High above Hyrule, islands drift beyond reach-yet each one hides secrets worth the climb. From soaring launch towers to ingenious Zonai devices, here’s how to bridge the gap between the surface and the skies in Tears of the Kingdom.
However, with the new abilities and additions, you can get creative with how you travel between the layers of Hyrule. Read on to find out how to reach the Sky Islands in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Launch into the air at a Skyview Tower
Stand on the launch pad of a Skyview Tower and interact with its terminal to activate it. Once you confirm, Link is shot high into the air, giving you a perfect chance to glide toward nearby sky islands. Keep an eye on your stamina wheel as you steer, and aim for landing spots or floating platforms to recover if needed. Some towers send you closer to specific island clusters, so plan your destination before activating the lift-off.
Once you activate a Skyview Tower, you’ll be sent into the air and reveal a portion of the map. After the brief cutscene, you’ll take control of Link in the sky layer where you can glide or dive to your destination. If you’re itching to get to a Sky Island that you see in the distance, your best bet is to take the nearby Skyview Tower and glide toward your desired location.
Recall falling debris
Falling debris can serve as a natural elevator to the sky islands if you use the Recall ability. Wait near areas where chunks of rock crash down from above, then climb onto one of them. Activate Recall to reverse its fall and ride the rock back up through the clouds. Keep your stamina in mind, and be ready to glide or jump off when you reach the right height or drift near your destination.
The first method shown during Nintendo’s March 28, 2023, gameplay demonstration is by using your Recall ability which allows you to rewind an objects movement. In this case, you can use Recall on the fallen rock to carry yourself up into the sky, and then paraglide to one of the nearby sky islands. Keep an eye out for any crash-landed objects on the ground as they might be your elevator up to a sky island.
Build a hot air balloon or flying contraption
Construct a hot air balloon using five fans arranged in a ring on a lightweight platform, topped with a balloon from the Great Sky Island or similar Zonai devices. Attach wings or rudders for steering, and add a Korok leaf or extra fan for propulsion. Launch by activating the fans simultaneously to generate lift, then glide toward sky islands while adjusting altitude with Ultrahand. This setup carries Link and materials reliably across vast gaps, reaching distant floating lands in minutes.
Zonai devices are a new addition to Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom that allow creative thinkers to run wild. Some of the aircrafts you can make will lead you up into the Sky level, letting your each those pesky Sky Islands. However, there are a few limitations on your creations. Your Energy Cell only has so much power, so if you haven’t upgraded them yet, you might not be able to reach the Sky Islands. The height you can reach also depends on which Zonai devices you use. For example, when you’re building a hot air balloon, a flame emitter will elevate you into the air faster than a campfire will, but it will also use up your energy.
Ascend to higher ground
Use recall and Ultrahand together to reach the sky islands. Find fallen debris from above, attach a Zonai fan or rocket, and ride it back upward with the recall ability active. You can also use Skyview Towers, which shoot Link high enough to glide or launch toward nearby floating islands. Combining stamina upgrades and gliding gear helps you stay aloft longer, making distant islands easier to reach.
Another ability added in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is Ascend, allowing you to phase through the ceiling to get to the floor above. Of course this wouldn’t let you get to a sky island directly, but Ascend could be used to reach higher elevation on the ground or on another sky island to then paraglide to a lower sky island.
Blast off with a rocket
Use Zonai rocket devices to propel yourself high into the air and reach distant islands quickly. Attach a rocket to your shield, weapon, or a crafted platform, then activate it to soar upward with a strong boost. Combining rockets with gliders or vehicles can extend your flight time and help you reach higher altitudes with greater control. Keep an eye on your stamina and plan your launch angle carefully to ensure a smooth landing on your target island.
In the final trailer, Link ascends to the sky with the help of a rocket! With the power of Fuse, a new ability added to Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, you can combine a weapon or a shield with a material of your choice. When you combine a shield and a rocket, you’ll be able to blast off into the air for as long as you have energy. If you have multiple energy cells and take off from high elevation, you can make it to the Sky Islands. Keep in mind, once you use the rocket, it will be consumed and lost forever.
Hop on a dragon’s back
Riding a dragon is one of the most breathtaking ways to reach the sky islands. Watch for their flying patterns across Hyrule and prepare by bringing plenty of stamina-restoring meals or elixirs. Once you leap onto a dragon’s back, hold on tight and wait until it soars near a cluster of floating islands. When the moment feels right, glide off toward your destination and enjoy the rare view only these majestic creatures can offer.
This is a very situational method and not really recommended, but you can technically hitch a ride with a dragon. Some of the dragons will weave between layers, diving down into the Depths and returning to the Sky. The opportune time to hop onto a dragon’s back would be when they’re coming out of a chasm and heading into the Sky level. This will be very happenstance if you don’t know the dragon’s exact route, so don’t rely on this method!
Update (May 12): We have edited some of the existing methods and added a couple new ways to reach the Sky Islands.
Best Sky Islands to visit first after Great Sky Island
**After completing Great Sky Island in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, prioritize the Sky Island above Lindor’s Brow Skyview Tower in West Hyrule (northwest region) for its accessible shrine, Miner’s Armor set (stealth bonus in caves), and early-game gliding practice. Next, target the small islands from Lookout Landing Skyview Tower southeast, offering quick shrines and Zonai devices for building practice. **
Lindor’s Brow Sky Island
Launch from Lindor’s Brow Skyview Tower (unlocked early via Robbie’s quest west from Lookout Landing) to glide directly to the nearby island cluster. It holds the Nachoyah Shrine (if missed) and Daphne’s Canyon Mine with Miner’s Armor-essential for Depths exploration. This spot teaches diving challenges and reveals map sky layers efficiently.
Lookout Landing Cluster
After activating the central Lookout Landing Skyview Tower (post-paraglider), soar to the starter Sky Islands southeast with Flux Constructs and basic shrines like Ukouh. Collect early Zonai capsules here for rocket/wing builds, plus stamina mushrooms for longer glides. These are low-risk with good loot returns.
Thyphlo Ruins Area (Northwest)
Progress slightly north post-Lindor for floating ruins with lightroots and korok seeds, but save for after paraglider upgrades. Use Recall on rising rocks to chain between them-great for stamina food farming. Avoid until you have 1.5-2 stamina wheels.
Early Access Tips
Stock stamina elixirs from Lookout Landing vendors before launching; fuse rockets to shields for gaps. Unlock these via main quests (Purah, Hoz) first for paraglider and camera. Focus shrines for fast-travel returns-many islands share starter biome loot.
Rewards and items on Lindor’s Brow Sky Island
**Lindor’s Brow Sky Island, reachable by gliding from Lindor’s Brow Skyview Tower in West Hyrule, offers key early-game rewards like the Mineru’s Fortune shrine, Miner’s Armor set from a nearby cave, Zonai devices, and chests with materials for building and upgrades. **
Taki-ihaban Shrine
Located in Lindor’s Brow Cave southeast of the Skyview Tower, this Rauru’s Blessing shrine rewards a Large Zonai Charge from its chest after defeating Gloom Hands. It provides blessing mechanics practice and a fast-travel point for repeated visits.
Miner’s Armor Set
Inside Lindor’s Brow Cave, defeat enemies to access chests with the full Miner’s Armor (cap, tunic, trousers)-boosts glow radius in caves and Depths, perfect for early exploration. The cave also yields ore deposits, bomb flowers, hearty truffles, and sticky lizards.
Other Items and Collectibles
Glide from the tower to grab Zonai capsules, korok seeds (e.g., ascend through cave ceiling stump), and treasure chests with arrows or rupees on nearby ledges. Expect luminous stones, brightbloom seeds, and bubbulfrogs for bubbles.
