How To Get To the Royal Waterways in Hollow Knight

Learn how to get to the Royal Waterways in Hollow Knight!

Welcome to the dark and mysterious kingdom of Hollow Knight! If you are captivated by the beauty of this underground kingdom and want to go deeper, the Royal Waterways should be your next stop. This fascinating area sits beneath the City of Tears in the kingdom of Hallownest.

This area is an intricate web of tunnels, sewers, and flooded chambers. However, heading to the Royal Waterways is challenging and requires perseverance. This guide discusses the steps to get to the Royal Waterways. Here, we will find the path that leads to the murky waters of the Royal Waterways.

This area has unknown wonders and terrible trials that await the courageous bugs who dare to walk forth. Prepare your nail, equip your Charms, and let us embark on this subterranean odyssey to uncover the mysteries within the Royal Waterways in Hollow Knight.

Royal Waterways

The Royal Waterways is an area of a network of sewage pipes and support structures located in the heart of Hallownest. Many sections of the Royal Waterways are filled with water because the water drops from the area above it, the City of Tears. Many rooms in the Royal Waterways are cluttered with garbage. Also, a broken lift shaft divides the Royal Waterways into two. 

According to in-game lore, The pipes of the Royal Waterways were created to transport garbage from Hallownest’s capital. The constant rain in the city above has rinsed the pipes clean. The Junk Pit, a sub-area in the Royal Waterways, finally collects all trash from the water flow. After the kingdom’s demise, flukes developed a colony in the depths of the canals and colonized the area with other species.

In the Royal Waterways, the Knight will encounter a few bosses—specifically, the Dung Defender, Flukemarm, and the White Defender. Also, the Knight will find the following in the Royal Waterways: 10 Geo Deposits, four Rancid Eggs, one King’s Idol, one Whispering Root with 35 Essence, two Grubs, the Flukenest Charm, the Defender’s Crest Charm, the Godtuner, one Mask Shard, the Isma’s Tear ability, and the entrance to the Godhome.

How to Get to Royal Waterways

There are two ways to access the Royal Waterways: the main entrance and the eastern entrance.

Method 1: the Main Entrance

The Knight can access the Royal Waterways through a hatch in the bottom of the City of Tears. The room with the hatch is on the left of the room with the statue of the Hollow Knight. This method is technically the easiest method to enter the Royal Waterways area. Also, entering through this entrance gives Link access to the left part of the Royal Waterways. However, to access the hatch, Link must open it using a Simple Key.

Simple Key

The player can get three Simple Keys in the game. However, the Knight can acquire two of all three keys in the game. To obtain these Simple Keys, the Knight can go to these locations:

1st Simple Key

The Knight can obtain a Simple Key from Sly. This NPC is found in his shop up in Dirtmouth. To get the Simple Key from Sly, the Knight can purchase them for 950 Geo.

2nd Simple Key

The Knight can get another Simple Key in the City of Tears. This Simple Key is at the upper right corner of the room underneath the City Storerooms Stag Station.

Requirements

The Knight must first have a certain ability to get this Simple Key. The ability in question is either the Mothwing Cloak or Monarch Wings ability. The Mothwing Cloak ability enables the Knight to dash horizontally forward. The Monarch Wings ability allows the Knight to jump once in the air.

Enemies

On the way to this Simple Key, the Knight will run into a Winged Sentry and a Husk Sentry.

Path to the Simple Key

To get this Simple Key, these are what the Knight must do:

1. From the City Storerooms Stag Station, go to the left and take the exit.
   
2. Then, go to the left, head down to the room’s floor, and head to the left. Take the next exit that leads down.
   
3. After that, drop down from the small platform and jump towards the small platform below on the right. Jump towards another small platform below on the right with a Winged Sentry on the right. Jump towards the slightly longer platform below on the right. Then, jump and dash (Mothwing Cloak ability) or double jump (Monarch Wings ability) toward the ledge on the right.
   
4. On this platform, there is a glowing doorway on the right. Enter the doorway, and the Knight will run into a Husk Sentry. Near the right end of this room, something is glowing on the floor. Approach and inspect the glowing item to get a Simple Key!

The Main Entrance

Once the Knight has a Simple Key, the Knight can now enter the Royal Waterways area. Fortunately, there are no required abilities that the Knight must have to reach the area. The Knight, however, will run into a few enemies on the way. Specifically, these enemies are Winged Sentries, Lance Sentries, and Heavy Sentry. 

To enter the Royal Waterways using this main entrance, the Knight must do the following:

1. Starting from the City Storerooms Stag Station, head to the left to exit the room. Continue to the left, drop to the bottom of the room, and continue to the left. Take the next exit that leads down.
   
2. The Knight will come across some Winged Sentries and Lance Sentries in the following room. Go to the bottom of the room and take the exit on the right.
   
3. Next, head to the right and take the exit. Jump across the gap to the right, where there is a Bench. Let the Knight sit on it to heal and save your progress. Then, head to the left and head down the next gap. Take the exit that leads down.
   
4. Afterward, go to the right, where the Knight will run into a Heavy Sentry. Ride the elevator on the right to go all the way down. At the lowest level, the elevator can take, go to the right, and drop down the gap. Take the exit that leads down.

Part 2

1. Then, drop down the platform below on the left and go to the left. Jump across the gap and strike the lever to call the elevator. Once the elevator arrives, ride the elevator down. At the bottom, go to the left and take the next exit downwards.
   
2. Next, head to the left, jump across the gap, and strike another lever again to call the elevator. When the elevator is there, ride it to go down.
   
3. At the bottom, go to the right, and the Knight will find a mechanism. This mechanism is next to a hatch with light coming out of it. Inspect the mechanism, and a prompt will appear that asks if the player wants to use a Simple Key. Select “Yes” on the prompt, and the hatch next to the mechanism will open.
   
4. Finally, drop down the newly-opened hatch, and the Knight will arrive in the Royal Waterways!

Method 2: The Bottom Entrance

Technically, entering the Royal Waterways for the first time is possible through the eastern entrance. However, this method requires the Knight to have a few specific abilities. This entrance is through the southwestern part of Kingdom’s Edge. If the Knight uses this route, the Knight will access the right part of the Royal Waterways area.

Requirements

If the player decides to use this route, the Knight is required to have learned the Crystal Heart ability. This ability enables the Knight to continuously dash forward until they hit a surface, an enemy, or an intentionally canceled. Another required ability is the Mantis Claw ability.

This enables the Knight to slide down and jump off of walls. Next is the Mothwing Cloak ability or the Monarch Wings ability. The Mothwing Cloak ability allows the Knight to execute a horizontal dash forward. The Knight’s Monarch Wings ability allows him to jump once more in the air.

In addition, for this method, the Knight is required to have obtained the Tram Pass. The Tram Pass is an item that gives the Knight access to the Tram. This Tram allows the Knight to head from Deepnest to the Ancient Basin and Kingdom’s Edge. The Knight can acquire the Tram Pass in the Failed Tramway near the northwestern corner of Deepnest.

Enemies

Through this method, the Knight will run into a few enemies. Specifically, the Knight will encounter Hivelings, Booflies, and a Husk Sentry.

Path to the Bottom Entrance

To head to the Royal Waterways through the bottom entrance, the Knight must do the following:

1. To find the Tram, proceed to the bottom right side of the map of Deepnest. There is a glowing machine here. Interact with the machine, press “Yes” on the prompt to put in the Tram Pass, and the Tram will show up. Enter the Tram, interact with the glowing button on the right side, and pick “Yes” on the prompt to begin moving.
   
2. Following that, the Tram will arrive in the Ancient Basin area. Inspect the glowing button on the Tram’s right side and press “Yes” on the prompt to resume traveling.
   
3. After exiting the Tram, the Knight will be on the southwesternmost side of Kingdom’s Edge. Proceed to the right to find some spike pits. Jump and dash (Mothwing Cloak ability) or jump twice (Monarch Wings ability) across the spike pits to get to the safe platform on the right.
   
4. Then, proceed to the right to find another spike pit with two Hivelings hovering above the spikes. Defeat the Hivelings. Jump and dash or double jump towards the wall on the right to climb up the wall using the Mantis Claw ability. At the top, head to the right, jump up the slightly elevated platform, and take the exit above.

Part 2

1. After that, head up to this room using the small platforms. The Knight will encounter a few Booflies and Hivelings on the way up. Take the exit above at the top.
   
2. Next, go to the left and head up the wall using the Mantis Claw ability. At the top, jump towards the ledge on the right and jump up the slightly elevated platform. Go slightly to the right and take the next exit above.
   
3. Then, climb up the wall on the right using the Mantis Claw ability. Near the top, jump towards the platform on the left. Head to the left and up the slightly elevated platform. Here, the Knight will find a large pool of acid. From the edge of the platform, hold the assigned SUPER DASH ability to charge it. Once it is ready, let go of the button to use the Crystal Heart ability to dash to the left continuously.
   
4. After that, once the Knight hits the surface at the far left part of the room, the Knight will drop down the shaft. Drop down the exit below on the left.
   
5. Next, head down the shaft on the left and go to the right, where the Knight will run into a Husk Sentry. Finally, go to the right, and the Knight can explore the Royal Waterways area!

Conclusion

Whichever method the player chooses, both routes demand perseverance and patience from the player. Once in the Royal Waterways, the Knight will encounter a world filled with secrets, unique challenges, and enigmatic wonders. These will test the player’s skills as a skilled Knight.

Relish the darkness and the adventure, as the Royal Waterways is only one of the numerous wonders waiting for the player in this beautiful underground kingdom. So, ready your Nail, equip your charms, and prepare to uncover the secrets within the depths of the Royal Waterways!