7. Geothermal Valley

Video-Walkthrough see below Print version of this page (coming soon)

What's this all about? This is the second huge area labeled 'Geothermal Valley', because here and there the ground steames du to geothermal activities. There are several bonus tombs and challenges, this means best action-vacation!

Warming up – Enter the valley and Fighting preparations – Explore the valley

I just don't know why they've called it 'warming up' because it doesn't look cold at all... Anyway, right there you'll find some ammunition, go left and upstairs, then proceed until you can use a zipline which brings you directly to a nice video clip. Immediately after the video you'll see a survival cache (1/20) blinking to the right and of course you've noticed the crate, right? Now on to the Valley Farmstead base camp, there's also a relic nearby.

Savegame 10 = Start of the next part (10th slot in my 100% Savegame, which contains 29 slots)

Note: At this point I've used fast travel back to the Radio Tower base camp, because there is the supply shack (where you can buy things with your found coins). On your map this place has a shopping bag icon, you're welcome here as long as you have bucks to spend. If you run out of coins, a lock icon represents your current status – you're broke. Here you can also start the challenge Capture the Flag by cutting the nearby flag with your knife (1/7). Enter the shack and check the available items, (89/25) for example means that you have 89 coins and the cost of the item is 25 Sloti or Tingi, which is the official currency in Kazakhstan (this told me my Kazakh workmate). Check your map as well, maybe there are new items highlighted which you can loot or dig up. For example I was now able to read the monolith at the sawmill, which unlocks some new coin caches. Other flags (for the challenge) are at the Copper Mill yard, around the area of the sawmill, at the Sheltered Ridge base camp (go left towards the supply shack). Now you can also open the two remaining caves in the first Siberian area, one with a rope arrow, the other one with your gun.

Capture the Flag - Click to enlarge!

Bonus tomb – Voice of God (Soviet Installation) You'll find the corresponding video on page/level 5 – Soviet Installation, Video no. 14, beginning at 2:00. On the Soviet Installation map you'll have to enter the cave in the upper right corner (a tiger or puma icon is nearby). Beware, there is really such a beast, so be prepared. In the cave you'll also find a coin cache. Open the blocked entrance with a rope arrow and proceed until you reach the Frozen Gorge base camp. No go left until you see the actual tomb. Where to go should be straight forward but at the end you should not go over the small bridge, instead make your way over the stone wall to the left, at the very end of the path you'll find a survival cache. Now shoot a rope arrow into the roped pole and use the zipline to reach the relic there. Jump up to the opening and with another rope arrow you can slide back. Right now your back at the beginning of this climbing tour, proceed again towards the big door. The small bridge collapses, you'll have to jump and to use your axes (X). Climb up to the door. You'll find a relic and a backpack which unlocks more goodies on our map. Finally enter the chamber and loot everything that glows. Then turn the crank until the door is closed. You can now use this door to climb and jump to the left into the next area, there's a document. Jump to the glowing wall and smash it. Go through (into the main chamber) and open the door again. Now back to the next room and turn the crank, then shoot a rope arrow into the roped bell. Turn the crank handle to raise this bell now, on the other side of the crank there's the 'release button', use it (X) in the very moment when the wind (coming from a hole in the wall) starts to blow. If timed right, the bell will crash the ice and free the counter weight. Now go back into the main chamber and open the next door with the crank, then proceed down to the codex and collect your reward – Inner Strength. This skill heals Lara automatically once during a fight. A worthy price! To get back just shoot a rope arrow into the pole and climb over. Jump to right and up in the opening, now shoot a second rope arrow and use the zipline. Jump again right and up and you'll end up at the path which leads to the Frozen Gorge base camp...

Bonus tomb – Ancient Cistern (Soviet Installation) You'll find the corresponding video on page/level 5 – Soviet Installation, Video no. 8, beginning at 9:30 Near the sawmill you can shoot at the suspending, holding the big tube hanging on the digger. Do this and the entrance to the bonus tomb opens (a shaft will be visible there). You'll find a wall painting and proceed to the end of the corridor. There's also a relic. Jump to the climbing wall and make your way down until you'll reach another relic. Jump to the bar and let go in the right moment. Proceed, then shoot an arrow on the container to the right of the round plate. You'll reach eventually the Cistern Cavern base camp. Proceed and jump up to the path, then go right and jump from the red plank to the bar. It'll break and Lara ends up in the water. Swim behind the grid and through the arched gate, then go ashore. Take a can and throw it to the blue plate. Shoot at the can and water flows in. Go back into the main chamber. Use the stairs to go ashore and throw the next can on the raft. Now go up (you'll find a document). Jump to the bar, then let go and shoot at the can on the raft in the very moment, when the raft is near the blue plate in the wall (the raft stops briefly). Again water flows in and you can swim through this new tunnel. Proceed the stairs up, there's another document in a niche. In a small corridor you'll find a wall, smash it. Now listen carefully, in the end it's very simple. Go back to the main chamber and throw another can on the raft, jump again on the bar, let go and swim to the raft as fast as possible (B). Climb up and throw the can through the hole in the wall (the smashed wall) into the next cavern. Enter the cavern, take the can and use it to open the last blue plate. The water level will raise again and finally you'll be able to reach the codex. Your reward is the skill Natural instincts (nearby resources automatically appear on your map and glow when you are near). This will come in very handy in the future! Now you can swim to another niche and collect some coins as well as a treasure map, then go back to your camp...

Search all shacks and grab everything else around here, to the left there's a small cave which you can unlock. At the gourd field you'll find a monolith which unlocks some coin caches on your map. Near the monolith you'll find sort of a tent, there's a document. Here you can also start the challenge Hung Out to Dry – cut down the dried corpses of rabbits. After that you can even skin them. Nearby you can climb a tree and from there to the tower – there's a document. On one side of the tower you'll find a wall painting. Now proceed to the guy glowing green with RS, he offers missions. Right now the mission Defensive Strategy is available. You'll have to collect hardwood and deer hides, maybe you'll aready have them. In case not you'll see a green circle on your map, that's the area where you'll find all the stuff. Go along the creek into the little wood but beware, there's also a tiger roaming around. You'll also find 2 coin caches there. If you've collected everything go back to the principal. Then you have to place some of the items in a basket nearby, the rest should be placed in another basket near another watch tower. Just look at your map and follow the green circle. It's down in the woods which you can also search for goodies. When you have placed everything in the baskets, go back to the guy and the mission is finished. By the way, in the small forest there's also a cave with a bear, this brings rare items but of course it's not that easy to kill the beast... Back to the challenge Hung Out to Dry. You have already the first one, the next one ist near the guy who's given you the mission and the rest is down in the grove. Challenge: Fowl Play. Collect 5 chickens (X), then throw them in the small pen near the gourd field. Funny! If you leave the camp and go right and down the stairs, you can shoot at some planks and grab a map. Challenge: Bull's Eye. Near the first camp there are 4 bull's eyes hanging, shoot in their center with your bow. The first one is to the left on the big archway, the next ones are near the shacks, for no. 5 you have to jump over the small broken bridge (upper left corner on your map) and proceed to the dead grove. Beware, in the cave nearby resides a bear... there's also the entrance to a bonus tomb but right now you're still missing the rebreather. Bull's Eye no. 6 is nearby under the wooden bridge (near the waterfall). Proceed over these wooden bridges until you'll reach a paled gate and a backpack (unlocks some hidden caches on your map), on this side of the bank you'll see bull's eye no. 7. Do not use the tunnels, there are hamsters... Go back towards the shacks and proceed on the left side of the creek (upper left corner on your map), cross a bridge and move on until you reach a prickly barrier. To the right there is the last bull's eye.

Hung Out to Dry (=Hängengelassen) and Bull's Eye (=Ziel) Click to enlarge!

Speaking of the grove: go back there and search the whole place for goodies. There are still some coin and survival caches, later on you'll get a map for these or a backback (see above). Now go to the woman near a shack (glows green with RS), she has a mission called Surveillance Disruption. You have to shoot down 4 drones – nothing special there, just follow the noises... When it's done go back to the woman, she offers another mission: A Hearty Meal. You have to collect mushrooms and meat of 2 boars. The animals are nearby, just cross the creek and hunt'em down. Bring everything back to the woman and now on with the main story! Down the river you'll find a bridge leading to a camp of your new comrades...

Fighting preparations – Light the signal fire on the tower. Right of the camp of your comrades you'll find your own camp called Ruins Encampment base camp. Now you'll have to go to the big tower in the lake. Use a rope arrow to create a zipline and climb over. On top you'll find the oil flask, now you can create fire arrows. Fire arrows can burn fabric, explosives and enemies without armor. Push 'up' repeatedly on your directional pad until fire arrows are selected. To create those arrows you'll neet fabric, oil and standard arrows. Now hold RB to create them. Proceed to the small plank, jump to the next one until you reach the hanging platform. Take your bow, select fire arrows, hold RB and aim for the top of the spire, then shoot. Now the signal fire should burn and you end up near some oil can which you can use to stock up your oil (X).

Meet Jacob in the upper village. Shoot a rope arrow into the roped bar and slide down. You'll end up near a crate. Proceed to the next ruin, there's a wall painting and a woman with a mission: Ancient Secrets. It's about mastering all bonus tombs, which brings points and/or coins. Everytime you've mastered one of those tombs, go back to that woman and collect your reward. Nearby you'll find a monolith (you can't read it for now), proceed to a guy nearby until you hear the sound of a chopper. Move on until you reach some kind of swamp and to the left you'll see a fire – you can go ashore there. Time for a good old fight! First you'll see a nice video and you'll receive a new toy, the pumpgun. And here we go... use the new weapon to spread some lead and don't forget to loot the bodies.
Just keep on fighting until the next savepoint, then the funny flame thrower appears. Try to shoot him in the back and his red tanks there and don't get near him, he'll knock you down. If necessary you can heal yourself with LB.

Savegame 11 = Start of the next part (11th slot in my 100% Savegame, which contains 29 slots) After flame thrower.

After the fight... →

Follow the path upwards to the tower. You'll find a map, a document and a crate, talk to everybody and you'll receive some ammunition. Now jump down into the water and swim to the right, you can go ashore there. You'll find the Aqueduct ruins base camp, as well as a backback and a monolith. Use the climbing wall near the 'exit' and proceed...

This is the end of the main story in the Geothermal Valley, the following things are optional, some you even can't do now because of some missing items/skills (Wire Spool, broadhead arrows (climbing arrows) and rebreather). Note: with the broadhead arrows you can climb the tree near the upper bear cave and grab a goodie (the tree glows with RS).

Map see below!

Tip: In the Geothermal Valley you can hunt bears, boars, leopards and deers and you can use the collected ingredients at any campfire to create new and very useful equipment. If you're lacking of ammunition, just go back to the train yard, kill some baddies and grab their ammunition.

Bonus tomb – Baths of Kitezh

Geothermal Valley, video no. 30, page 9: Flooded Archives, beginning at 10:00.

It's in the upper part of your map, in the little dead grove. There is a cave, normally inhabited by a bear (you can even see a bear icon on your map). In this cave is the entrance to the bonus tomb, but you'll need the rebreather in order to dive. If you've finally made your way in, time it right and balance past the water fountains. You'll reach the Whirlpool Sanctuary base camp. Beware, there is a spike trap on the floor, collect 2 relics. Move the stairs up, to the right you'll find a document, to the left there is the way to the main chamber. Jump in the water, in a niche you'll find a treasure map. Swim through the small entrance nearby and grab a document there. Also you can open a door leading back to the camp with a rope arrow. Now back to the main chamber and to the boat. Jump aboard and stand near the crank, then shoot a rope arrow to the roped pole. Now you're able to crank the boat in the middle of the chamber. Shoot another rope arrow to the right (east on your map) in the appropriate bar and crank the boat in this new direction. Finally you're able to jump into the 'window', when you pull the lever at the other side of the room the water drains. As it tries to flow back again shoot a rope arrow into the crank, run over there and turn it as fast as possible. When done right, the water is gone. Swim to the right through the 2 openings into the next room, the setup here is quite similar, but a crank is missing. So you have to crank your boat next to the entrance in order to use the crank on the boat. Pull the lever, watch the water drain, then shoot a rope arrow into the crank on your boat, swim over and turn the crank. Done... When all the water is gone you'll see coins (2 places) with RS as well as explosive barrels – shoot at them. Behind you'll find more coins as well as the codex and your reward: 'Iron grip'. Climbing on stony or icy surfaces is much faster now. Go back to your camp but mind the floor traps!

Ridiculous ways (Geothermal Valley): In the upper part of your map near the dead grove with the bear cave there is that tower with the wall painting. You can jump on this tower using a nearby tree, now you'll see a roped block. You can pull it with a rope arrow and jump quickly on it. Wait briefly and the trunk moves slowly forward again. With the Wire Spool you can jump on the roof of the tent and using the tool again you can make your way over the rock walls near the creek (they glow with RS) and proceed to the backpack (unlocking secrets on your map) and further on to the entrance behind the waterfall. Enter the dark caves, find a wall painting, there's also a rope leading to a sarcophagus – this is another crypt treasure.

(Geothermal Valley): There's another crypt entrance marked on your map (lower right corner). There you'll find a wall painting, a document and of course a sarcophagus with another crypt treasure – in my case a new bow was unlocked (as well as some new secrets on your map).

Bonus tomb – Pit of Judgement (Geothermal Valley)

Video no. 31, page 9: Flooded Archives, beginning at 6:00.

This is the tomb marked in the middle of your map, you'll need the Wire Spool to get to the Hidden Ravine base camp. Grapple over the next chasm and you'll find a backpack to the right. Proceed, a slomo sequence starts and you'll have to jump and grapple quickly. Proceed over the log, there should be a survival cache. Crouch and Lara falls down. Swim to the big wooden structure, to the left you'll see the blinking of another survival cache. Take the right ramp and move up, at the end you'll find a relic. Now use the crank and turn the cart around (180°), then shove it until it runs down. Shoot a rope arrow near the crank down to the other ramp and slide down. There is a relic. Jump on the wooden structure and you'll find another survival cache (also marked on your map). Use the crank to bring down the platform, proceed to the other crank and turn it until you're able to shove the cart on the platform. If you bring up this platform now you'll notice that the cart would turn. You have to adjust the cart (turn it again) until it finally has the right position, now shove it down. Jump into the water, proceed through the entrance and you'll find another document as well as some goodies and of course the codex with your reward: Geologist - Geological knowledge allows mining of Chromite Ore. Some weapon upgrades are only possible with this skill and the Chromite ore! The way out is similar to the way in.

Bonus tomb – House of the Afflicted (Geothermal Valley):

Video no. 21, beginning at 12:00.

It's rather at the beginning of this area. Go to the creek and the partially destroyed bridge, use a rope arrow to swing over, then crouch trough a gap. Beware, you'll be greeted by a pack of wolves! Enter and look around with RS. You'll find a relic nearby a well, there's also a survival cache. On to the Infirmary base camp (document), then proceed to the courtyard, to the right you'll see the blinking of another survival cache. In the back you'll find a relic. In the courtyard you'll see a cart with a barrel to the left, pull it as far as possible. Now look around (with RS everything becomes much clearer!). There's a platform and a barrel with a lever above. Shoot a rope arrow in this lever just to see how it works. The goal is to hold the barrel down. Pull the lever again and when the barrel is down, shoot a rope arrow quickly to the cart which you have pulled out. Now proceed to the wooden plate in the rear left corner. From there shoot another rope arrow directly above in the roped block, now the platform hovers above the ground. Now cut the rope of the cart and now you'll have to do it all again. Pull the lever with a rope arrow, shoot another rope arrow from the barrel to the cart and by now the rear platform should have raised up in the air. Proceed over the stairs, the poles and the 2 platforms upwards to the entrance, on the railing you'll find a document. Inside you'll find a treasure map and a codex unlocking the skill 'Fast Healer' (you can heal yourself faster now using LB)

Bonus tomb – Catacomb of Sacred Waters (Geothermal Valley)

Video no. 23, beginning at 14:30

The entrance is near the Ruins Encampment base camp. Proceed to the main hall, in the back you'll find a relic. From there make your way to the Aquifer Cavern base camp. Nearby you'll find a document. The waters are deadly here so you have to find another way to get over. Stand to the left of the rotating wheel and shoot a rope arrow into the boat. Now you can jump on it. Right now shoot another rope arrow to the crank on the island, now you can jump over. There's a document and coins in two places. And now the challenge begins... Pull the boat behind the waterfall near (with a rope arrow) and jump on it quickly. If you fail you can climb the boat from the water. Stand near the crank of the boat and shoot a rope arrow in the crank on the other bank. If done correctly, crank your boat (X) to the temple. I needed 5 tries to get there. Now you can collect everything, treasure map, relic and the codex, which unlocks the skill 'Anatomical Knowledge'. You can now 'see' the hearts of animals when you're on the hunt (with RS). Shooting at the hearts kills animals instantly. Now you can jump upwards, smash the wall and use the rope to the left in order to reach your camp

Challenge: Tossing Gourds (Geothermal Valley)

You can do this later on when there are no more enemies around. Go to the Cathedral Courtyard base camp and move up the stairs. Now you have to go down to the big camp fire. Hang on the edge, climb down to the next edge and now let go and quickly use your axe to hook up and use the rope to go further down. Go to the big camp fire and to the next one, to the right you'll see some gourds in the grass. Take one (with X). If you use your survival instincts (RS) you'll see a barrel glow behind the fallen tree. You have to toss the gourd into this barrel. It's not that easy, you have to aim precisely. This was gourd 1/5 and there are also 5 barrels near the gourd field. Three of them are behind the fence, the fourth one is on the brown wooden thingy and the last one is to the left behind the house. If you miss and you are not able to grab the gourd again (when they are behind the barrier and you can't reach them) try to shoot them, then they will respawn in the meadow. It's a bit like playing basket ball, I needed 30 minutes to complete this challenge (and rolling a cigarette).

Challenge: High Diving (Geothermal Valley)

You have to dive into the water in four places in a special way. Let's begin at the Ruins Encampment base camp. Go to the big tower standing in the lake (where you have lighted the signal fire). With RS you'll see a small red springboard and you'll have to jump into the water from there. Here goes: jump while holding forward and pull LT quickly in the air. If done right, Lara makes a swan dive (if not, she'll jump with her feet forward). You'll be noticed if done correctly. Go ashore and to the big camp of your friends, move under the rock upstream and you'll see the next springboard glow (with RS). From there go back to the big wood in the valley, at the wooden tower you'll see the next springboard. Important: Maybe you should try here and work on Laras diving techniques. She should not cross her arms before her body but instead stretch them out. The last jump is near the Ridgeline base camp.

Right now one mission from the Geothermal Valley is not complete, it's the one where you have to master all 9 challenge tombs...

Here is the map of this area, unfortunately you have to look very close in order to recognise everything but you can print it out (you can also paint it, if you like )

Map normal - Map print version - Legend - Click to enlarge!

Video:

Look at the german version.

Letzte Aktualisierung: 25.06.2021

Last update: Juni 25, 2021

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