If you're in the mood for a brutal struggle against the cold in a zombie-infested wasteland, the DayZ map Sakhal is here for you. Introduced in the Frostline expansion, this is one of the most challenging official maps to play on. You'll need to battle the infected, hostile players, and, of course, the blistering cold if you hope to succeed. Want to know the best spots for looting and what you can expect when you embark? We've got all the info you need right here!

What is the Sakhal Map?

As the most recent official map to arrive in DayZ, Sakhal offers a different experience from other official maps, such as Chernarus. While Chernarus is set in a warmer environment, Sakhal is as frigid as they come. Huge swaths of the land are covered in snow, lakes are frozen over, and even coastlines are blistered by ice. Surviving the frozen air in Sakhal can be even more threatening than any swarm of infected. Your ultimate priorities while looting will be insulated clothing and any possible source of heat. Making fires, carrying torches, eating food with warming buffs, or even finding hot springs are all going to keep you from freezing to death. As always in DayZ, keep your eyes peeled and search any POI you come across. As you're adventuring through Sakhal, these are the types of POIs you'll find:

• Military
  • Tents, Barracks, Hangars, Guardhouses, & Concrete Bunkers
• Civilian
  • Stores, Kiosks, Churches, Towers, Cranes, Hermit Shacks, & Greenhouses
• Medical
  • Hospitals, Medical Centers, Medical Tents, Fire Stations, & Police Stations
• Cities
• Ports
• Outer Islands
• Hot Springs
• Aviation Crash Sites
• Bonfires
• Vehicle Wrecks

Because of Sakhal’s harsh weather conditions, firefights tend to play out very differently than on other maps. Long-range engagements are common in open snowy terrain, but visibility can quickly collapse during snowstorms or blizzards. Buildings become valuable not only for loot, but also for shelter and warmth. A poorly timed gunfight can leave both survivors freezing to death moments later. When you first spawn on Sakhal, you'll usually begin somewhere along the frozen coastline. Your immediate priority should be warmth. Finding better clothing, gloves, and fire-making materials is critical during the early game. Coastal villages often contain fishing gear and low-tier civilian loot, making them ideal starting locations. Once you’ve secured food and heat, you can gradually push inland toward the more dangerous military and industrial zones where high-tier gear awaits.

Petropavlovsk-Sakhalskiy

Petropavlovsk-Sakhalskiy is one of the largest coastal settlements on Sakhal. In the early game, this is a major hotspot. Due to so many fresh spawns passing through, encounters with other players are extremely common. That could mean easy-picking if you're kitted up, or it could mean you're in for a whole lot of trouble if you're low on supplies.

Loot in Petropavlovsk-Sakhalskiy isn't anything too rare or powerful. Food, basic firearms, fishing equipment, and cold-weather clothing can all be found throughout the harbor district. If you're looking for slightly more substantial gear, head to the industrial warehouses to find tools and crafting materials that could be more useful as you push into the rest of the map later on.

Odinokiy Vulkan

One of the most eye-catching spots in Sakhal, the dormant volcano Odinokiy Vulkan. While the mountain itself won't erupt, this area is covered in soot and ash that can make things tricky. Water in this area, for example, is often contaminated with volcanic soot. That means you'll need to purify it before you can consume it. On the bright side, this area is much warmer than other parts of the map, thanks to all the geothermal activity. If you see a hot spring, some steam vents, or other geothermal hotspots, you can get close to them to give yourself a brief reprieve from Sakhal's icy grip. Finally, there is also the research outpost near the volcano itself. Here, you can find plenty of military and medical equipment. This is actually the most prominent point on the map for finding Scientific Briefcase Keys. A particularly handy item for opening any Scientific Briefcase for a random assortment of high-value gear.

Severomorsk

Another fairly large port town in the DayZ Sakhal map, Severomorsk, is nearly as far to the north as you can go. With its port, the city itself, and a nearby residential area, there are plenty of POIs here to find some mid-level loot. Despite the fact that it's so far north and blisteringly cold, you can still encounter other players here fairly regularly. One of the most interesting landmarks here is a coal-fed smokestack near the middle of the docks. This is a constant heat source, and probably the best within walking distance of Severomorsk. As one might expect, it draws the attention of passing players very well. If you can skirt around other players successfully enough, you'll find this city has plenty of mid-tier loot. Once you've got all you came for, you might want to head south for less hostile temperatures.

Burukan

If you're looking for the largest possible amount of military gear, then Burukan is your destination. You'll find it in the south-western portion of the map, as a large peninsula jutting out from the mainland. The main thing to keep in mind is that no fresh water exists on the entire peninsula. If you mean to explore this area, be sure you're bringing loads of fresh water to keep you going. Here, you'll find a wide stretch of ports, the Central Military Base, and even the Burukan Bunker. Naturally, the bunker itself has the best gear. However, to get inside, you need to restore power using a Glow Plug and Gasoline. Gasoline is easy enough to find from scrounging nearby industrial locations, but the Glow Plug can only be found in Scientific Briefcases. Better head to the volcano's nearby research lab first! Inside the bunker, you can find incredibly rare and high-value items. The SVD Dragunov, drum magazines, Night Vision Goggles, and all manner of high-tier military attachments. Just be aware that only one storage door can be opened at a time inside the bunker. There is a control panel that opens each door individually. If you try to open one door while another is already open, the entire system will short-circuit, and you'll need to reboot it with another Glow Plug and Gasoline.

Nogovo Airfield

Finally, nestled on the southwest corner of the main island is the Nogovo Airfield. Despite its relatively easy-to-access location, you can actually find some higher-tier loot here. Powerful weapons such as the KA-74 assault rifle and the VSS marksman rifle. You can also find a heaping helping of medical supplies, filtering water bottles, plated vests, landmines, and much more. This area is also on the warmer side, so it doesn't demand the best possible layered gear. The catch, of course, is that the airfield is flat. There's not a lot of cover aside from the scattered buildings, and this area isn't typically as prone to being covered in blizzards as the rest of the map. Fights here on the airfield are fast and brutal. It's not uncommon for players to quickly meet their end at the hands of a well-hidden sniper. If you want to get in, get loot, and get out, you'll have to be quick.