Desert Diary
Desert Diary
Diary
The Desert Achievement Diary is set within all desert areas within runescape, on the south-east of the map, such as Kharidian Desert, Pollnivneach, Nardah and Sophanem. The rewards are claimed from an NPC named Jarr who can be found at the Shantay Pass.
The Desert Diary covers the Kharidian Desert, including Pollnivneach, Nardah, Sophanem, the Ruins of Uzer, the Bedabin Camp and the Kalphite Hive. Rewards are claimed from Jarr at the Shantay Pass. The easy tier is very accessible, while the elite tier is one of the game's deeper sets of tasks, requiring 95 Fletching, 94 Magic, 91 Thieving, 85 Prayer and 85 Cooking.
The Desert amulet 1 to 4 carries the rewards. Easy notes goat horns and improves Pharaoh's sceptre charges. Medium adds a single daily Nardah teleport. Hard makes all magic carpet rides free, secures ropes permanently at the Kalphite Lair, lets the Camulet toggle between inside and outside Enakhra's Temple, and adds a Pollnivneach rooftop bonus. Elite gives unlimited Nardah and Kalphite Cave teleports, full desert heat protection when worn, and a free Shantay Pass.
Prioritise the medium tier for the Nardah teleport, then the hard tier for free carpet rides and permanent Kalphite ropes. The elite amulet is excellent for bossing at the Kalphite Queen because it protects completely against desert heat and teleports straight to the cave. Ironmen should note the medium redirected house tablet task instead requires entering the Pollnivneach house portal, and the elite mounted KQ head needs the Kalphite Queen head from a 1/128 drop or the guaranteed tattered head on the 256th kill.
What the Desert Diary unlocks
- EasyDesert amulet 1
- MediumDesert amulet 2
- HardDesert amulet 3
- EliteDesert amulet 4
Requirements
easy tier
Skills
Items
- • 400 coins
- • Shantay pass (can be purchased at the Shantay Pass Shop)
- • Bird snare
- • Any pickaxe
- • 2 Ropes
- • Knife or any slash weapon
- • Desert shirt
- • Desert robe
- • Desert boots
- • Any grimy herb
- • Any Pyramid Plunder artefact
- • Empty waterskin
- • Weaponry, preferably Ranged or Magic,
- • Necklace of passage
- • Nardah teleport
- • Food and antipoison, unless you already have a potato cactus
Other
- • Started Icthlarin's Little Helper
Tasks
0/11 done
| Task | Requirement | |
|---|---|---|
| Catch a Golden Warbler. | 5 HunterBird snareNecklace of passage recommended for quick access to Eagle's Eyrie, near the Uzer Hunter area | |
| Mine 5 clay in the north-eastern desert. | Any pickaxeNecklace of passage recommended for quick access to Eagle's Eyrie, near the Uzer mine | |
| Enter the Kalphite Hive. | Rope | |
| Enter the Desert with a set of Desert robes equipped. Note: Not to be confused with the desert outfit, which doesn't count for this task. You also cannot use the black desert shirt or black desert robe. | Desert shirt, desert robe, and desert boots | |
| Kill a Vulture. Note: These are found north of Menaphos or Sophanem. | Weaponry, preferably Ranged or Magic | |
| Have the Nardah Herbalist clean a Herb for you. Note: You have to talk to Zahur to complete this task. Do not use the grimy herb on her to clean it. | Any grimy herb and 200 coins | |
| Collect 5 Potato Cactus from the Kalphite Hive. Note: You can bring a single potato cactus to the lair, then drop and pick it up five times. | RopeAntipoison and food recommended if not bringing your own potato cactus | |
| Sell some artefacts to Simon Templeton. Note: The pyramid top from the nearby Agility Pyramid does not count. | Players must have started Icthlarin's Little Helper for access to Sophanem.Any artefact from Pyramid Plunder. | |
| Open the Sarcophagus in the first room of Pyramid Plunder | Started Icthlarin's Little Helper21 Thieving | |
| Cut a desert cactus open to fill a waterskin. | Knife or a slash weapon, and an empty waterskin | |
| Travel from the Shantay Pass to Pollnivneach by Magic Carpet. | 200 coins and a Shantay Pass or another 5 coins. |
Rewards
5 unlocks
- ★Desert amulet 1 - No benefits aside from cosmetic purposes
- ★Antique lamp worth 2,500 experience in any skill of at least level 30
- ★Pharaoh's sceptre will now hold up to 10 charges, up from 3
- ★Goat horns from goats are now noted
- ★Simon Templeton now also buys artefacts in noted form
Requirements
medium tier
Skills
Items
- • 200 coins
- • Ice cooler
- • Rope
- • Small fishing net
- • Any axe
- • Any light source
- • Scroll of redirection
- • Teleport to house
- • Harralander potion (unf)
- • Goat horn dust
- • Charged Camulet
Quests
Other
- • Started Icthlarin's Little Helper
Tasks
0/12 done
| Task | Requirement | |
|---|---|---|
| Climb to the summit of the Agility Pyramid. | 30 AgilityProtection against desert heat recommended | |
| Slay a desert lizard. | 22 SlayerIce cooler | |
| Catch an Orange Salamander. | 47 HunterRope and a small fishing net | |
| Steal a feather from the Desert Phoenix. | 25 Thieving | |
| Travel to Uzer via Magic Carpet. | Completion of The Golem200 coins (or 205 coins if using the Shantay Pass) | |
| Travel to the Desert via Eagle. Note: You'll unlock travel from the Eagles' Peak Dungeon after the required quest. | Completion of Eagles' PeakRope | |
| Pray at the Elidinis statuette in Nardah. Note: Requires you to have less than full Prayer points. | Completion of Spirits of the Elid | |
| Create a combat potion in the desert. | 36 HerbloreHarralander potion (unf) and goat horn dust | |
| Teleport to Enakhra's Temple with the Camulet. | Completion of Enakhra's LamentCamulet | |
| Visit the Genie. Note: This task is automatically completed during Spirits of the Elid. | Started Spirits of the ElidRope and light source | |
| Teleport to Pollnivneach with a redirected teleport to house tablet. Note: Ironmen must instead enter their house via the Pollnivneach house portal. | 20 ConstructionScroll of redirection and a house tablet | |
| Chop some Teak Logs near Uzer. Note: Teak trees are found north-east of the oasis. | 35 WoodcuttingAny axe |
Rewards
3 unlocks
- ★Desert amulet 2 - One daily teleport to Nardah
- ★Antique lamp worth 7,500 experience in any skill of at least level 40
- ★Pharaoh's sceptre will now hold up to 25 charges, up from 10
Requirements
hard tier
Skills
Items
- • Any blackjack
- • Empty waterskin
- • Means to cast Humidify (an astral rune, a fire rune and 3 water runes)
- • Weaponry
- • Slayer helmet
- • Keris
- • 5 mithril bars
- • Yew log
- • Tinderbox
- • Hammer
- • Any pickaxe
- • Any light source
Quests
Other
- • Defeat the Kalphite Queen
Tasks
0/10 done
| Task | Requirement | |
|---|---|---|
| Knock out and pickpocket a Menaphite Thug. | Partial completion of The Feud65 ThievingAny blackjack | |
| Mine some Granite. | 45 MiningAny pickaxe | |
| Refill your waterskins in the Desert using Lunar magic. Note: The spell must be cast outside of a desert settlement. | Completion of Dream Mentor68 MagicLunar spellbook selectedWaterskin that isn't full and means to cast Humidify (1 astral runes, 1 fire runes, 3 water runes) | |
| Kill the Kalphite Queen. | See the strategy guide | |
| Complete a lap of the Pollnivneach agility course. | 70 Agility | |
| Slay a Dust Devil in the desert cave with a Slayer helmet equipped. | Started Desert Treasure I65 Slayer (boostable) and 10 DefenceSlayer helmet (requires 55 Crafting (boostable)) (and Completion of Cabin Fever for Ironman accounts) | |
| Activate Ancient Magicks at the altar in the Jaldraocht Pyramid. | Completion of Desert Treasure I | |
| Defeat a Locust Rider with Keris. Note: This weapon only has to be equipped as it dies, allowing you to deal damage with other weapons. Keris partisan and its variants also work for completing this task. | Partial completion of Contact!50 AttackKeris or Keris partisan, and any light source | |
| Burn some yew logs on the Nardah Mayor's balcony. Note: He lives directly east of the central fountain. | 60 FiremakingYew log and a tinderbox | |
| Create a Mithril Platebody in Nardah. Note: The anvil is found in the westernmost building. | 68 Smithing5 mithril bars and a hammer |
Rewards
8 unlocks
- ★Desert amulet 3 - No new benefits
- ★Antique lamp worth 15,000 experience in any skill of at least level 50
- ★Pharaoh's sceptre will now hold up to 50 charges, up from 25
- ★Free carpet rides throughout the Kharidian Desert, down from a fee of 75-200 coins per ride
- ★Ropes are now permanently secured once placed at the Kalphite Lair entrance and Queen's Lair
- ★Roughly 14% increased experience and 25% more marks of grace from the Pollnivneach Rooftop Course
- ★Camulet can now be rubbed to teleport to the entrance of Enakhra's Temple, aside from the inner sanctuary of that temple
- ★Zahur now also cleans grimy herbs in noted form, and offers her potion-making services
Requirements
elite tier
Skills
Items
- • 15,000 coins if you don't yet have a Skill Hall in your house
- • Raw wild pie
- • Means to cast Ice Barrage (2 blood runes, 4 death runes and 6 water runes)
- • Dragon dart tip
- • Feather
- • Stuffed kq head
- • 2 mahogany planks
- • 2 gold leaves
- • Saw
- • Hammer
Quests
Other
- • Defeat the Kalphite Queen and obtain her (tattered) head
- • Open the Grand Gold Chest in the final room of Pyramid Plunder
Tasks
0/6 done
| Task | Requirement | |
|---|---|---|
| Bake a wild pie at the Nardah Clay Oven. | 85 Cooking (boostable)Raw wild pie | |
| Cast Ice Barrage against a foe in the Desert. Note: The spell must be cast outside of a desert settlement, and must successfully hit. | Completion of Desert Treasure I94 Magic (boostable)Means to cast Ice Barrage (4 death runes, 2 blood runes, 6 water runes) | |
| Fletch some Dragon darts at the Bedabin Camp. | 95 Fletching (boostable)Dragon dart tip and feather | |
| Speak to the KQ head in your POH. Note: The Kalphite Queen has a 1/128 chance of dropping her head on death, and is guaranteed to drop a tattered head on the 256th kill, both of which can be used to create the KQ head. | Completion of Priest in Peril78 Construction (boostable)2 mahogany planks, 2 gold leaves, saw, and hammerKq head or Kq head (tattered), and 50,000 coins to have the taxidermist stuff itAdditional 15,000 coins to construct a Skill Hall if you haven't already | |
| Steal from the Grand Gold Chest in the final room of Pyramid Plunder. | Started Icthlarin's Little Helper91 Thieving (not boostable) | |
| Restore at least 85 Prayer points when praying at the Altar in Sophanem. | Started Icthlarin's Little Helper85 Prayer (not boostable) |
Rewards
5 unlocks
- ★Desert amulet 4 - Unlimited teleports to Nardah, closer to the Elidinis Statuette than the previous amulets - Unlimited teleports to the entrance of the Kalphite Cave - Fully protects against desert heat while worn
- ★Antique lamp worth 50,000 experience in any skill of at least level 70
- ★Pharaoh's sceptre will now hold up to 100 charges, up from 50
- ★Free passage through Shantay Pass and the similar pass at Ruins of Unkah, down from a fee of 5 coins
- ★Access to the crevice shortcut in the Kalphite Lair (with 86 Agility)
Desert Diary FAQ
01What are the Desert Diary rewards?
Every completed tier of the Desert Diary unlocks permanent rewards. The signature reward is the Desert amulet (tiers 1-4): teleports to Nardah, prayer bonuses, and noted drops across the desert. Each tier also grants an antique lamp, and the elite tier adds the strongest region bonuses. Rewards are claimed from Jarr.
02How do I upgrade the Desert amulet?
The Desert amulet upgrades through the four diary tiers: Easy unlocks tier 1, Medium tier 2, Hard tier 3, and Elite tier 4. Complete every task in a tier to claim its upgrade from Jarr. Higher tiers keep the lower tier bonuses and add stronger effects.
03What is the Desert amulet 4 reward?
Desert amulet 4 gives unlimited teleports to Nardah and to the Kalphite Cave entrance, moves the Nardah teleport inside the Elidinis Shrine, fully protects against desert heat while worn, allows free passage through the Shantay Pass, and unlocks the 86 Agility crevice shortcut in the Kalphite Lair.
04Do I need to kill the Kalphite Queen for the Desert diary?
Yes. The hard tier requires killing the Kalphite Queen, and the elite tier requires a mounted KQ head, which needs her head from a 1/128 drop or the guaranteed tattered head on the 256th kill, plus 78 Construction.
05Do I need to complete The Hand in the Sand for the Desert diary?
The medium Bert sand task normally requires The Hand in the Sand, but Ultimate Ironmen are exempt and instead fill a bucket with sand from Bert's sand pit.
06What is the Desert diary reward?
Desert amulets scale with each tier: amulet 2 adds a daily Nardah teleport, amulet 4 gives unlimited Nardah and Kalphite Cave teleports plus full desert heat protection, and higher tiers raise Pharaoh's sceptre charges from 10 up to 100.
07What are the requirements for the Desert Diary achievement diary?
Each Desert Diary diary has four tiers — Easy, Medium, Hard, and Elite — with higher tiers requiring higher skill levels, more quests, and tougher combat encounters. Expand each tier on this page to see the exact skill and quest requirements before you start.
08What are the rewards for the Desert Diary diary?
Every completed tier unlocks permanent rewards: the Easy tier grants basic utility, Medium upgrades your diary gloves, Hard improves teleport access and drop rates, and Elite grants the strongest bonuses in the region. Use this checklist to see every reward as you complete tiers.
09Which Desert Diary diary tier should I aim for first?
For most accounts the Medium tier is the first big milestone — the diary gloves upgrade saves inventory space and the teleports make future training much faster. Ironmen should prioritise diaries early because gloves, lamps, and teleport unlocks are account-wide and never require trading.
10Do achievement diary rewards matter for ironmen?
Yes. Diary rewards are some of the best account-wide unlocks in the game for ironmen: gloves, free daily teleports, clue scroll rewards, and the elite bonus drops. Most ironman progression guides schedule diaries early for exactly this reason.