Finding every single one of the 900 Korok seeds in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is basically a full-time job. You've probably spent hours scouring the peaks of Hebra or the jungles of Faron, only to realize you’re still hundreds short of that final reward. Most people just stumble upon them. You see a lonely rock on a mountain, you pick it up, and "Yahaha!"
But the truth is, the map is deceptive.
Some korok seed locations botw players look for are hidden behind mechanics the game never explicitly explains. We aren't just talking about the obvious stone circles or the "dive into the lilies" puzzles. We’re talking about the ones that require horses, fruit matching, and literal golf. Honestly, if you’re trying to max out your inventory, you only need 441 seeds. Going for the full 900 is purely for the bragging rights (and a very specific, smelly golden trophy).
Why Most Maps Feel Incomplete
Hyrule is massive. It’s over 60 square kilometers of verticality. Because of that, a flat 2D map doesn't always show you the "why" behind a missing seed. You might be standing right on the icon, but the Korok is actually 200 feet above you on a spire or tucked into a hollow under a bridge.
The Great Plateau alone has 17 seeds, which seems like a lot for a starter area. But then you look at Central Hyrule, which is packed with 113. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. The density varies wildly. For instance, the Gerudo Highlands only has 33, but they are some of the most frustrating to reach because of the vertical climbing and freezing temperatures.
The Regional Breakdown
If you're hunting by region, here is how the numbers actually shake out:
- Central Hyrule: 113 seeds
- Lake Region: 92 seeds
- Ridgeland: 81 seeds
- Hebra: 74 seeds
- Gerudo Wasteland: 71 seeds
- Hateno: 66 seeds
- Lanayru: 63 seeds
- Dueling Peaks: 60 seeds
- Faron & Akkala: 58 seeds each
- Eldin: 44 seeds
- Tabantha & Great Hyrule Forest: 35 seeds each
- Gerudo Highland: 33 seeds
- Great Plateau: 17 seeds
The "Golf" Puzzles and Other Nightmares
You’ve probably seen those giant boulders sitting near a hole in the ground. Simple, right? Just push it in.
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Wrong.
The one near the Akkala Ancient Tech Lab is a notorious run-killer. There’s a Lynel patrolling right next to the "golf course." You have to either spend ten minutes fighting a silver-maned beast or try to use Stasis to launch a boulder while dodging shock arrows. It’s stressful.
Then there’s the Lurelin Village rooftop. This is arguably the most hated Korok location in the entire game. There is a small rock puzzle on top of a building with a boat-shaped roof. There are no stairs. You can't just carry a rock up a ladder. Most players try to use Octo Balloons, but the wind usually blows them off course. The "pro" move? Cut down a nearby tree so it leans against the house, then walk up the trunk like a ramp while holding the rock. Or, use Stasis on a rock and hit it exactly five times with a mid-tier sword. It's a nightmare.
Hidden Mechanics: More Than Just Lifting Rocks
Most people know about the pinwheels that trigger archery practice. But did you know about the horse hurdles?
In Rowan Plain, near Serenne Stable, there are three wooden fences lined up in a row. They look like set dressing. They aren't. You actually have to be on horseback and jump all three in succession to trigger the Korok. It’s one of the few times the game forces a mounted puzzle on you.
The Mystery of the Offering Plates
You’ll find small frog statues with bowls in front of them all over Hyrule, especially in the Kakariko and Lanayru regions. Usually, there’s an apple in one or two of the bowls. The solution is simple: put an apple in the empty ones.
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But sometimes it isn't an apple. In the Yiga Clan Hideout or parts of the desert, you might need to use Voltfruit or Mighty Bananas. If you put the wrong fruit in, nothing happens. It's a subtle logic test that most players breeze past because they don't have the right inventory item at the moment.
Tracking Down Hestu
You can't do anything with these seeds without Hestu. That giant broccoli-man is your only ticket to more weapon slots.
First, you’ll find him on the road to Kakariko Village. He’ll ask you to get his maracas back from some Bokoblins. Do it. But after a couple of upgrades, he leaves.
Where does he go? He gets lost.
Check the stables. He usually hangs out at Riverside, Wetland, or Woodland Stable on his way north. Eventually, he makes it to Korok Forest (inside the Lost Woods). Once he’s there, he stays put. If you’re struggling to find him after the initial encounter, just head toward the Great Hyrule Forest. You’ll need to navigate the fog by following the direction of the torch embers, but once you’re in, you can dump all your seeds at once.
Is Collecting All 900 Actually Worth It?
Let's be real. No.
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Getting all 900 seeds is a Herculean task. The reward is "Hestu’s Gift," which is literally a gold-plated pile of poop. The game is trolling you. Nintendo director Hidemaro Fujibayashi basically confirmed in interviews that they made the reward a joke because they didn't want players to feel obligated to find every single one.
The real reward is the journey and the 100% map completion stat that shows up on your save file after you beat Calamity Ganon. Korok seeds actually make up about 72% of that completion percentage. If you want that "100/100" on your screen, you have to find them.
Actionable Tips for the Hunt
If you're serious about finishing the checklist, don't do it blindly.
- Get the Korok Mask: If you have the DLC (Master Trials), go to the Lost Woods and find the chest containing the Korok Mask. It shakes and makes a sound when you're near a hidden spirit. It turns a blind search into a game of "hot or cold."
- Use Cryonis for Water Circles: If you see a circle of rocks in a lake, don't just throw stones and hope. Build an ice pillar near the circle. Pick up a rock, stand on the ice, and drop it in. It's way more precise.
- Look for the Odd One Out: See three trees in a perfect line? Look at the fruit. One tree probably has more apples than the others. Pick the extras until the trees are identical.
- Check Under Bridges: Designers love hiding things under bridges. If you’re crossing a river, look for a stray acorn hanging from a chain or a balloon floating in the rafters.
Stop looking for "spots" and start looking for "patterns." Anything that looks slightly too symmetrical or slightly out of place is probably a Korok. Once you train your brain to see the anomalies in the landscape, the hunt gets much faster.
Pick a region, set your sensor to "Treasure Chest" (it helps find the metallic blocks for those cube puzzles), and start at one corner of the map. Move in a grid. It’s the only way to stay sane.