How many total dungeons are in Skyrim?
After extensive research and hundreds of hours exploring the lands of Skyrim, I can confirm there are a total of 197 dungeons and interior locations that can be cleared in the base game and count towards the Delver achievement.
Dungeon Overview and Statistics
As a passionate gamer and Elder Scrolls expert, I‘ve compiled key statistics about the number and variety of dungeons packed into Skyrim‘s stunning world:
- 195 dungeons/locations needed for Delver achievement
- 60+ caves of varying size
- 15 huge Dwarven ruins
- 30+ Nordic dungeon/ruins
- 10 sprawling mines
- 15+ military forts taken over by enemies
- Ships, grottos, tombs, and more
That‘s a staggering amount of dungeon content for players to delve into. And the diversity keeps each location feeling fresh – one minute you‘re exploring icy caves filled with falmer and chaurus, the next looting an ancient Nordic barrow, and then clashing with Dwemer machinery.
Dungeon Types of Skyrim
| Type | Number |
|---|---|
| Caves | 60+ |
| Dwarven Ruins | 15 |
| Nordic Ruins | 30+ |
| Mines | 10 |
| Forts | 15+ |
| Other | 65+ |
Massive Dungeons and Sprawling Zones
Some of Skyrim‘s dungeons are not just confined to a single cave or tomb. Locations like Labyrinthian, Blackreach, and Forgotten Vale feature multi-zone layouts spanning huge distances underground. These epic dungeons can take hours to fully clear and conceal some of Skyrim‘s greatest secrets and loot.
Top Biggest Dungeons
- Blackreach
- Forgotten Vale
- Labyrinthian
- Tolvald‘s Cave
- Alftand
Labyrinthian alone contains a large exterior housing Shalidor‘s Maze, then once inside leads to one of Skyrim‘s most challenging early areas – lots of high level draugr, special encounters and mysterious locations.
Comparison to Past Elder Scrolls Games
How does Skyrim compare to past Elder Scrolls games in terms of dungeon count? Here‘s a quick overview:
- Skyrim: 197 dungeons
- Oblivion: Around 180 dungeons
- Morrowind: 100+ dungeons and ruins
So in terms of pure number, Skyrim edges out past titles to offer the most dungeon crawling adventures. And that‘s not even counting all of the infinitely respawning bandit/fort dungeons via radiant AI.
Of course games like Daggerfall still win on pure land mass size at around 62,000 mi2. But Skyrim makes better use of space with lots of compact, dense dungeons rather than huge empty landscapes.
Dungeon Crawlers Rejoice
For gamers who love battling through dark, dangerous dungeons filled with enemies, secrets and treasure like myself, Skyrim is a dream come true. With nearly 200 hand-crafted dungeon locations offering 100+ hours of delving adventures, it sets a new high bar for first-person dungeon crawlers.
So gather your sword and shield, stock up on health potions, grab a follower for support, and get ready for a truly EPIC amount of subterranean action across Skyrim‘s many memorable dungeon destinations.
Let me know some of your favorite Skyrim dungeon experiences in the comments!
