In the map section around the Tower of the lake are located in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in total 6 regular shrines. The region includes the Lake Hylia, large parts of the prairie of Faron, the Stable of the Plateau, the Pafar Coast and the mysterious ruins surrounding the Spring of Courage. Although the number of shrines is comparatively small, you can expect a varied mix of tests of strength, magnetic module and bomb puzzles as well as two more extensive shrine tasks.
The map section for our 100% walkthrough for Breath of the Wild is particularly interesting because here you simultaneously need Farosh at the Spring of Courage, have to photograph various guards for Loone’s shrine task and, with the stable of the plateau, you get an important starting point for exploring southern Hyrule. The six regular shrines are called Shae Katha, Ka’o Makagh, Shoqa Tatone, Ya Naga, Pumaag Nitae and Ishto Soh.
Overview of all 6 shrines at the Lake Tower
| # | Shrine | Location / Special feature | Important Treasure Chests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shae Katha | Spring of Courage; Sacrifice Farosh Scale | electric lance |
| 2 | Ka’o Makagh | Directly at the plateau stable; Use metal doors as bridges | Travel Arch, Golden Rupee, Opal |
| 3 | Shoqa Tatone | Pafar Coast; three different active guards photograph | Royal Sword |
| 4 | Ya Naga | Hylia Island in Lake Hylia; two bomb types combine | Zanshin short sword |
| 5 | Pumaag Nitae | Finras Forest; light test of strength | Boomerang |
| 6 | Ishto Soh | East of Mordaba Mountain; Laser for Crystal Switch use | Topaz, Antique Reactor Core |
Preparation for the shrines at the Lake Tower
You don’t need any special armor for the six shrines. You should still prepare some tools: For Shae Katha you need a Farosh scale, for Shoqa Tatone the camera function of the Sheikah stone must be activated and for the light test of strength in Pumaag Nitae a sensible melee weapon is recommended. The bomb modules, stasis and magnet module are regularly required in the remaining shrines.
If you don’t have the camera yet, continue the main story in Hateno Village and unlock it at Purah. For Farosh, our guide to Dinraal, Naydra and Farosh is worth it, because for various armor improvements you will need additional dragon scales, claws, teeth and horn fragments later anyway.
1. Shae Katha Shrine – In the Dragon’s Mouth
The Shae Katha Shrine is located at the Spring of Courage in the northeast of the Tower Region. The old statement about the source of wisdom is incorrect – that is where the test surrounding Naydra is located. You reach the Spring of Courage through the Damsel Forest and the striking ruins along the Dracoto River, which from a bird’s eye view look like a gigantic dragon. After all, the goddess statue stands directly in the stone dragon’s mouth.
You can get a hint about the test from Kass in the Zuguland Forest. His song starts the shrine task “In the Dragon’s Mouth” and points you to the source. However, you don’t have to have activated the task beforehand. If you already know the solution and have a Farosh scale, you can travel directly to the source.
Stand in front of the statue of the goddess and throw a Farosh Scale into the water. You get the scale by hitting Farosh’s body with an arrow. Aim consciously at the body and not at the horn, mouth or claw, otherwise you will get one of the other dragon parts. You can find Farosh particularly often around the waterfalls of Faron and Lake Riola.
As soon as the scale is in the water, the large stone door behind the goddess statue opens. Behind it is Shae Katha. Offering the dragon scales was the actual test, which is why a blessing shrine awaits you inside. Open the only Treasure Chest for a electric lance and then get the Spirit Orb.
Spring of Courage and Farosh for 100% connect
If you need Farosh for Shae Katha anyway, you should photograph the dragon directly for the Hyrule Manual. Later, its materials will be needed for several armor upgrades. You shouldn’t sell horn fragments in particular unnecessarily if you want to completely improve all the armor in the Great Fairies.
2. Ka’o Makagh Shrine – New paths at the Plateau Stable
The Ka’o Makagh Shrine is located immediately south of the stable of the plateau on the Nette Plateau and should be activated immediately on your first visit. This gives you a very good fast travel point for the entire southern region. The test “New Paths” awaits in the shrine, in which large metal doors are not only opened, but later serve as bridges and ramps themselves.
First open the two large doors with the magnetic module and defeat the two nano guards in the main room. There are two more metal doors on the left. Pull it apart and open the first Treasure Chest behind it with a travel sheet.
Then go to the back of the raised stone platform in the main room and activate the magnetic module. Between the normal stone blocks you can see a single metal block. Pull it out and a hidden passage to another Treasure Chest will become available. A Golden Rupee worth 300 Rupees is waiting inside.
Then return to the metal doors. One of them is partially surrounded by brittle rocks. Blow up the rock with a remote bomb and remove the entire metal door from the wall. From now on you can move them freely through the shrine using the magnetic module.
First place the door horizontally between two platforms and use it as a bridge. Then set it up at an angle as a ramp to reach a higher level. On the small stone blocks is the third Treasure Chest with a opal. Then take the door with you again and build a final ramp to the priest’s platform.
3. Shoqa Tatone Shrine – In the sight of the guardian
The Shoqa Tatone Shrine is located on the Pafar Coast in the extreme south of the Tower Region. There you meet the somewhat headstrong Hylian Loone, who affectionately calls an ancient ball “Roscoe” and initially does not want to give it away under any circumstances. However, Loone is very passionate about Guardians and would like to see three different variants. This starts the shrine task “In the sight of the guardian”.
For the task you have to photograph three active guard types with the Camera Rune:
| Wanted Guardian | Suitable Location |
|---|---|
| Nano guard | In a shrine with Test of Strength |
| Guardian Runner | Hyrule Field around Hyrule Castle |
| Guardian Flyer | Around Hyrule Castle and other heavily guarded areas |
It is important that you actually photograph the guards with the camera. Entries that have already been purchased or otherwise exist in the Hyrule Compendium do not replace the required photos. The pictures must be in the Sheikah Slate photo album when you return to Loone.
If you have all three photos, Link will automatically show them one after the other. Loone is so excited that she ends up parting with her ancient ball. Take Roscoe and place the ball on the shrine pedestal next to it. The Shoqa Tatone Shrine then rises from the ground.
Shoqa Tatone – medium strength test
The complex photo task was not the actual shrine test. Inside, a medium test of strength awaits against a Guardian Scout III. Use the pillars in the room to intercept his rotating charge attack and counter normal attacks with perfect dodges. In its later phase, the nano-guard creates a circular laser and thus an updraft that you can use with the Paraglider.
After the victory, the path to the priest opens. In the only Treasure Chest there is a royal sword. The old list of Royal Bow, Fire Greatsword, Giant Ancient Core, Forest Sword, Silver Rupee and Ten Ice Arrows does not belong to Shoqa Tatone.
Cleverly use guardian photos for the Hyrule Compendium
Since you have to photograph a nano guardian, a guardian runner and a guardian flyer for Shoqa Tatone anyway, it is worth making sure that the images for the Hyrule Compendium are clean at the same time. This is how you complete the shrine task and three handbook entries in one go. Especially with guard runners and flyers, you should not stand unnecessarily long after taking the photo, but rather retreat or teleport immediately.
4. Ya Naga Shrine – Sky Striker in Lake Hylia
The Ya Naga Shrine is located on the largest of the small Hylian Islands west of the Hylian Bridge. The shrine is located in a conspicuous depression and can be activated directly. From the lake tower you can cover a large part of the route with the Paraglider.
The test “Sky Striker” uses both forms of the long-range bomb at the same time. In front of you is a large movable stone block above a tubular catapult. First place a round bomb at the bottom of the tube and then place a square bomb on top of the stone block.
Detonate the round bomb first. The explosion catapults the entire block including the square bomb upwards. As soon as he is directly under the brittle rocks on the ceiling, quickly switch to the square bomb and detonate it. The explosion destroys the rock barrier and opens the upper area of the shrine.
Now put another round bomb in the tube, but this time place Link himself on the big block. Detonate the bomb and you will be thrown high up. Open the Paraglider at the highest point and slide onto the small pillar on the side. There is the only Treasure Chest with a Zanshin short sword.
Then let yourself be catapulted upwards again and land directly at Ya Naga. The old information with a knight’s sword and opal does not belong to this shrine.
5. Pumaag Nitae Shrine – easy test of strength in Finras Forest
The Pumaag Nitae Shrine is located in a clearing between Finras Forest and Zuguland Forest east of the Lake Tower. It is freely accessible and does not require a shrine quest or hidden entrance.
Inside, a light test of strength awaits against a Guardian Scout II. For players who explore the southern regions relatively early, Pumaag Nitae is a great way to practice perfect dodges and shield blocks. Dodge the simple weapon attack at the right moment to the side or backwards and use the subsequent Flurry Rush.
When the Nano Guardian starts a rotating attack, stand behind a pillar so that it crashes into it and is briefly stunned. In the laser phase you can use the resulting updraft with the Paraglider or attack the opponent directly with arrows.
After the victory, the last door opens. In the Treasure Chest there is a Boomerang.
6. Ishto Soh Shrine – Take it into your own hands
Ishto Soh Shrine is located on a raised rock platform east of Mordaba Mountain in the southwest of the Tower Region. If you have trouble spotting him, keep an eye out for smoke and the raised plateaus in the area. The shrine is open and only needs to be activated with the Sheikah Slate.
Immediately after entering you will see a laser below the entrance that continuously shoots against the wall opposite. First jump down and use Stasis on the laser device. While she is frozen, knock her off her pedestal with a weapon. Behind it there is already the first Treasure Chest with a Topaz.
Then take the laser device with you and place it on the moving platform in the middle of the main room. Aim the beam to point at the orange Crystal Switch. As the platform moves back and forth, the laser will hit the crystal periodically, causing the numerous stone platforms on the opposite wall to alternately raise and lower.
Return to the raised entrance platform and glide the Paraglider onto one of the moving pillars. Wait for the next laser hit and work your way up little by little. The second Treasure Chest with a Ancient Core stands on a side platform.
Then follow the other up and down blocks like a staircase to the top area. Ishto Soh is waiting there with the Spirit Orb.
Which shrines at the Lake Tower are particularly easy to miss?
The two most likely candidates are Shae Katha and Shoqa Tatone, as both only appear after more extensive shrine tasks. Shae Katha remains locked behind the goddess statue until you sacrifice a Farosh Scale in the Well of Courage, while Shoqa Tatone only appears after you show Loone the three guardian photos you want and place her orb on the pedestal.
Ishto Soh can also easily remain undetected due to its elevated location. Ka’o Makagh and Pumaag Nitae, on the other hand, are openly visible, and Ya Naga can be tracked down relatively easily using the Sheikah sensor on the conspicuous island in Lake Hylia.
Two tests of strength in the
region
With Pumaag Nitae and Shoqa Tatone, the map section has two classic tests of strength. This means you can train the same type of opponent directly in two difficulty levels. What’s particularly practical is that you have to photograph a nano guardian for Shoqa Tatone’s shrine task anyway.
| Shrine | Difficulty | opponent | Chest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pumaag Nitae | Light test of strength | Guardian Scout II | Boomerang |
| Shoqa Tatone | Medium strength test | Guardian Scout III | Royal Sword |
stable of the plateau can be done directly with
Ka’o Makagh is located just a few meters from Plateau Stable. Be sure to activate the shrine before exploring the surrounding area. From the stable you can quickly reach the Lake Hylia, the Pafar Coast and various Side Quests in the region. The southwest route also takes you from here towards Gerudo and the large horse steppe.
If you want to collect special horses to complete the game, you can also prepare the search for the giant horse from this region and later visit the horse god Malanya.
Shae Katha or Jitan Sa’mi – which source is which?
The three holy springs are easily confused. The Spring of Courage with Farosh is expressly responsible for Shae Katha. The Spring of Wisdom on the Mount Lanayru, on the other hand, belongs to Naydra and the Jitan Sa’mi Shrine, while the Spring of Power in Akkala is connected to Dinraal and Tutsuwa Nima.
| Source | Dragon | Shrine |
|---|---|---|
| Spring of Courage | Farosh | Shae Katha |
| Spring of Wisdom | Naydra | Jitan Sa’mi |
| Source of power | Dinraal | Tutsuwa Nima |
We explain all three dragons and their flight routes in our detailed guide to Dinraal, Naydra and Farosh.
Are there DLC shrines at the Lake Tower?
No. DLC 2 “The Champions’ Ballad” does not add additional shrines to the Lake Tower map section. Even with the expansion pass installed, the six regular exams Shae Katha, Ka’o Makagh, Shoqa Tatone, Ya Naga, Pumaag Nitae and Ishto Soh remain.
Lake Tower – 100% Shrine Checklist
| # | Shrine | For full score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shae Katha | Dragon’s Mouth + Farosh Scale + Electro Lance |
| 2 | Ka’o Makagh | All three Treasure Chests: Travel Arch, 300 Rupees and Opal |
| 3 | Shoqa Tatone | Photograph three guards + medium test of strength + royal sword |
| 4 | Ya Naga | Bomb Puzzle + Zanshin Short Sword |
| 5 | Pumaag Nitae | Light Test of Strength + Boomerang |
| 6 | Ishto Soh | Laser Puzzle + Topaz + Ancient Core |
Completed all 6 Shrines of the Lake Tower
Once you have mastered Shae Katha, Ka’o Makagh, Shoqa Tatone, Ya Naga, Pumaag Nitae and Ishto Soh, all six regular shrines in the Lake Tower map section are completed. You involved Farosh in the shrine search, photographed three different types of guardians, mastered two tests of strength and collected several valuable additional Treasure Chests with Ka’o Makagh and Ishto Soh.
For our complete Breath of the Wild Walkthrough, the Koroks and map locations, Side Quests around the plateau stable, special horses, Farosh and other enemy and Rally destinations between Lake Hylia, Pafar Coast and Spring of Courage. With the six shrines activated, you already have good fast travel points across the entire region.