Hollow Knight: Silksong features five major secret areas that are completely optional but contain powerful rewards: Sands of Karak (required for true ending), Wisp Thicket (connects to Father of Flame boss), Whiteward (contains Injector Band tool), Bilewater & Putrefied Ducts (toxic swamp areas), and The Slab (unique prison escape sequence). Each hidden level offers unique gameplay mechanics, exclusive bosses, and essential tools that significantly enhance Hornet's abilities throughout Pharloom.
| Secret Area | Access Requirements | Key Rewards | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sands of Karak | Grappling ability, Wall-jump | Act 3 progression | High |
| Wisp Thicket | Wall-jump ability | Wispfire Lantern | Medium |
| Whiteward | White Key from Songclave | Injector Band | Medium |
| Bilewater | Wall-jump, Sinner's Road access | Multiple tools | Very High |
| Putrefied Ducts | Double-jump, Citadel access | Huntress quests | Very High |
| The Slab | Get captured by cage enemy | Apostate Key content | High |
I've uncovered every hidden path and secret entrance in Silksong after extensive exploration, and these areas contain some of the game's most challenging content and valuable rewards. Whether you're aiming for 100% completion or just want to power up Hornet with exclusive tools, this comprehensive guide reveals exactly how to access all secret levels in September 2025.
Contents
The Sands of Karak is an area that's required to explore in Hollow Knight: Silksong — but only if you're on the true ending path. This optional area has its own boss encounters and unique gimmicks, but you'll only really need to explore once you're in Act 3. While technically optional for standard progression, this desert-themed area becomes mandatory for players pursuing the game's true ending.
To reach this secret level, go west in the Blasted Steps. This is the area outside the Grand Gate of the Citadel — go to the far west (left) corner with the sandy open area filled with angry attacking creatures. This is where the Spinstress NPC home is located. Above her home and to the left, there are rings — Hornet can use her grappling ability to access these rings.
Essential Requirements:
The entrance sits high above the Spinstress's dwelling in the Blasted Steps. You'll need to unlock the grappling ability and wall-jump to climb to the top of this platforming section. The double-jump found in the Citadel will also make this platforming section a lot easier. The vertical climb requires precise platforming through hostile enemies and environmental hazards.
This challenging location has a unique gimmick at the start — by hitting the rock-like seeds, branches will grow and create platforms. There will be platforms or spiked balls Hornet can bounce off of. The Sands of Karak introduces a fascinating botanical platforming system where players must strategically grow platforms by striking seed pods, creating temporary pathways through otherwise impassable areas.
Key Features:
The Wisp Thicket is a small secret area that connects the Underworks and Greymoor. Don't let its size fool you - this compact area serves as a crucial shortcut hub and houses one of the game's most useful tools.
In Greymoor, reach the small room at the top of the area, on the west side, directly above the west tower. There's a small room here — in the top-left corner there's a secret path Hornet can jump into. This is NOT a breakable wall. If you attack the corner, you may think nothing is there. Jump into the corner and keep going up — it's a secret, passable path.
Important Note: Many players miss this entrance because it appears solid. The corner looks like a normal wall, but Hornet can phase through it by jumping directly into the upper-left corner of the room. Keep holding up and left - you'll pass through what seems like solid geometry.
This small area leads up to the Underworks of the Citadel and takes you to the Father of the Flame secret boss. This boss drops the Wispfire Lantern. This special tool summons a fireball spirit that automatically targets and homes in on enemies. It's an extremely useful "fire and forget" tool that won't slow you down mid-battle.
Wispfire Lantern Benefits:
The Father of the Flame represents a moderate challenge, utilizing flame-based attacks and summoning smaller wisp enemies. The arena's confined space demands careful positioning, but the reward makes this detour absolutely worthwhile for any build.
The Whiteward is another creepy area of Hollow Knight: Silksong that's only accessible one way — with the right key. This spooky location has one of the best items in the game — the Injector Band can be equipped to your crest and speeds up healing. This abandoned medical facility beneath the Citadel harbors dark secrets and invaluable upgrades.
The White Key is found on the eastern edge of Songclave, which is the small town that appears around The First Temple in the northeast corner of the Citadel after you first ring the bell there. If you walk past the entrance to the temple and all the way to the end, where your way is blocked by the fence, the White Key is lying on the ground there.
Step-by-Step Access:
Once you have the map for Whiteward, keep heading right. Here, you'll be facing a series of Morticians while jumping over spikes to proceed. In the right corner near a furnace, there is a platform you can climb. Jump up and proceed to the left corner of the floor, and you'll be able to acquire the Injector Band Tool.
Injector Band Advantages:
After activating it a bunch of rubble and a body should fall, loot the body and you will obtain the Surgeon's Key. This optional key unlocks additional areas within Whiteward, including encounters with disturbing medical experiments and valuable collectibles.
Surgeon's Key Location:
There are two connected secret levels located on the east side of the map in Hollow Knight: Silksong, and both areas are brutally difficult. This is your classic Poison Swamp area — places like Rot Lake in Elden Ring are a good example. These interconnected toxic zones represent Silksong's most challenging optional content.
Route 1: Through Sinner's Road (Early Access) The second way is through a breakable wall in Sinner's Road which can be found by following the long horizontal room at the top of the area all the way east into the next room.
Route 2: Through Whispering Vaults (Mid-Game) Wall jump up and head right, then use the Clawline to open the secret path directly below. Drop down and navigate through the sawblade traps. Drop down the gap, and glide your way around the spikes. This vertical drop ends in the western side of Bilewater.
Requirements for Vault Route:
Bilewater introduces unique environmental hazards that fundamentally alter gameplay:
Environmental Challenges:
Essential Preparations:
To access the Putrefied Ducts, reach the Memoriam at the top of the Citadel. West of Songclave, the long corridor, there's a spot in the ceiling you can only reach with a double-jump. From the Memoriam, reach the lower east corner to find a map room. Jump into the hidden passage on the ceiling of the map room to find a path that leads to the exterior of the citadel.
Navigation Path:
At the bottom of the Putrefied Ducts, you'll find an NPC called the Huntress. Her hut is located in the maggot-filled water on the lowest level of the area. She gives the Broodfeast Hunt and naturally these are more difficult than your average hunts.
Broodfeast Hunt Objectives:
The Slab is a secret level you'll encounter pretty quickly while exploring the Citadel in Act 2 of Hollow Knight: Silksong. This prison is locked from the outside and impossible to enter through the Citadel — the only way to get inside is by getting locked up.
In Act 2 (some players report even earlier in Act 1) outside Bellhart in Greymoor, you'll encounter new enemies with cages. They'll attempt to grab you. If you're caught and held in a cage, wait a moment. You'll reappear in The Slab.
Cage Enemy Spawn Locations:
Important: These enemies don't respawn after capture or defeat, making this a missable experience.
The Slab strips Hornet of her equipment, creating a stealth-survival experience:
Gameplay Changes:
Head down and to the left, where there's another locked door, and a very breakable ceiling above it, which we can use to start our prison break. Heading up through the hole, you'll find the gang of thieves that stole your cloak and nail, and a passage outside.
The Slab requires collecting three different keys:
Escape Routes:
The Slab map can be found by heading right into the secret passageway hidden in the wall next to the bench by The Slab Bellway. Follow the path and you'll happen upon an interactable corpse.
Successfully navigating Silksong's secret areas requires mastery of several techniques:
Before attempting these areas, ensure you have:
In order to unlock the Silk and Soul Wish, players will first need to complete every possible Wish, including the ones on the wishboards in Songclave, Bone Bottom, Bellhart, and The Citadel. Several secret areas directly tie into unlocking Silksong's third act and true ending path.
Pick up the Seeker's Soul from the abandoned bellhome to the left of the bench at the top of Bilewater. Get the Snare Setter from the table in the area above the bench in Weavenest Atla.
For ongoing discoveries and detailed mapping:
While most secret areas remain accessible throughout the game, The Slab's unique entry method via cage enemies can become unavailable if all cage enemies are defeated. However, alternative entrances exist through the Citadel in later acts.
I recommend starting with Wisp Thicket once you have wall-jump, as the Wispfire Lantern significantly helps with combat in other secret areas. Whiteward should be your second priority for the Injector Band's healing speed boost.
Yes, all secret areas contain unique collectibles, tools, and bosses required for true 100% completion. Additionally, the Sands of Karak becomes mandatory for accessing Act 3 and achieving the true ending.
Bilewater and the Putrefied Ducts are widely considered the most challenging due to environmental hazards, limited silk regeneration, and aggressive enemy placement. The toxic mechanics fundamentally alter combat strategies.
Some areas like The Slab can be accessed early, but full exploration requires late-game abilities. Sands of Karak specifically needs the Clawline, while Putrefied Ducts requires double-jump for initial entry.
Yes, most secret areas contain Bellway stations for fast travel. The Slab, Bilewater, and major sections of other secret areas have dedicated travel points once discovered.
Absolutely! Many secret areas contain additional hidden sections. For example, Whiteward has areas locked behind the Surgeon's Key, and The Slab has content requiring the Apostate Key from Putrefied Ducts.
Death in secret areas follows standard rules - you'll respawn at the last bench used. However, The Slab has unique checkpoints during the escape sequence to prevent excessive repetition.
Hollow Knight: Silksong continues to surprise players with its intricate level design in September 2025. Keep exploring every corner of Pharloom - you never know what secrets await behind that suspicious-looking wall!