Below is a detailed video and walkthrough on how to level Skinning 1-600 quickly and easily. This Skinning guide contains the viewpoint from both Horde and Alliance and is as complete as I can make it but some players may find a different zone works better for you depending on if you're leveling your character at the same time or just powerleveling Skinning. The leveling time should take an average player 3-5 hours and net 4,000g+ in Skinning materials depending on your server's economy.

• WoW Skinning Guide 1-600 Leveling: Updated for Patch 5.2 - Mists of Pandaria!
• Estimated Skinning Leveling Time: 3-5 hours
• Expected Skinning Leveling Profit: 7,000g+

• Skinning Guide 1-600 Leveling Quick Sections

  Skinning 1-75 - Apprentice Skinning
  Skinning 75-125 - Journeyman Skinning
  Skinning 125-225 - Expert Skinning
  Skinning 225-300 - Artisan Skinning
  Skinning 300-350 - Master Skinning
  Skinning 350-435 - Grand Master Skinning
  Skinning 435-500 - Illustrious GM Skinning
  Skinning 500-600 - Zen Master Skinning

WoW Skinning Guide 1-600 Leveling | Getting Started: Suggestions

• In this Skinning Guide 1-600 Leveling and video I'll be giving the view point of both Horde and Alliance until they merge at skill level 185.
• First, you'll need to learn Apprentice Skinning from any Skinning trainer. If you're not sure where one is just ask a guard in a major city. You'll also want to purchase a Skinning Knife or a Gnomish Army Knife.
• Next, buy some cheap gloves and enchant them with advanced Skinning or Gatherer. This'll give you +5 to Skinning or essentially allow you to skin a mob one level higher than normal. Worgens get an ability that's called Flayer that increases the Skinning skill increased by 15 and allows you to skin 0.5 seconds faster. To figure out the max level of a mob you can skin with no Skinning skill increases, look at the formulas below:
• Skinning skill level 1-100: (skill level) /10 + 10 = highest level skinnable mob.
  Skinning skill level 100-365: (skill level) /5 = highest level skinnable mob.
  Mob level 74-80 = 10-points needed per level. Example: 76 level mob needs 395.
  Mob level 81-83 = 5-points needed per level. Example: 83 level mob needs 450.
  Mob level 83+ = 20-points needed per level. Example: 85 level mob needs 490.
• Leveling Skinning is extremely easy to level 1-600 and should take an average player around 3-5 hours. Before starting any profession powerleveling session, make sure to empty all your bags out. If you have the extra gold, it may help to purchase a few Leatherworking bags as well.

Skinning Guide 1-75 - Apprentice Skinning

• Horde: Alright, now that all the preperation is done, the powerleveling Skinning 1-600 can begin! For Horde simply exit Orgrimmar into Durotar and make a loop around the area shown on the map below killing and Skinning all the beasts until reaching 75 in Skinning. At Skinning skill level 75, head back to the trainer and learn Journeyman Skinning.



• Alliance: For Alliance head outside of Ironforge south to the area shown on the map below. Continue circling around killing and Skinning all beasts in the area until skill level 75. At skill level 75 head back to the trainer and learn Journeyman Skinner.

Skinning Guide 75-125 - Journeyman Skinning

• Horde: After getting Journeyman Skinning Horde will want to fly to the Crossroads in Northern Barrens. From there head south and loop around killing zebras, raptors, and other beasts until reaching around Skinning skill level 125. At Skinning skill level 125 head to the trainer and learn Expert Skinning.



• Alliance: For Alliance, hop one zone over to Loch Modan and kill beasts within the areas outlined on the map by first starting with the left one. Hit the areas until reaching skill level 125. At Skinning skill level 125 head to the trainer and learn Expert Skinner.

Skinning Guide 125-225 - Expert Skinning

• Horde: Head up to Ashenvale, killing and Skinning any beasts inside the marked area on the map below until reaching Skinning skill level 185.



• Alliance: Head up to the Wetlands zone, killing and skinning beasts until reaching skill level 185.



• At this point, the guide merges both Horde and Alliance routes.
• At 185 both Horde and Alliance should head to Feralas for some easy Skinning leveling. Make sure you head inside the caves indicated on the map, killing and Skinning all the Yeti. Once hitting 225 head to a trainer and learn Artisan Skinner.

Skinning Guide 225-300 - Artisan Skinning

• After learning Artisan Skinning, head to Tanaris and go just outside of Gadgetzan. Farm the area on the map below until reaching Skinning skill level 265.



• At Skinning skill level 265 or more, head into Un'goro and stay in the south east section of the zone as shown on the map below until reaching skill level 300.



Skinning Guide 300-350 - Master Skinning

• At 300 head to the trainer in your major city or see the one in Shattrath on your way to Hellfire Peninsula and learn Master Skinning. From there, fly into the south west of Hellfire Peninsula and kill the Razorfangs until you reach Skinning skill level 330-ish.



• At 330 fly over Shattrath into Nagrand and kill the Clefthoofs and Talbuks until Skinning skill level 350 or more.



Skinning Guide 350-425 - Grand Master Skinning

• At Skinning skill level 350, head to Borean Tundra and learn Grand Master Skinning. In Borean Tundra kill the Rhinos just north of Warsong Hold. The packs are nicely clumped together and great for AoE'ing. Continue killing the Rhinos or Mammoths until Skinning skill level 395 or more.

• At Skinning skill level 395 head north into Sholozar Basin and then head to the southeast of the zone. Once there, circle around, kill, and skin the packs of Gorillas. This area is also great for farming skinning materials. A lot of people know about this area though so expect to see some players farming it. You can also head to Storm Peaks instead and kill Rhinos east of the Engine of the Makers. Whichever you choose, kill and skin the beasts until reaching Skinning skill level 435. You could stay longer and get some skill points before continuing on but, it's entirely up to you.


Skinning Guide 425-525 - Illustrious GM Skinning

• At Skinning skill level 435, head to the Skinning trainer and learn Illustrious Grand Master Skinning.
• Skinning 435-525: If you're leveling your character at the same time you're leveling skinning, you could just skin as you go and really not need to worry about maps. Either way I've listed below the best places in order of where to go so you can easily level Skinning. The beginning areas (Mount Hyjal, Vashj'ir, and Uldum) are also good for gold farming if you aren't well geared at 85 or aren't 85 yet.
• First, you'll want to head to Mount Hyjal and kill Charbringers and Dragonkin or head to Vashj'ir (Kelp'thar Forest) and skin crabs as shown in the areas on the maps below until you reach skill level 490.



• At Skinning skill level 490 or so, head to Uldum and along the rivers you'll see tons of Crocilisks and Gazelles. These are very easy to kill and farm while you level up your Skinning skill. Skin these until you reach around skill level 525.

• If you're 85, atleast Skinning skill level 490, and looking for higher level animals, head to Twilight Highlands instead and skin all the Worg, Owls, Elks, Dragonkin etc in the areas circled on the map below.


Skinning 500-600 - Zen Master Skinning

Vally of the Four Winds: 500-560

While the turtles in the area should be your main focus, always look around for players who are killing other skinnable animals in the nearby area. You should be able to not only skin mobs you kill but tons that levelers kill as well. This area will level you to 560 or above.


The Jade Forest - Windward Isle: 560-600

Next, you'll want to fly over to The Jade Forest. In the below map you'll want to kill and skin the Saltback Turtles with a focus on Saltback Yearlings since their health is about a 1/4 of the regular turtles. They die super easy, fast, and there are tons of them all over the section I have marked on the map. Turning on health bars by pressing "CTRL V" helps greatly.

• Congratulations WoW Gamer!! You now have 600 Skinning! Check out Skinning Gold Guide (OUTDATED) for a written and video guide comparing the best farming spots for Skinning. Also check out Leatherworking Leveling 1-600 Guide and Cooking Leveling 1-600 Guide for a written and video guide on leveling Leatherworking and Cooking 1-600. Cooking goes great with Skinning because of all the meat you will get. Finally, you can check out the forums for more tips and tricks as well as ask questions about anything you wish to know.