at least when it comes to the PvE part and ding level 60 in Blasted Lands.
Now, if you want to discover the best leveling path from 60 to 85, click here: WoW Zones By Level.
Also, if you want to learn more about the best WoW leveling addon, follow this link: WoW Zones by Level.










