Gate of the Dead - Climbing the Tower - Part 3

Tomb Raider Underworld screenshot
First, grab one of the handholds just above the circular platform. Wait for one of the handholds on the next higher ring to approach and jump up to grab it. The next ring has many closely spaced handholds, so you should be able to jump up right away to grab one of them.

Tomb Raider Underworld screenshot
Jump up to stand on top of this handhold (as shown in the screenshot above). Wait for this ledge to move beneath one of the horizontal poles and jump up to grab it.

Tomb Raider Underworld screenshot
Here's where things start to get tricky. Along with the moving handholds and poles, you'll have to contend with steam vents that emit puffs of hot air that can scald Lara and knock her off balance. The first set of steam vents is on the rotating ring just above the first set of horizontal poles. (They are indicated by the pink arrows in the screenshot above.) While hanging from this pole, wait until one of the steam vents passes overhead and then jump up to stand on the pole, as Lara is doing in the screenshot above. Turn to face the tower and quickly jump to grab one of the many small, light-colored handholds on the ring above. (If you've taken a little too long and you see another steam vent coming, drop down to hang from the pole and wait for it to pass. Then climb back on top of the pole and grab the next handhold.)

Then, while hanging from one of the light-colored handholds, wait just long enough for one of the steam vents on the next higher ring to pass. Then jump up again to stand on top of the handhold. The poles above and below move in sync with the ledge on which Lara is now standing. So just jump straight up once more to grab the pole above before the next waist-level steam vent reaches Lara. (If the vent does blast Lara off the ledge, she'll drop down to the pole below. You may need to do a saving grab to keep her from losing her grip. Then climb back up to stand on the small handhold and once again grab the pole above.)

Tomb Raider Underworld screenshot
Once Lara is hanging from the higher pole (as shown in the screenshot above), wait for the next steam vent on the ring above to pass, and then pull up before the vent below reaches her. Turn to face the tower and jump up to grab one of the small handholds on the next moving ring. Watch the steam vents above and below and jump up to stand on the handhold as soon as the next vent on the ring above moves past. This should happen before the next vent below reaches Lara.

Tomb Raider Underworld screenshot
As soon as Lara is standing on this handhold, jump up to grab the next pole and climb hand over hand away from the tower (as shown above). The vents at this level can still hurt her, so pull up to stand on the pole as soon as you can.

Tomb Raider Underworld screenshot
Once Lara is standing on the top pole, she's safe. Walk along the pole toward the tower, jump up to grab the edge and pull up onto the upper level.

NOTE: If you need more than screenshots for this section, there are several YouTube videos that show the sequence.

[Return to the Gate of the Dead Walkthrough]