In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom there are 147 independent cave systems with a total of 197 cave entrances. Four caves are on the Great Sky Island, the remaining 143 caves are on the surface Hyrule’s.
Exactly one Bubbulfrog lives in each of the 147 caves. If you defeat the blue and white creature, it will drop a Bubbul Gem. A check mark will then appear on the map symbols for the cave in question. A cave with multiple entrances still only contains a single Bubbulfrog.
For Koltin’s collection you need all 147 Bubbulfrog signs. To fully progress the map, you must also discover all 197 entrances. Each entrance is registered as a separate map location when you first enter.
Navigation
- Caves and entrances distinguish
- Detect cave entrances
- Rumi and Bubbulfrog-Sensor + use
- Cherry trees and satori
- Bubbulfrog
- Bubbulfrog exchange signa with Koltin
- Particularly important caves
- What is not one of the 147 caves
- 147 caves by region
- All 197 entrances and card progress
- Find the last cave or entrance
- Frequently asked questions
Find and defeat
147 caves and 197 entrances distinguish
The number of caves does not correspond to the number of their entrances. Many caves have a single entrance, but some can be entered from two or more sides. Each discovered entrance receives its own cave symbol on the map.
As soon as you have defeated the only Bubbulfrog in a cave and collected his signum, all already discovered entrances to this cave system will receive a tick. The checkmark only confirms the collected Bubbulfrog. It does not automatically mean that you have found every other entrance to the cave.
| Collection | Required number of | How do you recognize progress? |
|---|---|---|
| Standalone caves | 147 | Each cave has exactly one Bubbulfrog |
| Bubbulfrog-Signa | 147 | Hooks on the symbols of the respective cave |
| Cave entrances | 197 | Each entrance entered appears individually on the map |
| Caves of the Great Sky Island | 4 | Bottomless Cave, Pit Cave, Pondside Cave and Mining Cave |
| Caves on the surface | 143 |
Caves with a particularly large number of entrances
The largest deviation between 147 caves and 197 entrances arises from some widely branched cave systems. The Ancient Altar Ruins in the Gerudo Desert has twelve entrances through different sand whirlpools. The Boné Pond East Cave, the Royal Secret Passage and the Tabahl Woods Cave also have multiple entrances.
If you already have all 147 Bubbulfrog signals, but have not yet made complete map progress, these additional accesses are often missing.
Detect cave entrances
Most caves are located in rock walls, beneath ruins, on river banks, behind waterfalls or under destructible rock slabs. In the Gerudo Desert some sand whirlpools lead into underground caves. On the Great Sky Island, some of the entrances are below floating platforms.
Luminaries, Brightbloom Seed, bomb flowers, glow mushrooms or other typical cave plants often grow near an entrance. Sometimes Keese will fly out of a dark opening as Link approaches.
Open blocked entrances
- Brittle Rocks: Use a hammer weapon, bomb flowers, or Yunobo’s firepower.
- Thorns and Roots: Burn them with Fire Fruit, red Chuchu Jelly or a firearm.
- Ice Blocks: Melt them with a campfire, Fire Fruit, or flame weapon.
- Mud: Cleanse it with water fruits, blue Chuchu Jelly, fire hydrant, or Sidon’s ability.
- Sand whirlpool: Let Link fall in and open the Paraglider just before the ground.
- Waterfalls: Run or swim directly through the waterfall and look for a hidden passage.
- Rock slabs on the ground: Lift them with the Ultrahand or use the Recall for large slabs.
Wells are not caves
The 58 wells form a separate collection and are not part of the 147 caves. Individual wells can lead to larger underground areas or even near a cave system, but they have their own well symbol on the map. You can find an overview in our guide to the fountains in Tears of the Kingdom.
Rumi and the Bubbulfrog-Sensor + use
A Rumi sits in front of many as yet undiscovered caves. If you approach the glowing creature, it will run towards a nearby cave entrance. Follow it until it disappears in front of the opening. If you hit Rumi with arrows beforehand, he will also drop some Rupees.
Bubbulfrog with the Sensor ++ search
Photograph a Bubbulfrog before defeating it. The Camera must clearly display the name of the creature. After activating Robelos Sensor ++ you can set the Bubbulfrog as a search target.
The normal shrine Sensor + is not enough for this. You need the upgrade from the episode “A Sensor + of Superlatives” in the Hateno Village Research Institute. Since defeated Bubbulfrog disappear permanently, the Sensor + only reacts to caves where the Bubbul Gem has not yet been collected.
However, the Sensor + does not display the input, but rather reacts to the position of the Bubbulfrog inside. If the creature is deep in the mountain, the signal on the surface can be particularly strong, even though the actual access point is far away.
Bubbulfrog and Rumi combine
First marks the approximate position if there is a strong sensor signal. Then look in a larger area for a Rumi, a blue satori light beam or typical cave plants. The input can be significantly higher or lower than the Bubbulfrog.
cherry trees and satori
There are eight large cherry trees with pink flowers on the surface Hyrule’s. There is a small stone bowl on each trunk. Place any fruit in it, for example an apple, a Hylian Tomato or a Mighty Bananas.
Satori then appears and marks the cave entrances in the surrounding region with tall blue pillars of light for a limited time. The columns show entrances and not the positions of the Bubbulfrog. Several entrances to the same cave can therefore be marked at the same time.
The markings do not reliably distinguish between already closed and still open caves. Compare each pillar to the cave symbols on your map. It’s best to activate a nearby Skyview Tower and place your own markings on unknown beams of light while gliding.
All eight cherry trees
| Region | Approximate coordinates | Orientation |
|---|---|---|
| Central Hyrule | 0317, 0542, 0023 | Northeast of the Hyrule Castle Town Ruins |
| Hebra and Tabantha | -4050, 1690, 0199 | West of the village of Rito |
| Satori Mountain | -2299, -0341, 0350 | At the top of Satori Mountain |
| Gerudo-Canyon | -2315, -2158, 0251 | On a plateau above the Gerudo gorge |
| Faron | 0799, -3502, 0070 | South of the plateau stable |
| Eldin | 1244, 2956, 0418 | Western slope of Death Mountain |
| Lanayru | 2529, -0009, 0143 | West of Zorana Highlands |
| East Necluda | 3356, -2483, 0280 | In the highlands northwest of Lurelin Village |
Use light columns correctly
- Place a fruit in the bowl on the cherry tree.
- Wait until Satori appears and activates the light pillars.
- Teleport to a nearby Skyview Tower or high shrine.
- Let yourself be shot into the air and open the Paraglider.
- Mark unknown columns of light with binoculars.
- Then compare them with the cave symbols on the map.
Only one regional satori marker can be active at a time. The light columns disappear after a while, but can be activated again at any time by another fruit on the same cherry tree.
Defeat Bubbulfrog find and
Bubbulfrog usually hang on ceilings or high walls. You can recognize them by their bluish-white body, large eyes and a characteristic sound. Hit the creature with an arrow. It falls and dissolves, leaving behind a Bubbulfrog signum.
Bubbulfrog do not actively attack Link. However, they shoot floating bubbles from their mouths that can temporarily hinder Link’s movement. A single arrow is usually enough to knock the creature off the wall.
Typical hiding places of the Bubbulfrog
- Behind fragile rock walls in a side passage
- Above the entrance on a hard-to-see ceiling
- Behind roots, thorns or ice blocks
- In a shaft below the main path
- Behind a waterfall
- On a ledge that can only be reached with Ascend
- In a side room behind a Like Like
- In another section of a cave with multiple entrances
Hook on cave symbol is missing
If the hook is missing after exploring a cave, the Bubbulfrog is still alive. Return to the cave and set the Sensor ++ to Bubbulfrog. Pay particular attention to dead ends, high ceilings and crumbling walls. Also, don’t open the full cave map too early as “completed”: Treasure Chests and normal enemies have no effect on the hook.
Bubbulfrog-Signa and Koltin
The first episode begins with Kilton and Koltin at Pico Pond Cave in Eldin. Defeat Bubbulfrog there and give Koltin the first signum. As a reward you will receive the Bokoblin mask.
Afterwards, Koltin only appears at several fixed locations in Hyrule at night. Kilton in Tarrey Town tells you one of his possible locations. At Koltin you exchange additional Bubbulfrog signals in a fixed order for masks, monster parts and the complete ghost set.
All Koltin
rewards
| Entire Signa | Cost of step | Reward |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Bokoblin mask |
| 3 | 2 | Moblin Mask |
| 5 | 2 | 3 Hinox toenails |
| 8 | 3 | Ghost Robe |
| 11 | 3 | 8 Fire Keese Eyeballs |
| 14 | 3 | Lizalfos mask |
| 17 | 3 | 5 Ice-Breath Lizalfos tails |
| 21 | 4 | ghost pants |
| 25 | 4 | White-Lynel-Hammerhorn |
| 29 | 4 | Horriblin mask |
| 33 | 4 | 2 Gleeok Wing |
| 37 | 4 | Lynel mask |
| 41 | 4 | 3 Thunder Gleeok horns |
| 46 | 5 | Ghost Headdress |
| 147 | 101 more | Koltin’s Fabric |
What does the ghost set do?
If Link wears parts of the spirit set, Rupees is initially consumed instead of hearts when he takes damage. The more pieces are equipped, the lower the ruby loss per damage absorbed. If there are no more Rupees, Link will lose hearts as normal again.
Koltin to help with missing Bubbulfrog
After you have received the regular rewards up to the ghost headdress, Koltin can narrow down the missing Bubbulfrog. Speak to him at his various locations. He states the number of Bubbulfrog remaining in the world and can sometimes sense a being in the area.
Koltin does not display every missing Bubbulfrog directly. If there is no one within range of his current location, he cannot give any concrete information despite the lack of a signal. Additionally, it does not help with additional cave entrances if the Bubbulfrog has already been defeated.
Particularly important caves and their treasures
| Cave | Important find |
|---|---|
| Royal Hidden Passage | soldier set, high-quality weapons, ore deposits and a long path between Lookout Landing and Hyrule Castle |
| North Hyrule Plain Cave | climbing glove |
| Ploymus Mountain Cave | climbing headscarf |
| Upland Zorana Byroad | climbing shoes |
| Crenel Hills Cave | Barbarian Dresses |
| Robred Dropoff Cave | Barbarian Mask |
| Walnot Mountain Cave | Barbarian Pants |
| Whistling Hill Cave | Insulating Armor |
| Sarjon Woods Cave | insulating helmet |
| Calora Lake Cave | insulating trousers |
| Ancient Columns Cave | Awakening Robe |
| Skull Lake Cave | Grim Deity Mask |
| Ancient Tree Stump Cave | Grim Deity Boots |
| Dueling Peaks South Cave | Tingles Shirt |
| Cape Cales Cliffbase Cave | Tingles tights |
| Statue of the Eighth Heroine Cave | Tingle’s hood |
| Pico Pond Cave | Start of the Koltin questline and access to Misko’s Treasure Manuscripts |
| Satori Mountain Cave | Large cave system with lots of mushrooms, fish, ore deposits and rare materials |
| Eventide Island Cave | Marari-in shrine and various Zonai Devices |
| Ancient Zora Waterworks | Large underground waterworks and part of the Zora main quest |
The three armor caves marked by Meeshy are described in detail in our guide to Misko’s Treasure. A complete equipment overview can be found at armor and locations.
Some caves are tied to quests
Almost all caves can be reached very early. However, individual entrances or Bubbulfrog only become accessible during regional main quests. The Ancient Zora Sanctuary is part of the Sidon quest line. In Eldin, feasting stones block several paths that are opened with Yunobo’s ability during the intended game.
If you are missing a Bubbulfrog in the Zora or Goron region even though all visible entrances have been checked, complete the respective regional main quest first.
Which is not one of the 147 caves
Not every underground location with the word “cave” belongs to the surface collection. What matters is whether the location on the surface or sky map has a brown cave symbol and contains a Bubbulfrog.
| Location type | Is one of the 147 caves? |
|---|---|
| Caves on the surface | Yes |
| Four caves of the Great Sky Island | Yes |
| fountain | No, own collection with 58 locations |
| Abysses | No |
| mines in Depths | No |
| Underground Arenas | No |
| Gleeok Cave in Depths | No, does not contain Bubbulfrog and is not one of the 147 caves |
| Shrines and Temples | No |
All 147 caves by region
The following checklist contains the 147 independent cave systems. Several entrances to the same cave are only mentioned once here. For exact coordinates of the 197 entrances, you can also use our interactive map.
| Region | Standalone caves |
|---|---|
| Great Sky Island | 4 |
| Central Hyrule | 22 |
| Hebra | 20 |
| Eldin | 18 |
| Akkala | 8 |
| Lanayru | 20 |
| Necluda | 17 |
| Faron | 15 |
| Gerudo | 23 |
| Total | 147 |
Great Sky Island – 4 caves
- Bottomless cave
- Pit cave
- Pondside Cave
- Mining Cave
Central Hyrule – 22 caves
- Thundra Plateau Cave
- Whistling Hill Cave
- Crenel Hills Cave
- Ancient Tree Stump Cave
- Satori Mountain Cave
- Tamio River Downstream Cave
- Lindor’s Brow Cave
- cave at Great Plateau
- Ranch Ruins Cave
- Coliseum Ruins Cave
- Deplian Badlands Cave
- North Hyrule Plain Cave
- Rauru Hillside Cave
- Passeri Greenbelt Cave
- Sage Temple Cave
- Satori Mountain Foothill Cave
- Royal Hidden Passage
- Tanagar Canyon East Cave
- Shrine of Resurrection
- Whirlpool cave in Lake Hylia
- River of the Dead Waterfall Cave
- Yiga Clan Maritta Branch
Hebra – 20 caves
- Hebra Great Skeleton
- Icefall Foothills Cave
- Rospro Pass Cave
- Kopeeki Drifts Cave
- Tabantha Hills Cave
- Lake Kilsie Cave
- West Lake Totori Cave
- Talonto Peak Cave
- Ancient Columns Cave
- Hebra South Summit Cave
- Tanagar Canyon West Cave
- Gisa Crater Cave
- Hebra Headspring Cave
- Mount Drena Foothill Cave
- Brightcap Cave
- North Biron Snowshelf Cave
- Hebra Mountains Northwest Cave
- East Biron Snowshelf Cave
- Sturnida Springs Cave
- Pikida Stonegrove Northwest Cave
Eldin – 18 caves
- Lizard’s Burrow
- Cephla Lake Cave
- Goronbi River Cave
- Lake Ferona Cave
- Pico Pond Cave
- Lake Intenoch Cave
- Cave under the Death Mountain
- Gorko Tunnel
- Foothill Monster Den
- Lake Darman Monster Den
- YunoboCo HQ East Cave
- East Restaurant Cave
- West Restaurant Cave
- Isle of Rabac Gallery
- YunoboCo HQ South Cave
- Southern Mine (cave)
- Death Mountain East Tunnel
- Death Mountain West Tunnel
Akkala – 8 caves
- Skull Lake Cave
- Akkala Citadel Ruins Cave
- Construction Site Cave
- North Akkala Beach Cave
- Ulria Grotto East Cave
- Akkala Citadel Ruins Summit Cave
- Ulria Grotto South Cave
- Tarrey Town Tunnel
Lanayru – 20 caves
- Ancient Zora Waterworks
- Upland Zorana Mountainside Cave
- Upland Zorana Summit Cave
- Ploymus Mountain Cave
- Cave at the Zora’s Domain
- Crenel Peak Cave
- Tarm Point Cave
- Horon Lagoon Cave
- Oren Bridge Cave
- Rebonae Bridge Cave
- Lanayru Road East Cave
- Lanayru Road South Cave
- Tabahl Woods Cave
- Upland Zorana Foothill Cave
- Pristine Sanctum
- Luto’s Channel
- Ralis channel
- Upland Zorana Byroad
- Boné Pond East Cave
- Reservoir Lakefront Cavern
Necluda – 17 caves
- Popla Foothills Excavation Site
- Oakle’s Navel Cave
- Mount Floria Cave
- Robred Dropoff Cave
- Walnot Mountain Cave
- Sahasra Slope Cave
- Cape Cales Cliffbase Cave
- Deepback Bay Cave
- Mapla Point Cave
- Fort Hateno Cave
- Retsam Forest Cave
- Eventide Island Cave
- Kakariko Village Cave
- Cucco Hideaway
- Byroad to Lanayru Wetlands
- Dueling Peaks North Cave
- Dueling Peaks South Cave
Faron – 15 caves
- Finra Woods Excavation Site
- Floria River Upstream Excavation
- Pagos Woods Excavation Site
- Rassla Lake Cave
- Calora Lake Cave
- Mount Dunsel Cave
- Cora Lakefront Cave
- Komo Shoreline Cave
- Corta Lake Cave
- Rodai Lakefront Tunnel
- Sarjon Woods Cave
- Puffer Beach Overhead Cave
- Ubota Point Cave
- Tobio’s Hollow Cave
- Atun Valley Cave
Gerudo – 23 caves
- Ancient Altar Ruins
- Ancient Prison Ruins
- Gerudo Sanctum
- Gerudo Great Skeleton
- Spectacle Rock Cave
- Meadela’s Mantle Cave
- Stalry Plateau Cave
- Taafei Hill Cave
- Mystathi’s Shelf Cave
- Koukot Plateau Cave
- East Gerudo Ruins Cave
- Mount Nabooru Cave
- South Gerudo Cave
- Central Gerudo Cave
- Lower Spectacle Rock Cave
- Statue of the Eighth Heroine Cave
- Oasis Source
- Gerudo Canyon Mine
- Mount Nabooru South Cave
- Valley of Silent Statues
- Quicksand Lake Cave
- West Gerudo Underground Ruins
- Yiga Blademaster Station
All 197 cave entrances and map progression
A cave entrance is only registered when Link gets close enough to the opening and the message with the cave name appears. Simply flying past or marking with binoculars is not enough.
For caves with multiple entrances, you have to enter each entrance individually. If you have already defeated the Bubbulfrog, the new entrance will immediately show a cave symbol with a hook. Nevertheless, it is a newly discovered map location.
Why do some lists only have 194 inputs?
Older maps and checklists sometimes only record 194 entrances or treat some sand whirlpools and multiple entrances together. Complete current lists distinguish 197 registrable entrances. Therefore, always use the same source when comparing cards and in particular check the Ancient Altar Ruins in the Gerudo Desert.
Ancient Altar Ruins with twelve sand whirlpools
In the southeast Gerudo Desert twelve different sand whirlpools lead into the Ancient Altar Ruins. They all belong to a single cave system with a Bubbulfrog. For the initial collection, the various whirlpools still have to be discovered individually.
Sets a card stamp after each whirlpool used. Without your own markings, it will be difficult to see later which of the closely spaced entrances is still missing.
Find last missing cave or entrance
First distinguish whether you are missing a Bubbulfrog signum or just an input. If a sign is missing, at least one cave symbol has no tick or a complete cave has not yet been discovered. If you already have all 147 Signa, you just have to compare multiple inputs.
Step 1: Bubbulfrog signa count
Opens the inventory with the important items and checks the number of Bubbulfrog Signa. Signa that have already been handed in to Koltin will no longer be displayed in the inventory. After completing his regular trade rewards, ask him how many Bubbulfrog still live in Hyrule.
Step 2: Search cave symbols without ticks
Zooms in the surface and the Great Sky Island completely. Controls every cave symbol. A symbol without a tick means that the Bubbulfrog of this cave is still alive.
Step 3: Set Sensor ++ to Bubbulfrog
Travel region by region through Hyrule and observe the Sensor +. Particularly useful are map edges, mountain ranges and areas with many caves such as Upland Zorana, Gerudo Desert, Satori Mountain and Death Mountain.
Step 4: Activate all eight cherry trees
Activates the trees one by one and marks unknown light pillars. Then use a Skyview Tower to compare several columns from the air.
Step 5: Great Sky Island check
The Bottomless Cave, the Pit Cave, the Pondside Cave and the Mining Cave are often overlooked because most players don’t return to the Great Sky Island for a long time after the tutorial.
Step 6: Check multiple inputs
Controls in particular:
- all twelve sand whirlpools of the Old Altar Ruins,
- the different accesses of the Boné Pond East Cave,
- the entrances to the Royal Secret Passage,
- the additions of the Tabahl Woods Cave,
- Caves behind waterfalls in Upland Zorana,
- both sides of long tunnel on Death Mountain,
- Caves with an upper and a lower entrance in Hebra.
Step 7: Complete Quest Bound Areas
Complete the Goron regional main quests and Zora. Several areas blocked by feasting stones or water mechanisms can only then be fully explored during the intended course of the game.
