Honestly, the Gerudo Desert in Tears of the Kingdom is a nightmare if you aren't prepared. One minute you’re sprinting across dunes, and the next, Link is panting and losing hearts because the sun is basically a personal enemy. You've probably tried the whole "carry a Frostblade" trick or cooked enough Chilly Elixirs to fill a stable, but that's just a band-aid. If you want to actually explore the Wasteland without constantly checking your thermometer, you need the desert voe set totk.
Most people think you can just walk into a shop and buy it. Nope. Not in this game. Unlike Breath of the Wild, where you just needed a password for a shady club, Tears of the Kingdom hides these pieces across two different locations, and one of them involves literally breaking into a basement.
Finding the Desert Voe Headband
If you're looking for the easiest piece to grab, start at the Kara Kara Bazaar. It’s that little oasis on the road to Gerudo Town. You can’t miss it. There’s a vendor there standing right outside who sells the Desert Voe Headband for 450 Rupees. It’s cheap, it looks like a simple sapphire-studded band, and it gives you that first level of heat resistance immediately.
Funny thing is, a lot of players stop here. They think, "Cool, I've got the headband, I'm good."
But you aren't. Not really. The headband is just a teaser. If you want the full set bonus—and trust me, you do—you have to find the rest of the outfit, and the bazaar vendor won't tell you where it is. They’ll basically just shrug and let you walk out into a sandstorm.
Breaking into the Gerudo Secret Club
This is where things get kinda tricky. To get the Desert Voe Spaulder and the Desert Voe Trousers, you have to go to Gerudo Town. But here’s the kicker: the shop that sells them, the Gerudo Secret Club, is locked from the inside. The front door is barred. You can’t knock, and you can't bribe your way in.
Basically, you have to be a bit of a ninja.
First, head over to the fashion shop in Gerudo Town (it's the one on the left near the main entrance). You’ll see a small hole in the ground nearby or a well. You need to get into the sewers/tunnels beneath the city. Once you're down there, you’ll find some breakable rocks. Smash through them—use a hammer or some Yunobo power—and follow the path until you're directly under the shop.
How do you know you're in the right spot? Look at your map. When Link’s icon is right under the "Gerudo Secret Club" building, use Ascend.
You’ll pop up right through the floor, much to the surprise of the shopkeeper. Once you're inside, do yourself a favor and break the wooden bar on the front door so you can actually walk in like a normal person next time.
The Cost of Looking This Good
Buying the rest of the set isn't exactly cheap. You’re going to need a decent stack of Rupees.
- Desert Voe Spaulder: 1,300 Rupees
- Desert Voe Trousers: 650 Rupees
- Full Set Total: 2,400 Rupees (including the headband)
If you're short on cash, go hunt some Rare Stone Taluses or sell those extra Brightbloom Seeds you’ve been hoarding. It’s worth the investment.
Why the Desert Voe Set Actually Matters
So, why bother? Is it just for the heat resistance?
Not quite. While each piece gives you a level of heat resistance (which is vital for the afternoon desert heat), the real magic happens at the Great Fairy fountains. If you upgrade every piece of the desert voe set totk to at least level two, you unlock the Shock Damage Resist set bonus.
In a region filled with Electric Lizalfos and those annoying Shrines with floor-to-ceiling electricity, having shock resistance is a lifesaver. It’s not "Shock Proof" (you can still get hit), but it cuts the damage and prevents you from dropping your weapon every five seconds.
Upgrade Materials You'll Need
Don't expect to max this set out in an hour. You're going to need some specific cold-themed loot.
- Level 1: 3 White Chuchu Jellies (per piece).
- Level 2: 5 White Chuchu Jellies, 3 Cool Safflinas (per piece).
- Level 3: 5 Chillshrooms, 5 Ice Keese Wings, 3 Icy Lizalfos Tails (per piece).
- Level 4: 5 Sapphires, 5 Ice-Breath Lizalfos Horns, 10 Icy Lizalfos Tails (per piece).
That final tier is a grind. You’ll be spending a lot of time in the Hebra Mountains or the snowy peaks of Mount Lanayru hunting those Icy Lizalfos. Honestly, getting 30 Icy Lizalfos tails is probably the hardest part of the entire process.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
I see this all the time on Reddit: players confusing Heat Resistance with Flame Guard.
Listen, the desert voe set totk will save you from the sun in the desert. It will not save you from the lava in Death Mountain. If you try to walk into a volcanic cave wearing this, Link will literally catch on fire. For the volcano, you need the Flamebreaker set from Goron City. They are two completely different mechanics.
Another thing? Tarrey Town. If you’ve finished the "From the Ground Up" questline and helped Rhondson and Hudson, you can actually buy the Desert Voe set at the boutique there. It’s a great backup if you don't feel like crawling through the Gerudo sewers, though most people find the Gerudo method faster if they're already in the neighborhood.
Actionable Next Steps
If you're ready to gear up, here is exactly what you should do right now:
- Teleport to the Mayatat Shrine next to Kara Kara Bazaar and grab that headband first.
- Mark the Gerudo Secret Club on your map so you don't get lost in the tunnels.
- Stock up on hammers or Bomb Flowers before you head into the Gerudo Town underground; there are a lot of rocks to clear.
- Hunt some Ice Keese at night in cold regions early on, so you have the materials ready for the Level 2 upgrade immediately.
The desert is much more fun when you aren't dying of heatstroke. Get the gear, hit the Great Fairies, and stop worrying about the sun.