Let me paint the picture: you’re crossing the Gerudo Desert, the sun is cooking you, a Molduga is circling somewhere under the dunes, and every step Link takes in the sand feels like wading through porridge. The Sand Boots fix that last part completely.
So here’s the deal: getting them takes a short side quest, a trip from the desert up into the snow, and one photo. This guide covers the whole thing, plus what the boots actually do and whether they’re worth upgrading.
What the Sand Boots Do
| Detail | Sand Boots |
|---|---|
| Slot | Legs |
| Base defence | 3 |
| Effect | Sand Speed Up: normal running speed on sand |
| Quest | The Eighth Heroine |
| Given by | Bozai, outside Gerudo Town |
| Upgradeable | Yes, at a Great Fairy Fountain |
Without them, sand slows Link down noticeably. With them, you move at full speed across the dunes, which makes desert shrines, Molduga hunting and the Gerudo region in general a lot less painful.
Lore Deep Dive: the whole quest is built around the Eighth Heroine, a Gerudo legend honoured with a giant statue up in the snow. The devs hid a little piece of Gerudo history behind a pair of boots, and Bozai is just the guy obsessed enough to want a picture of it.
Before You Start
- The Camera: you need the Sheikah Slate camera, which you get during the main quest Locked Mementos. Without it, Bozai’s quest will not trigger.
- The Gerudo disguise: Bozai will not talk to you unless you are wearing the full set: Gerudo Veil, Gerudo Top and Gerudo Sirwal. Vilia sells all three at the Kara Kara Bazaar, east of Gerudo Town.
- Cold protection: the statue is up in the Gerudo Highlands, which are freezing. Bring warm armour, spicy food or a Spicy Elixir. Our BOTW recipes and cookbook has the cold resistance dishes.
How to Get the Sand Boots: The Eighth Heroine
- Find Bozai. Warp to Daqo Chisay Shrine just outside Gerudo Town. Bozai is the man jogging around in the sand nearby.
- Dress up and talk. Put on the full Gerudo disguise and speak to him. He starts The Eighth Heroine and lends you his Snow Boots for the trip into the snow, in exchange for a promise: a photo of the Statue of the Eighth Heroine.
- Head for the Highlands. The statue is in the Risoka Snowfield, in the northwest of the Gerudo Highlands. If you have activated Kuh Takkar Shrine up there, warp to it.
- Find the statue. Once you reach the right spot, the giant statue is visible below you. Glide down and land in her hands for the best angle.
- Take the photo. Open the camera and snap the statue. Make sure she fills a good part of the frame.
- Go back to Bozai. Warp back, put the Gerudo disguise on again, and show him the picture. You hand back the Snow Boots and he gives you the Sand Boots.
But here’s where it gets interesting: the trip up is the hard part, not the quest. The Highlands are full of ice enemies, and most of them are weak to fire. A few Fire Arrows or a flame weapon make that hike far quicker.
The Forgotten Sword: Getting the Snow Boots Back
Once you have the Sand Boots, talk to Bozai again and he starts a follow up quest, The Forgotten Sword. This time he wants a photo of the Eighth Heroine’s sword, which sits on top of the Gerudo Summit.
Bring him that photo and you get the Snow Boots for keeps. They are the mirror image of the Sand Boots: normal speed on snow instead of sand. If you are already in the Highlands for the first photo, it’s worth scouting the summit while you’re up there.
| Quest | Photo needed | Where | Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Eighth Heroine | Statue of the Eighth Heroine | Risoka Snowfield, Gerudo Highlands | Sand Boots |
| The Forgotten Sword | The Eighth Heroine’s sword | Gerudo Summit | Snow Boots |
Upgrading the Sand Boots
Great Fairy Fountains can upgrade the Sand Boots, so they do not have to stay a 3 defence novelty. The upgrade materials lean on Molduga parts and speed related ingredients, so a couple of Molduga fights in the desert set you up nicely.
- Early upgrades: worth it if you spend a lot of time in the desert, since they make the boots usable as your everyday leg piece there.
- Full upgrade: only if you love the look or live in Gerudo. Most players eventually swap to a set with a bonus for their main build.
Best Desert Loadout
- Head and body: the Desert Voe Headband and Desert Voe Spaulder for heat resistance during the day.
- Legs: Sand Boots for full speed on sand.
- At night: the desert gets cold after dark, so carry warm food or swap armour when the sun goes down.
I’m not gonna lie, this is the loadout I wear every time I go hunting Moldugas. Heat handled, speed handled, no more porridge.
Sand Boots FAQ
How do you get the Sand Boots in Breath of the Wild?
Complete The Eighth Heroine for Bozai outside Gerudo Town. Wear the Gerudo disguise, take a photo of the Statue of the Eighth Heroine in the Gerudo Highlands, and show it to him.
Why won’t Bozai talk to me?
You need the full Gerudo disguise (Veil, Top and Sirwal) from Vilia at the Kara Kara Bazaar, plus the Sheikah Slate camera from Locked Mementos.
Where is the Statue of the Eighth Heroine?
In the Risoka Snowfield, in the northwest of the Gerudo Highlands. Kuh Takkar Shrine is a handy warp point nearby.
Can you upgrade the Sand Boots?
Yes. Great Fairy Fountains can upgrade them, using mostly Molduga parts and speed ingredients.
The Payoff: one photo, one hike, and the desert stops fighting you. Anyway, if you are planning the rest of your Gerudo trip, the BOTW interactive map shows every shrine in the region, and if you are torn between Hyrules, our take on whether to play BOTW or TOTK first is worth a read.
