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Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Lost Woods route directions and how to reach Korok Forest

Here's how to not get lost in the mysterious woodland in the north of the game's world.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Lost Woods is an optional area that leads you to the Korok Forest, which contains some important characters and items you'll want to pay a visit.

As well as a place to trade your Korok Seeds, the village is also where you find the Master Sword, the most legendary weapon in Zelda series history.

But, again, it's easily missable, and the way to the Korok Forest is not straightforward. You have to brave the Lost Woods, which is a confusing maze that'll easily see you get lost - unless you know the way, which is where we come in.

If you're after help for parts of the game, consult our Zelda: Breath of the Wild walkthrough and guide.

Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Switch vs Wii U Comparison + Frame Rate TestWatch on YouTube

How to get to the Lost Woods

The Lost Woods is within the Woodland Tower region, which is directly north of Hyrule Castle, or alternatively, north of Lanayru Wetlands (which itself is north of Kakariko Village).

It's not essential, we recommend activating the Woodland Tower to help flesh out your map and guide you for where you need to go.

From the Woodland Tower, take the road to the east and head north until you come across the Lost Woods on-screen introduction and are teleported to a new, foggy area - which means you're in the right place.

Here's Woodland Tower to the west.

Lost Woods directions to Korok Forest

Not unlike previous games in the series, the Lost Woods is a self contained maze that will teleport you back if you take the wrong turn.

When you start, go through the archway and you'll spot a torch, which initially act as your guide through the Lost Woods. Turn to the right (north), and you'll see another two in the distance. Head in that direction to the furthest one.

At the furthest torch, and there's another two to the left (west), which you should follow. At the last one, turn left again (south) and you'll see one more. Head there.

From this torch, there's seemingly no other torches around. Go right here (or west) and keep walking, you'll soon come to a pair to torches by some large trees.

Pick up the handheld torch resting against one of the pair, and head into the large tree in the middle for a chest with a Forest Dweller's Spear while you're here too.

There are no torches ahead, so things get a lot more confusing. However, if you light the handheld torch, the way the embers fall give you a clue as to where to go (thanks to commenter dinosaurpants for the tip!)

Here's the directions - start by heading south west through the two trees, the left most one with a branch that looks like a claw pointing down:

Continue in that direction past 3-4 rows of trees, then head west. You'll quickly pass a tree that looks like it has a wide evil-looking grin across it. Though there are a lot of these in the forest, this one will be facing you like so:

Here, go north, past another one of those evil grin trees looking at you from the right, and in a few paces you'll come to a slightly more open area:

Go through this open clearing north east, past another evil looking tree on your right - your Shrine Nearby gauge will go off to tell you you're in the right direction - and keep going.

If you look at the mini-map, you'll see a proper clearing over to the east. Keep going and you'll find it - a valley of rock that'll then take you to Korok Forest.


Thanks to a new update, it's now possible to play Zelda Breath of the Wild in VR. Want help with the main game? Our Zelda: Breath of the Wild walkthrough can help complete Divine Beasts Vah Ruta, Vah Rudiana, Vah Medoh and Vah Naboris and more. There's also how to get the Master Sword, Hylian Shield and all Zelda Captured Memories and Great Fairy Fountain locations, while our Shrines locations and Shrine maps hub explains where to find and solve every puzzle room, including dragon locations and Labyrinth solutions. We also have a DLC 1 guide and DLC 2 guide, including all Tingle, Majora's Mask, Phantom, Midna outfit locations.


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What to do in Korok Forest

There are a number of things to see and do in Korok Forest:

  • Speak to Hestu on the right as soon as you enter to trade in any Korok Seeds you've discovered on your travels to expand your inventory slots.
  • Speak to Chio in front of the large central tree to undertake the Korok Trials. But before that you must...
  • Find the Master Sword. There is a prerequisite before you can get it, but pay it a visit while you're here regardless.
  • Head inside the large central tree into the Great Deku Tree's Navel, where there's a shopkeeper with items to buy and a place to rest.
  • There is the Keo Ruug Shrine, located on the east side of the central tree. It's worth visiting this before you leave even if you don't want to solve it to get a Korok Forest fast travel point so you don't have to brave the Lost Woods a second time.