The Quest for El Dorado rules: how to play and how to win
Reviewed on 20 October 2026 against the publisher’s rulebook. How we check
The Quest for El Dorado plays 2 to 4 players: each leads an expedition through the jungle, with a deck of cards they improve along the way. Here are the essential rules, setup and how to win, based on Ravensburger’s official rules.
- Players
- 2 to 4
- Play time
- About 1 hour
- Winner
- The first to the gate to El Dorado, with blockades breaking ties
The Quest for El Dorado quick rules
- The goal
- Your deck of cards moves your playing piece toward the gate to El Dorado. You start with eight cards, always have four in hand at the start of your turn, and buy better cards along the way.
- A turn
- Play cards to move and to buy up to one card, put the played cards on your discard pile, keep cards for next turn if you like, then draw up to four. Empty draw pile: shuffle your discard pile.
- Moving
- A green space requires machetes, a blue one paddles, a yellow one coins; white cards are jokers. Play a card with the matching symbol and at least the space’s power, and keep moving with the leftover power. Never two cards for one space.
- Special spaces
- A gray rubble space costs as many cards of any kind as it has symbols, which go to your discard pile; a red base camp too, but those cards are removed from the game. Mountains and occupied spaces, even by your own piece, are off-limits.
- Blockades
- A blockade closes the way between two terrain tiles. The first player to pass it, like a space, keeps it, and the way is then open. Blockades break ties.
- Buying cards
- One purchase per turn at most. A yellow card or a joker is worth its power in coins, any other card half a coin, and no change is given. The card you buy goes on your discard pile. Cards above the market board can only be bought once a market spot is vacant.
- Action cards and items
- Purple cards let you draw, remove cards or take a free card; the Native moves you one space with no requirement. Items, marked with a crossed-out card symbol, are removed from the game after use.
- End of the race
- The first piece to arrive triggers the final round, which is completed so everyone has the same number of turns. Only one arrival: they win. Several: most blockades, then the highest numbered blockade, then the first to arrive.
- Two players
- Each player leads two playing pieces; a card moves only one of them, without splitting its power. Both pieces must reach El Dorado.
- Beginner pitfalls
- Keep your deck lean with base camps, hold a useful card for next turn, and watch the other pieces: an occupied space blocks the way.
How to win The Quest for El Dorado
- No points
- The Quest for El Dorado has no points: the first to the gate to El Dorado wins, once the round is completed. The others aren’t ranked.
- Ties
- Several players arriving in the final round: most blockades wins, then the highest numbered blockade, then the first to arrive.
- Two players
- Both of your pieces must arrive.
- Blockades collected and highest blockade
- Optional, to break ties.
Example ending
Leo reaches El Dorado first, but Mia, who plays after him in the same round, arrives too. Leo has two blockades, numbers 2 and 5; Mia has two as well, numbers 3 and 6. Tied on blockades: the highest one decides, and Mia wins with the 6.
Common mistakes
- Ending the game at the first arrival: the round is completed.
- Giving the win to the first arrival when another player arrives in the same round: blockades decide first.
- With two players, stopping when only one piece has arrived: both must.
How to set up The Quest for El Dorado
Follow the four parts in order; with two players, each takes two playing pieces. Whoever sat down at the table first goes first.
The route
- Assemble the starting tile, the terrain tiles and the ending tile following a route from the rulebook.For your first game, use the recommended route; afterwards, another route or one of your own.
- Shuffle the 6 blockades face down, place one at random on each connection between two tiles, then turn them face up.On a terrain strip, only one blockade, at its starting side.
- Caves variant: place a face-down pile of 4 cave tokens on every mountain space showing a cave.Save it for later games.
The market
- Sort the 54 expedition cards by type, into 18 piles of 3, face up.
- Place the 6 piles marked with a symbol in the bottom right corner on the market board.
- Place the other 12 piles above the market board.They can only be bought once a market spot is vacant.
Each player
- Each player takes their expedition board and the 8 starting cards of their color.1 Sailor, 3 Explorers and 4 Travelers.
- With 3 or 4 players, each takes 1 playing piece; with 2 players, 2 pieces.
- Shuffle your starting deck and place it face down on the left of your board: this is your draw pile.
- Each player draws 4 cards.
The start
- The starting player takes the starting player hat token and places their piece on starting space 1; the others, in turn order, on the next spaces.
- With 2 players, the starting player takes spaces 1 and 3, the other player spaces 2 and 4.
Frequently asked questions
How many starting cards in The Quest for El Dorado?
Eight cards: 1 Sailor, 3 Explorers and 4 Travelers, of which you draw 4 before your first turn.
Can you combine two cards to enter a space?
No, never: one card, with the matching symbol and enough power, per space.
Who wins a tie in The Quest for El Dorado?
The player arriving in the final round with the most blockades, then the highest blockade, then the first to arrive.
Ludingo’s The Quest for El Dorado sheet was last reviewed on 20 October 2026, based on: ravensburger.cloud 1, ravensburger.cloud 2, BoardGameGeek.