Staring at a blank Hyrule map and wondering where to start? Your Sheikah Slate can’t fill in the world by itself. You have to find the 15 Sheikah Towers, climb each one and scan the region from the top.
Here’s the full breakdown: where every tower stands, what makes the tricky ones tricky, and the order that keeps you out of trouble.
How Sheikah Towers Work
Sheikah Towers are the tall orange-glowing pillars that rise across Hyrule right after you climb the first one on the Great Plateau. Climb to the top deck, place the Sheikah Slate on the pedestal, and that region’s map downloads.
- Total: 15 towers, one per map region.
- Map reveal: each tower fills in the terrain and place names of its region. Shrines still have to be found by eye or with the Sheikah Sensor.
- Fast travel: every activated tower becomes a travel gate you can warp to.
- Story: only the Great Plateau Tower is mandatory. You can do the other 14 in any order.
All 15 Sheikah Tower Locations
| Tower | Where it is | Main obstacle |
|---|---|---|
| Great Plateau | Middle of the Great Plateau, your starting area | None, it’s the tutorial tower |
| Dueling Peaks | West Necluda, on the road toward Kakariko Village | Easy climb, a bit of gliding and swimming |
| Hateno | On a hill between East Necluda and Hateno Village | Plain stamina climb |
| Lanayru | Lanayru Wetlands, on the way to Zora’s Domain | Easy once you find a good launch point |
| Central | Hyrule Field, south of Hyrule Castle | Guardians patrolling the base |
| Ridgeland | West of Hyrule Castle, near Hyrule Ridge | Deep water, Electric Lizalfos and Electric Wizzrobes |
| Woodland | West of Eldin, near the Korok Forest | Monster outpost built over a bog |
| Eldin | Foothills of Death Mountain | Heat and lava |
| Akkala | Akkala Highlands | Malice covering the tower |
| Tabantha | Tabantha Frontier, south of Rito Village | Malice blocking the direct climb |
| Hebra | Between the Korok Forest and Rito Village | Freezing cold |
| Gerudo | Gerudo Highlands, north of Gerudo Town | Too tall to climb from the ground; glide in from higher up |
| Wasteland | Edge of the Gerudo Desert, east of Gerudo Tower | Bog around the base |
| Faron | Faron Grasslands, near the river south of Dueling Peaks | Frequent rain makes the climb slippery |
| Lake | South of Lake Hylia, northwest of Faron Grasslands | Mostly a straightforward climb |
Our BOTW interactive map pins every tower if you’d rather plan a route than wander.
The Beginner Route
Follow this and you’ll have the whole south of the map filled in without needless danger.
- Great Plateau Tower: unmissable, and the story won’t move until you activate it.
- Dueling Peaks Tower: head east toward Kakariko Village. The tower sits in plain sight on the way.
- Hateno Tower: keep going east toward Hateno Village. Start the climb from the southwest or southeast side and rest on each ledge.
- Lanayru Tower: pick it up on your way to Zora’s Domain.
(Pro tip: eat a stamina meal before any big climb. A few extra wheel segments turn a scary wall into a stroll.)
Tackling the Tough Towers
Central Tower
The Problem: Guardians watch the area around the base, and their lasers will find you mid climb.
The Climb: come in from the south, take out or sneak past the nearest Guardian first, and use the ledges to break line of sight. A shield parry sends a Guardian laser straight back if your timing is good.
Ridgeland Tower
The base is surrounded by water and electric enemies. Getting shocked while swimming makes you drop your gear, so thin out the Lizalfos and Wizzrobes with arrows from dry land before you swim in. Your best bet is a rubber armor piece if you have one.
Woodland Tower
A monster outpost sits on wooden platforms over a bog. Clear the camp, use the raised platforms to get height, then glide across to the tower wall. Watch for Wizzrobes sniping you while you climb.
Akkala and Tabantha Towers
Both have Malice in the way. Glowing eyeballs keep Malice alive, so shoot them with arrows to clear a path, then look for a clean wall to climb. On Akkala, a Magnesis-friendly metal slab helps you bridge the gap.
Hebra, Eldin and Gerudo
- Hebra: pack cold resistance (warm clothes or a spicy meal) before you go.
- Eldin: bring heat resistance and swap out wooden gear, which burns near lava. Approaching from the south keeps you away from the worst heat.
- Gerudo: climb the cliffs nearby and paraglide over to the tower instead of trying to scale it from the canyon floor.
Oh, and once you’ve freed Divine Beast Vah Medoh, Revali’s Gale launches you straight up. It makes nearly every tower trivial, so saving a few hard ones for later is a smart call.
Sheikah Tower FAQ
How many Sheikah Towers are in Breath of the Wild?
15, including the Great Plateau Tower you climb in the tutorial.
Do you need to climb every Sheikah Tower?
No. Only the Great Plateau Tower is required, but the others fill in your map and add fast travel points.
Which Sheikah Tower is the hardest?
Most players point to Central or Ridgeland Tower because of their enemies, with Akkala and Woodland close behind.
Does climbing a tower reveal shrines?
No. It reveals the region’s terrain and names. You still need to spot shrines yourself and mark them with the scope or the Sheikah Sensor.
Nailed it? Start with the easy southern towers, build up stamina and gear, then go after the Guardian and Malice towers. For more Hyrule guides, head to our Breath of the Wild hub, or plan your next leg with the Central Hyrule and Akkala region guides. Your call which one breaks you first.
