Coastal Village - Alternate Route through the Serpent Stone Area

If after entering the TEMPLE WITH THE SKYLIGHTS AND DART TRAPS, you chose to jump into the water-filled trench, Lara will be swept downstream and land on a ledge outside the temple. (screenshots)

You will now need to retrieve 3 SERPENT STONES in order to open the gates between the TEMPLE and the VILLAGE. This is the same area described in the main walkthrough, but you'll be picking up the stones in a different order.

CLIMBING THE FACE OF THE TEMPLE: From the small ledge between the two waterfalls, take a standing jump into either of the openings behind the falls. Here you'll find the FIRST SERPENT STONE. Now move to either opening and face the ledge between the alcove's two openings. Position Lara at the farthest corner of the tile nearest the opening, then take a standing jump (with Action) through the falling water to land on the ledge. (screenshots)

Turn left and you'll see a save/power-up crystal in the distance. That's where you're headed next. Take a running jump to grab the stone ledge ahead. Pull up and follow the ledge around to the far end. Drop down and get the crystal. Then climb back onto the ledge above. Turn right and climb onto the next higher ledge, at the edge of a forested area. Head up the hill and to the left between the two big trees. Roll and take out a native spearman who tries to sneak up behind you. Turn around again and continue through the forest, away from the temple. (screenshots)

NOTE: Just ahead the path turns to the left toward a pool of quicksand. Beyond the pool is the area you would have explored had you taken one of the alternate routes through the level. I won't go into detail about that, since it's covered above. If you like, you can backtrack that way to find a large medi pack and kill another spearman. As far as I know, there's no way to climb up to the wooden bridge and the secret at the top of the canyon from below. When you're done exploring, return here and continue to the next serpent stone.

FOREST NEAR THE TEMPLE: As you follow the path away from the temple, just before the path turns left toward a narrow canyon with a pool of quicksand, there's an outcropping of gray rocks with flat, green tops. Climb onto these rocks. Turn left and pull onto the bent tree trunk. (You're now facing the quicksand and the wooden spanning the canyon bridge.) Turn right and climb onto the rock ledge behind the tree. Now turn around to face the tree trunk. Jump across the gap to land on the flat branch just to the left of the tree trunk. Jump from there to the second of the two triangular, green ledges. Step to the outer corner of the triangle. Then take a standing jump around the corner to grab the ledge with the shotgun shells. Pull up and take the ammo. Turn around, step to the outer corner of the ledge and jump back down to the green triangle. Hop over to the branch, then to the long ledge running along the canyon wall. (screenshots)

Turn left and take a few steps along this ledge toward the quicksand pool. Turn left again and jump onto the thick branch on the right side of the tree trunk. Follow the branch forward, over a slight rise, to the stone ledge at the end. Take a running jump to grab the next branch and pull up. The temple is directly ahead, but don't jump over there yet. Instead turn right and climb into the raised alcove for SECRET #3Desert Eagle clips. Turn around, hop back down onto the branch, and move forward to retrieve the SECOND SERPENT STONE. (screenshots)

CLIMBING THE TEMPLE (again): After picking up the SERPENT STONE, turn right to face the temple, walk to the edge of the branch, and take a standing jump down to the flat ledge near the burning torch. Now jump down into the pool below and let the current once again carry Lara over the falls and onto the small, square ledge below. This is where you found the FIRST SERPENT STONE earlier. (screenshots)

This time, take a running jump to grab the wooden ladder on the cliff wall to the left of the waterfalls. Don't let go; there are deadly spikes below. Climb up to the opening at the top right. Follow the passageway around to another ladder. Climb to the top. Then pull up onto the tall stone block on the right to find a small medi pack. (screenshots)

If you now turn around and face the temple, you can see where you need to go next. The THIRD SERPENT STONE is on the high ledge near the burning torch. There are some climbable, gray rocks off to the left that will enable you to get up there. Drop down on the safe side, turn around, and head for those climbable rocks. Pull up onto the lowest block. Turn and shoot the tribesman inside the doorway above. Then jump up onto the ledge where he fell. (screenshots)

IMPORTANT: Inside this doorway are three gates which can be opened with the SERPENT STONES. Do not place any of the stones into the snake receptacles until you have all three. Several players have reported a bug where they placed one stone then went to get the others. When they came back they were unable to open the gates.

Turn around and take a running jump to grab the ledge above the block where you just stood. Turn right and take a running jump to the uneven, gray stone ledge near the temple. Jump over to the ledge with the burning torch and the THIRD SERPENT STONE. (screenshots)

SERPENT STONE GATES: You should now have all 3 SERPENT STONES. Slide down the side of the building, climb back onto the low block, jump into the doorway where that last tribesman fell, and then place the stones in the 3 snake-head receptacles to open the gates. Slide down the chute into the village below.

Now pick up the main walkthrough at the section titled ENTERING THE COASTAL VILLAGE.



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