Where to Visit “Uru: Ages Beyond Myst” in Real Life

Previously, I’ve tried to find the closest real-life approximations to the ages of MYST and the islands of RIVEN. Continuing that trend, here are your best options for visiting the first ages of URU: AGES BEYOND MYST (later known as Myst Online), the 6 worlds available when the game went live in 2003: the Cleft, Gahreesen, Eder Gira, Eder Kemo, Kadish Tolesa, and Teledahn.

The Cleft: Black Volcano, New Mexico

There may not be a fissure, or an airstream trailer, or an entrance to D’ni at this long-inactive volcano near Albuquerque, but it sure does feel like Atrus’s first home.

Gahreesen: Wulingyuan, China

These towering karst formations in Hunan Province are laced with rivers and waterfalls, just like the age of the Maintainers.

Eder Gira: Havasu Falls, Arizona

There’s even a rock shelter behind the falls. Thankfully, you don’t have to kick any fish traps around to access it.

Eder Kemo: Ik Kil Cenote, Yucatán, Mexico

One of many cenotes near Chichen Itza, Ik Kil is open for swimming (no linking books, though).

Kadish Tolesa: Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park, California

Visit Sequoia National Park for that same dwarfed-by-trees sensation you get in Kadish, minus the constant threat of walking off a cliff or getting stuck in a pyramid.

Teledahn: Kew Gardens, London, United Kingdom

Sadly, there are no real-life mushrooms as enormous as Teledahn’s, but the mushroom sculptures at London’s Kew Gardens are a decent facsimile.

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Next time, I’ll tackle the URU expansion packs and its other added ages.