You’ve been staring at that loading screen for hours. You see the counter in the corner—maybe it says 112, or 118. You’re so close. You’ve scoured the peaks of Hebra and the sandy dunes of the Gerudo Desert, yet those last few shrines just won't appear. Honestly, the Zelda Breath of the Wild shrines map is one of the most daunting checklists in modern gaming history. It isn't just a map; it’s a massive, 120-piece jigsaw puzzle that requires you to understand the very geography of Hyrule.
Most players think they can just download a JPEG and be done with it. That’s a mistake.
The scale of Hyrule is genuinely ridiculous. We’re talking about a world where a shrine might be tucked inside a cave system that doesn't even show up on the main map until you’re standing inside it. Or maybe it’s hidden behind a destructible rock wall that looks exactly like every other cliffside in the game. It’s frustrating. It’s brilliant. But mostly, it’s a test of patience.
The Reality of the Zelda Breath of the Wild Shrines Map
There are 120 base game shrines. If you have the Breath of the Wild DLC, that number jumps, but for the sake of that sweet, sweet Wild Armor set, 120 is the magic number. These aren't just fast-travel points. They are your primary source of Spirit Orbs, which you need to trade for Heart Containers or Stamina Vessels. You know the drill.
But here is what most people get wrong about using a Zelda Breath of the Wild shrines map. They treat it like a shopping list. They go from A to B, ticking boxes.
That’s how you burn out.
Instead, you have to look at the regions. Hyrule is split into 15 distinct tower regions. Some regions, like the Central Tower area, are dense with activity but relatively straightforward. Others, like the Ridgeland Tower region, hide shrines behind complex weather puzzles or specific NPC interactions. If you’re looking at a map and you see a giant empty space, there’s a 90% chance a shrine is there, just waiting for you to trigger a specific "Shrine Quest."
Why the Sensor+ Is Your Best Friend (And Your Worst Enemy)
You’ve got the Sheikah Sensor. It beeps. It drives you crazy.
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A lot of players actually turn the sensor off because the constant "pinging" ruins the immersion of wandering through the woods. I get it. But if you're hunting for the final ten, you need it. However, the sensor has a massive flaw: it only detects shrines that are physically present in the world. It won't beep for a "hidden" shrine that only appears after you complete a quest.
Take the "Under a Red Moon" quest at Washa’s Bluff. You can stand on that pedestal all day, and your sensor will stay silent. You have to wait for a Blood Moon, strip Link down to his underwear (seriously), and stand on the platform. Only then does the shrine emerge. No map can teach you the timing; it only shows you the destination.
The Hardest Shrines to Find Without Help
Let's talk about the outliers. The ones that make you want to throw your Switch across the room.
The Hebra Mountains are a nightmare. Period. Because of the verticality, a Zelda Breath of the Wild shrines map can be incredibly misleading. You might be standing right on top of the icon, but the shrine is actually 300 feet below you in a cavern. The To Quomo Shrine is a perfect example. It's hidden behind two massive stone doors at the back of a pond. You have to use Cryonis to create pillars, then use a snow mountain bowling ball to smash the doors open. If you're just looking at a 2D map, you’ll never find the entrance.
Then there’s the Twin Peaks.
Everyone finds the ones on the mountains. But did you find the ones tucked into the river levels? Or the one hidden behind the waterfall?
Regional Breakdowns You Might Have Overlooked
- Akkala Region: Most people get the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab fast travel point, but they miss the Ke'nai Shakah Shrine. It's hidden in a destructible wall on the side of a cliff facing the sea. If you aren't paragliding along the coast, you’ll miss it every time.
- Gerudo Highlands: This is the most vertical area in the game besides Hebra. The Kema Kosassa Shrine is sitting in a massive valley, guarded by a Silver Lynel. It’s easy to miss because the map makes it look like it's on a plateau. It isn't.
- Faron Woods: The jungle is thick. The Muwo Jeem Shrine sits on a peak, but several others are buried under leaf canopies or behind bombable walls near the Floria Bridge.
The density is the problem. In the Great Plateau, the shrines are handed to you. In the late game, the game expects you to be a detective.
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The 42 Shrine Quests: The Map's Missing Pieces
You can't just find all 120 shrines by walking around. 42 of them are locked behind Shrine Quests. These are triggered by talking to NPCs, reading old diaries, or interacting with weird stone tablets (looking at you, Kass).
Kass is the MVP of the Zelda Breath of the Wild shrines map. Whenever you hear that accordion music, drop everything. He’s usually pointing you toward a "hidden" shrine that won't show up on your sensor. For example, the "The Crowned Beast" quest requires you to mount a mountain buck and ride it onto a pedestal. If you don't talk to Kass, that shrine literally doesn't exist in your game world yet.
This is why a static map can be a bit of a lie. It shows you where the shrine will be, but not how to make it appear.
How to Use a Map Without Spoiling the Fun
If you want to maintain the sense of discovery, don't use a map that shows every solution. Use a "Heat Map" or a regional checklist.
Check your region totals:
- Central: 8 Shrines
- Hebra: 13 Shrines
- Gerudo (Desert + Highlands): 12 Shrines
- Faron: 8 Shrines
If you know there are 13 shrines in Hebra and you only have 11, you know exactly where to focus your energy. This keeps the exploration alive while giving you a necessary nudge.
The Forgotten "Internal" Map
Did you know that the game actually tells you when you're near an unvisited shrine even without the sensor? Look for birds. Seriously. In Breath of the Wild, circles of birds flying in the sky often indicate points of interest, including shrine entrances or hidden koroks. It’s a tiny detail that most players overlook because they’re too busy staring at their mini-map.
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Also, look for the glow at night. The orange glow of an unactivated shrine is visible from incredible distances if you’re at a high vantage point like the top of a Sheikah Tower. Pro tip: wait until night, climb a tower, and just spin the camera slowly while using your scope to pin every orange glow you see.
What Happens When You Get All 120?
It’s the question everyone asks. Is it worth it?
Once you clear every shrine on the Zelda Breath of the Wild shrines map, you get a side quest called "A Gift from the Monks." You head to the Forgotten Temple (that place at the end of the Tanagar Canyon filled with about a thousand Decayed Guardians). There, you’ll find three chests containing the Cap, Tunic, and Trousers of the Wild.
This is the only "classic" Link outfit in the base game that you can actually upgrade. It looks iconic. It has great stats. But more importantly, it’s a badge of honor. It says you didn't just play the game—you conquered the map.
Actionable Steps for Your Final Shrine Hunt
If you're stuck at 115 or 119, here is your path to completion:
- Compare your in-game map to a completed 120-shrine reference. Don't just look for icons; look for the names. Sometimes you might have activated a shrine (turning the icon blue/orange) but didn't actually complete the trial (leaving the center orange). If the icon isn't solid blue, it doesn't count toward your 120.
- Visit every stable. NPCs at stables often hold the key to the remaining Shrine Quests you’re missing. Specifically, look for characters with a red "!" over their heads.
- Search for Kass. He moves around. If you haven't finished his final quest in Washa's Bluff, you're likely missing at least one or two shrines tied to his songs.
- Check the "impossible" spots. Did you get the one inside Hyrule Castle? The one on Eventide Island? The one at the very top of the Lomei Labyrinth Island?
- Use the Hero’s Path mode. If you have the DLC, turn on Hero’s Path. Look for "blank" spots on your map where you haven't walked in 200 hours of gameplay. If there's a huge gap in your walking lines, go there. There's almost certainly a shrine waiting.
Finding every location on the Zelda Breath of the Wild shrines map is a grind, but it's arguably the most rewarding grind in the Legend of Zelda series. It forces you to see every corner of one of the most beautifully designed worlds in gaming history. Stop looking at the map as a chore and start looking at it as a reason to explore that one weird-looking cliff you ignored fifty hours ago. Happy hunting.