You're standing on a cliff in the Great Plateau, looking out at a world that feels impossibly big. It is big. In fact, Hyrule is so massive that without those glowing orange monoliths, you'd be wandering aimlessly for hours. We’ve all been there. You see a faint shimmer on the horizon, check your stamina wheel, and pray there isn't a Guardian Scout waiting at the top. Zelda breath of the wild tower locations are the literal backbone of your journey, but honestly, getting to them is rarely as simple as just walking up and pressing "A."
Some towers are basically handed to you. Others? They’re guarded by literal lightning storms, lakes of bottomless mud, or Lizalfos with aim so good it feels like they're cheating. If you’re trying to fill out that Sheikah Slate map, you aren't just looking for coordinates; you’re looking for a strategy to survive the climb.
The basics of the Sheikah network
Every region in Hyrule is governed by a specific tower. There are 15 in total. Activating one doesn't just clear the fog of war; it gives you a high-altitude fast travel point that becomes vital for paragliding into shrines or boss fights.
Most players start with the Great Plateau Tower because, well, the game forces you to. It’s the tutorial. But once you paraglide off that initial plateau, the world opens up in a way that’s frankly overwhelming. You might head straight for Kakariko and hit the West Necluda Tower, or maybe you get distracted by a dragon and end up in the Faron region. There’s no "correct" order, though some regions will absolutely wreck a low-level Link.
The easy wins (and why they're deceptive)
The Dueling Peaks Tower is usually the second one people find. It’s sitting right there in the canyon. It’s easy. You climb it, you see the twin mountains, and you feel like a pro.
Then there’s the Hateno Tower. It’s surrounded by some thorns. No big deal, right? You just light a torch or use a Fire Arrow. It teaches you the environmental puzzle aspect of the game. But don't let these early successes fool you into thinking the rest of the zelda breath of the wild tower locations are going to be a walk in the park.
When the environment tries to kill you
Let's talk about the Ridgeland Tower. This one is a nightmare for anyone who hasn't mastered combat yet. It’s standing in the middle of a lake populated by Electric Wizzrobes and Lizalfos. If you try to swim to the base, they will electrocute the water. You will die.
I’ve seen people try to build ice pillars with Cryonis, only to get sniped by a lightning ball. The trick here is often speed—or just coming back with a Golden Bow to pick off the casters from the shore. It’s a combat puzzle as much as a climbing one.
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Then you have the Woodland Tower. It’s built on a literal skull-shaped enemy base in the middle of a bog. If you fall off the platforms, you’re sinking. It’s messy. But the reward is worth it because the top of that tower gives you the perfect vantage point to find the entrance to the Lost Woods.
The verticality of Akkala and Tabantha
Akkala Tower is a personal grudge for many. It’s covered in Malice—that purple goop that hurts to touch. You have to find the specific eye-swelling triggers to clear paths, all while a Guardian Skywatcher circles overhead. If it spots you, you’re basically done unless you’re a parry god.
Tabantha Tower is similar but uses the Malice "puzzles" in a more vertical way. You have to shoot the eyes to make columns fall, creating a makeshift bridge. It’s high. It’s cold. You’ll need some Spicy Meat and Seafood Fry or the Snowquill armor set just to stay alive long enough to reach the top.
Hidden in plain sight: The trickiest spots
Some zelda breath of the wild tower locations are difficult simply because the terrain is exhausting. The Wasteland Tower is a prime example. It’s surrounded by "sinky" sand—a bottomless bog that eats Link whole.
You can't just run at it. You have to use Magnesis to move metal crates or use the environment to create a bridge. It’s one of the few towers where the solution is purely mechanical. I remember spending twenty minutes trying to "brute force" the jump before realizing I could just move a plank.
The Central Tower problem
Central Tower is the one everyone sees from a distance and thinks, "Maybe later."
Smart move.
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It’s surrounded by Decayed Guardians. The second you start climbing, those red lasers lock onto your back. If you don't have the Ancient Shield or haven't perfected the timing of a shield parry, climbing this tower is a suicide mission. Most veteran players suggest approaching from the north or using Revali’s Gale—if you’ve finished the Rito Divine Beast—to bypass the first half of the climb entirely.
A breakdown of the regions you’ll visit
If you’re planning a map-clearing run, it helps to know what you’re walking into.
- Lanteru Tower: Pretty straightforward, but it’s the gateway to Zora’s Domain. You’ll likely meet Sidon near here.
- Faron Tower: It’s hidden in the jungle. Look for the electric bats. It’s great for farming Hearty Durians afterward.
- Lake Tower: Overlooks Lake Hylia. Watch out for the nearby Hinox.
- Gerudo Tower: This one is weird because it’s at the bottom of a pit compared to the surrounding cliffs, but it's still a massive climb.
- Hebra Tower: Buried in ice. You literally have to melt your way to the entrance.
The Hebra region is arguably the toughest to navigate without a map because the white-out blizzards make visibility near zero. Finding that tower early is non-negotiable if you want to find the shrines hidden in the mountains.
Why the map actually matters for gameplay
In most open-world games, the map is just a checklist. In Breath of the Wild, the map is a survival tool. Because the game relies so heavily on "triangulation"—seeing a landmark and heading toward it—having the topographical data from a tower changes how you interact with the world.
When you look at a completed map, you start seeing patterns. You see the suspicious circular groves that usually hide a Korok seed. You see the unnatural-looking rock formations that suggest a hidden cave. Without the data from the zelda breath of the wild tower locations, you’re playing the game with one eye closed.
Dealing with the weather
Weather is a mechanic that ruins many tower climbs. If it starts raining, you can’t climb. You slide. It’s frustrating.
For the towers in rainy regions like Necluda or Lanayru, you either have to wait it out by a fire or get the Climbing Gear set to increase your speed. Some players swear by the "leap" method—climbing four steps and jumping—but in a thunderstorm, that’s a quick way to drain your stamina and fall to your death.
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Always check the forecast in the bottom right of your HUD before starting a major ascent. If you see a lightning bolt icon, and you’re wearing metal armor, get off the tower immediately. You are a walking lightning rod.
Actionable steps for map completion
If you want to unlock every region efficiently, stop trying to climb every tower the moment you see it.
First, get the Paraglider. (You have to, anyway).
Second, prioritize the Stamina Vessel over Heart Containers for the first few hours. You can cook "Endura" foods to give yourself extra yellow stamina bars, which are life-savers for the Akkala or Gerudo towers.
Third, use your scope (right stick click) to pin towers from a distance. The pins show up on your mini-map, making it much harder to lose your way in the dense forests of Faron or the snowy peaks of Hebra.
Finally, don't forget that Revali's Gale—earned from Vah Medoh—is the ultimate "cheat code" for towers. It launches you into the air, skipping the hardest part of almost every climb in the game. If you're struggling with the combat-heavy towers like Ridgeland or Central, go to the Rito village first, finish that questline, and come back. It makes the rest of the map a breeze.
Go get that data. Hyrule isn't going to map itself, and those shrines aren't getting any easier to find without a clear view from the top.