You know that feeling when you're paragliding off a Sheikah Tower and you spot that faint orange glow in the distance? That’s the heart of the game. Honestly, hunting down all shrines Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild offers is basically a massive scavenger hunt that defines the entire experience of exploring Hyrule. It’s not just about the Spirit Orbs. It’s about the "Aha!" moment when you realize a weirdly shaped rock formation is actually a puzzle.
There are 120 of them in the base game. That is a lot. If you bought the DLC, you’ve got even more to worry about with the Champions' Ballad adding 16 extra challenges. But let's stick to the core hunt first. People usually start strong, knocking out forty or fifty shrines just by walking around. Then, things get weird. You’re stuck at 118. You’re staring at an interactive map, squinting at your Switch screen, wondering which tiny blue dot you missed in the Hebra Mountains. It happens to everyone.
Why 120 is the Magic Number
The math is simple but punishing. Every four shrines equals a heart container or a stamina vessel. To get the Master Sword, you need thirteen hearts. You can do the math—you need those shrines early. But the real reward for finding all shrines Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild hidden across the map is the "A Gift from the Monks" quest.
Once you clear the 120th shrine, you're summoned to the Forgotten Temple. There, you find the Tunic of the Wild set. It’s the classic green tunic. For many, the game doesn't feel "beaten" until Link looks like his old self.
The Different Flavors of Frustration
Not all shrines are created equal. You have your standard physics puzzles, sure. Then you have the "Blessing" shrines where the challenge was just getting inside. But then... there are the Tests of Strength.
Combat Trials and Gear Checks
The "Minor," "Modest," and "A Major Test of Strength" shrines are scattered everywhere. If you stumble into a Major Test of Strength early in the game with a pot lid and a boko club, you’re going to have a bad time. These Guardians have massive HP pools. You need to learn the rhythm. Dodge, flurry rush, and for the love of Hylia, use your cryonis block when they try to charge you in a flooded room.
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The Mystery of Shrine Quests
Some shrines aren't even on the map yet. They’re invisible. You have to talk to NPCs like Kass—the accordion-playing Rito who is arguably the best character in the game—to trigger a song that hints at a location.
Take the "Fragment of Meaning" quest or the "Sign of the Shadow." These require you to be at a specific place at a specific time. If you’re standing on a pedestal at 3:00 PM and the sun needs to hit it at 11:00 PM, you’re just wasting time. This is where most people get stuck. You can't just follow a sensor; you have to solve a riddle in the world.
Regions That Will Test Your Patience
Hebra is a nightmare. I’m just being honest. It’s vertical, it’s freezing, and the map is a mess of white-on-white. There are shrines tucked behind breakable ice walls and hidden inside deep caverns that the sensor won't pick up unless you're right on top of them.
Then there’s the Gerudo Desert. Sandstorms literally disable your map. You have to navigate by sight or by following statues. It's brilliant game design, but it's also incredibly stressful when you’re just trying to find that one last orange glow.
The Problem With the Sensor
The Sheikah Sensor + is a godsend, but it’s also a liar. Sorta.
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It tells you a shrine is nearby. It beeps frantically. You run toward it, and you hit a wall. The shrine is actually 300 feet below you in a cave system you didn't know existed. Or it's above you on a peak you don't have enough stamina to climb yet.
Common spots people miss:
- The shrine behind the waterfall in the Dueling Peaks (it's hidden so well).
- The "Eventide Island" survival challenge (the longest one in the game).
- Any shrine involving "The Three Giant Brothers" in the Necluda region.
Those Infamous Motion Control Puzzles
We have to talk about the Apparatus shrines. Myron, Katosa Aug—you know the ones. You have to tilt your controller or the entire console to move a platform or hit a ball with a hammer.
Pro tip: if the puzzle looks impossible, try flipping your controller completely upside down. Sometimes the bottom of the platform is flat and much easier to use than the intended maze on the top. It feels like cheating, but it’s just "creative problem-solving."
Final Stretch Advice
If you're hunting for all shrines Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild has tucked away, stop fast-traveling. Seriously.
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When you teleport from tower to tower, you miss the subtle environmental cues. You miss the lonely campfire that leads to a quest-giver. You miss the cracked wall at the base of a cliff. The game was designed to be played at ground level, or at least from the back of a horse.
Also, look for birds. If you see a flock of birds circling a specific spot in the sky, there’s usually something important underneath them. Often, it’s a shrine.
Real Talk on the Rewards
Is it worth it?
The Tunic of the Wild is cool. Having 28 or 30 hearts is great. But the real value is the mastery of the world. By the time you find all 120, you know Hyrule better than your own neighborhood. You know where the Lynels roam, where the best Endura Carrots grow, and how to parry a Guardian scout with your eyes closed.
Actionable Next Steps for Completionists:
- Check Your Quest Log: Open your adventure log and go to "Shrine Quests." If you see any that are started but not finished, prioritize those. They often lead to the most "hidden" locations.
- The Hero’s Path: If you have the DLC, turn on the "Hero’s Path" mode on your map. Look for large gaps where you haven't walked. If there is a huge blank space on your map, there is almost certainly a shrine there.
- The Forgotten Temple: Even if you haven't found them all, visit the Forgotten Temple in the Tanagar Canyon (the north end of the massive crack in the earth). It’s filled with Guardians, but it’s where the final reward ceremony happens.
- Stamina vs. Hearts: If you’re struggling with the later combat shrines, go to the Statue in Hateno Village to swap your Stamina for Hearts temporarily. You can always swap back later once you've secured the Spirit Orb.