Key takeaways
- Clear Bazz with Splash Fruit to complete Mired in Muck and receive a Zora Spear.
- Use another Splash Fruit on the tower doors, then activate the terminal to reveal the regional map.
- The large cave beneath the tower is Upland Zorana Byroad, not part of the tower interior. It contains the Climbing Boots, a Zora Sword, a Bubbulfrog and several cave resources.
- Upland Zorana Summit Cave lies directly south of the tower and is best explored with Ascend because its wet walls are difficult to climb.
- Ralis Channel, southeast of the tower, contains the crystal route to Joniu Shrine, a Rauru’s Blessing shrine.
- The tower area is a poor place to rely on ordinary climbing before the sludge is cleared. Carry Splash Fruit and use caves, Ascend and gliding to avoid unnecessary slippery surfaces.
About this guide
Scope note: This guide covers Upland Zorana Skyview Tower and its immediate access area, including the directly connected Upland Zorana caves, Ralis Channel, Joniu Shrine and the tower-related quest. It does not treat the whole of Upland Zorana, Zora’s Domain or Lanayru Great Spring as one single location. Those are neighbouring or larger parent areas with their own guides.
Overview
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, base game
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, base game
Introduction
Upland Zorana Skyview Tower stands on the western side of the mountainous Upland Zorana region, west of Zora’s Domain. It is one of the Skyview Towers used to register map data to the Purah Pad and reveal a large portion of the surrounding surface, sky and Depths map.
The tower’s access problem is straightforward but easy to overlook. Link arrives to find the entrance doors and the nearby Zora guard Bazz covered or obstructed by the sludge that has fallen across the Zora region. Splash Fruit grows nearby and can be used to clean both Bazz and the tower entrance. Helping Bazz begins and completes the side quest Mired in Muck, while clearing the doors allows the tower terminal to be activated.
The tower is also a useful exploration hub. A cave directly beneath it contains the Climbing Boots, while the nearby Upland Zorana Summit Cave offers a Bubbulfrog and mineral deposits. Southeast of the tower, Ralis Channel leads to the crystal quest for Joniu Shrine. These locations are close together geographically, but they remain separate named areas rather than parts of the tower itself.
Location and boundaries
Upland Zorana Skyview Tower is positioned on a high, rocky shelf in the western part of Upland Zorana. Zora’s Domain lies to the east and south-east, while the wider Lanayru Great Spring region spreads around the mountain range. The tower is visible from many surrounding slopes, making it a useful navigation landmark before it is activated.
For this guide, the tower precinct consists of:
The following are nearby but separate named locations:
This distinction matters because the tower itself contains no shop, inn, settlement, shrine or conventional treasure-room sequence. Most of the substantial exploration rewards associated with the tower are found in the surrounding caves and channels.
Canonical nearby places
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Canonical nearby places
Access and approach
From Zora’s Domain
The most natural approach is from Zora’s Domain, travelling west and then climbing into the Upland Zorana hills. This route is relatively direct once the regional roads and slopes are visible, but the surrounding terrain is often wet and slippery.
If the tower has not yet been activated, do not assume that reaching its base completes anything automatically. The entrance remains obstructed until the sludge is cleared. Splash Fruit can be found growing around the approach, so the player does not need to arrive with a prepared water-based device.
From the surface west
Coming from the western side of Hyrule, the tower can be approached across the upland ridges. The tower’s height makes it a useful visual target, but several cliffs and wet surfaces make a direct climb inefficient. Gliding from a nearby elevation, using Ascend through cave ceilings or approaching through Upland Zorana Byroad can be safer than climbing the exposed rock face.
From the air
If another Skyview Tower, sky island or Zonai vehicle has already provided altitude, gliding to the tower is possible. The terminal still needs to be activated manually after the sludge is cleared. The launch platform is not a substitute for registering the tower.
Recommended preparation
The two Splash Fruit recommendation is practical rather than a strict inventory rule: one is needed for Bazz and another for the doors. Nearby plants make replacement easy.
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Activating the tower
Walkthrough
Bazz’s quest can also resolve differently depending on story progression. If Sidon of the Zora has already been completed, speaking to Bazz can automatically complete Mired in Muck, according to the available quest documentation. The exact presentation therefore depends on when the player reaches the tower in the regional storyline.
Mired in Muck
Mired in Muck is a side quest beginning at the tower. Bazz explains that sludge has fallen from the sky since the Upheaval and that he became trapped while investigating the contamination affecting the Zora region.
The Zora Spear is a fixed quest reward, not a random drop. Make room in the weapon inventory before speaking to Bazz after rescuing him if the inventory is full.
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Walkthrough
- 01Approach the tower from the surrounding upland.
- 02Find Bazz lying outside the entrance, covered in sludge.
- 03Speak to Bazz to begin Mired in Muck.
- 04Collect a nearby Splash Fruit if necessary.
- 05Throw the Splash Fruit at Bazz. The water removes the sludge and frees him.
- 06Speak to Bazz again to receive the Zora Spear.
- 07Throw another Splash Fruit at the sludge covering the tower doors.
- 08Enter the tower.
- 09Activate the terminal and use the launch platform to register the map data.
Mired in Muck: The quest is deliberately short
| Stage | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Speak to Bazz outside the tower | Quest begins |
| Rescue | Throw Splash Fruit at Bazz | Bazz is freed |
| Reward | Speak to Bazz again | Receive a Zora Spear |
| Tower access | Clean the entrance with Splash Fruit | Doors open |
| Completion state | Register the tower | The local map is revealed |
Tower facilities and map coverage
The tower has the standard Skyview Tower function: its terminal registers regional cartographic data to the Purah Pad, after which Link can use the launch platform to gain height and glide across the area.
There is no shop, bed, cooking service, stable or permanent equipment vendor at the tower. It is a mapping and traversal facility rather than a settlement.
What the tower does not provide
The nearest major rewards are in the surrounding cave network, especially Upland Zorana Byroad and Ralis Channel.
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Upland Zorana Byroad
Upland Zorana Byroad is the largest and most important nearby subarea. It is a cave beneath the tower with entrances from the south and west. The cave is not an internal floor of the Skyview Tower, although its position directly beneath the tower makes it easy to associate the two locations.
The cave contains wet chambers, vines, enemy ledges and a floodgate. The water level can be changed by using Ultrahand to lift the floodgate. Doing so exposes lower routes and makes several rewards easier to reach.
Main route and rewards
The Climbing Boots are the key permanent reward in this cave. They are part of the Climbing armour set and are particularly useful in a region where steep surfaces and vertical movement are common. The set’s usual climbing benefit is separate from the cave’s environmental slipperiness, so the boots do not remove the wet-wall problem by themselves.
Western entrance
The western entrance has vines blocking part of the route. A Bomb Flower can clear them. Alternatively, the nearby boulder can be repositioned with Ultrahand so Link can stand on it and reach the vines.
This route leads to a room containing three Blue Horriblins. The cave also contains a Rock Like and a Bubbulfrog. Enemy placement is fixed for the cave, although weapon drops and some minor material availability may vary with normal game conditions.
Upland Zorana Byroad directory
Enemies
Equipment and fixed rewards
Materials and resources
The cave documentation also records the Bubbulfrog and its Bubbul Gem separately from ordinary cave resources. Do not treat the Gem as a random ore drop. It is the fixed reward for defeating that Bubbulfrog.
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Main route and rewards: From the southern entrance
- 01Enter the Byroad and follow the route on the right.
- 02Look for the higher eastern ledge and side room.
- 03Open the chest there to obtain a Zora Sword.
- 04Continue into the large chamber containing water.
- 05Use Ultrahand to lift the floodgate.
- 06Allow the water to drain.
- 07Search the north-eastern side of the chamber for a chest containing the Climbing Boots.
- 08Check the western side of the floodgate for a chest containing five Arrows.
- 09Search the south-eastern section for vines.
- 10Cut or otherwise remove the vines to reach the Bubbulfrog room.
Upland Zorana Byroad directory
Upland Zorana Summit Cave
Upland Zorana Summit Cave is directly south of the tower. It is smaller than Upland Zorana Byroad, but it is useful for collecting cave materials and a nearby Bubbul Gem.
The cave’s wet walls make conventional climbing unreliable. The intended solution is to use Ascend through natural overhangs and the cave’s upper sections. A room containing the Bubbulfrog is positioned above the entrance, so players searching only along the floor can easily miss it.
Higher platforms contain enemies that use Ice Fruit. A board found in the cave can be positioned beneath an overhanging platform, allowing Link to Ascend upwards and reach those enemies.
Summit Cave directory
Enemies and creatures
Materials
Fixed collectible
The cave is best visited after activating the tower, since the launch provides a convenient way to reach the surrounding heights and the tower marker makes the cave easier to relocate.
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Ralis Channel and Joniu Shrine
Ralis Channel lies south-east of the tower around Ralis Pond. It is a separate cave and waterway rather than a tower annex. Its principal activity is the Shrine Quest The Ralis Channel Crystal.
Inside, Link finds a crystal. Interacting with it begins the shrine quest and creates a light trail leading towards Joniu Shrine. The basic challenge is to transport the crystal through the waterway, using available Zonai devices to build a boat or other floating vehicle.
Joniu Shrine
Joniu Shrine is a Rauru’s Blessing shrine. It does not contain a conventional interior puzzle. Once the crystal has been delivered, Link can enter, open the chest and collect the shrine reward.
Joniu Shrine has a Depths counterpart called Uinoj Lightroot, but that Lightroot is not part of the surface tower precinct and should be treated as a separate underground location.
Ralis Channel directory
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The channel has two documented entrances
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| North entrance | 2959, 0254, 0203 |
| South entrance | 2912, 0170, 0158 |
The Ralis Channel Crystal walkthrough
- 01Enter Ralis Channel from either documented entrance.
- 02Locate the green shrine crystal.
- 03Interact with it to begin The Ralis Channel Crystal.
- 04Attach the crystal to a raft or other floating construction.
- 05Follow the waterway upstream.
- 06Use the light beam as a guide if the route becomes unclear.
- 07Bring the crystal to the shrine’s altar.
- 08Enter Joniu Shrine and collect the chest.
- 09Examine the altar to receive the Light of Blessing.
Joniu Shrine
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Shrine | Joniu Shrine |
| Type | Rauru’s Blessing |
| Quest | The Ralis Channel Crystal |
| Chest | Large Zonai Charge |
| Completion reward | Light of Blessing |
| Location | Inside Ralis Channel |
| Coordinates | 2918, 0507, 0169 |
Ralis Channel directory
Residents, characters and factions
Bazz
Bazz is the only named character directly associated with the tower during the initial approach. He is a Zora guard and an established character from Breath of the Wild. In Tears of the Kingdom, he lies outside the tower covered in sludge and begins Mired in Muck.
After Link rescues him, Bazz gives Link a Zora Spear and says that he will report back to Zora’s Domain after recovering from the incident. He is therefore a temporary quest character at the tower rather than a permanent resident of the site.
Faction associations
The tower is connected to several broader groups, but none maintains a shop or garrison here:
There is no confirmed permanent settlement or named business at the tower itself.
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Faction associations
| Name | Details |
|---|---|
| Zora royal guard | represented by Bazz and the tower-related rescue quest. |
| Hudson Construction | responsible for building the Skyview Towers across Hyrule, as established by the game’s wider Skyview Tower context. |
| Purah Pad research network | the tower terminal registers its data to Link’s map. |
| Monster groups | Lizalfos, Bokoblins, Horriblins and other hostile creatures occupy nearby outdoor and cave locations. |
Enemies and hazards
The immediate tower platform is mainly a traversal and quest area. Most combat takes place in the surrounding uplands, enemy camps and caves.
Documented nearby enemy types
The larger Upland Zorana region includes outdoor enemy camps, including a camp north of the tower with an Aerocuda and Lizalfos. A chest there contains five Arrows, and one Lizalfos is associated with an Armor-Shard Shield. That camp belongs to the wider Upland Zorana area, not the tower’s immediate facility list.
Sludge
Sludge is the defining hazard around the tower. It blocks Bazz, obstructs the doors and appears across parts of Upland Zorana during the early Zora storyline. Splash Fruit is the simplest remedy for the tower’s specific obstacles.
Avoid treating every sludge patch as permanently removable. Some are quest-context hazards, while others are simply environmental obstacles requiring water-based interaction. The tower itself only requires the two obvious throws described above.
Slippery terrain
The mountain and caves are frequently wet. The main practical consequences are:
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Items and collectibles
Fixed rewards close to the tower
The table separates fixed rewards from ordinary materials and enemy drops. Ore, fruit, cave fauna and monster equipment should not be treated as guaranteed treasure-chest rewards unless specifically identified as such.
Materials worth gathering
The connected cave areas are particularly useful for:
The wider uplands also contain Splash Fruit, Hyrule Herb, Hylian Shroom, Silent Shroom, Skyshroom, Stamella Shroom, Restless Cricket, Hightail Lizard, Palm Fruit and other surface materials. Availability and exact placement should be understood as local resource spawns rather than unique one-time collectibles.
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Fixed rewards close to the tower
| Location | Reward |
|---|---|
| Mired in Muck | Zora Spear |
| Upland Zorana Byroad | Climbing Boots |
| Upland Zorana Byroad | Zora Sword |
| Upland Zorana Byroad | Arrows ×5 |
| Upland Zorana Byroad | Bubbul Gem |
| Upland Zorana Summit Cave | Bubbul Gem |
| Joniu Shrine | Large Zonai Charge |
| Joniu Shrine completion | Light of Blessing |
Recommended exploration route
For a first visit, the following order is efficient:
This route prioritises the tower’s fixed progression, then the most valuable nearby permanent item, and finally the shrine activity.
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Recommended exploration route: steps
- 01Approach the tower and locate Bazz.
- 02Collect two Splash Fruit from the nearby plants.
- 03Complete Mired in Muck and take the Zora Spear.
- 04Clear the tower doors and activate the terminal.
- 05Launch from the tower to reveal the surrounding map and identify cave entrances.
- 06Descend into Upland Zorana Byroad beneath the tower.
- 07Lift the floodgate and collect the Climbing Boots.
- 08Search the western and southern passages for the Zora Sword, Arrows and Bubbulfrog.
- 09Travel south to Upland Zorana Summit Cave and use Ascend to reach its upper chamber.
- 10Continue south-east towards Ralis Channel.
- 11Complete The Ralis Channel Crystal and unlock Joniu Shrine.
- 12Return to the tower launch platform whenever you need a high starting point for the broader Upland Zorana region.
Practical checklist
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Progression changes and missability
The tower’s main content is not permanently missable in the ordinary sense. If Link leaves after finding Bazz, he can return later and complete the rescue and activation.
The principal progression variation is the state of Mired in Muck. If Sidon of the Zora has already been completed, Bazz’s conversation may automatically resolve the quest rather than presenting the full initial rescue sequence. The tower remains available, and the map-registration function is still accessible once its entrance is clear.
The Zora Spear is a quest reward. If the weapon inventory is full, the game’s normal item-pickup rules apply, so free a weapon slot before trying to claim it.
Bubbul Gems, ore and cave materials are collectible content rather than progression requirements. Joniu Shrine, however, requires completion of its crystal-delivery activity before the shrine can be entered.
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Sources
- Upland Zorana Skyview Tower - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net
- Joniu Shrine - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net
- Mired in Muck - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net
- Upland Zorana Byroad - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net
- Upland Zorana Summit Cave - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net
- Ralis Channel - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net
- Upland Zorana - Zelda Dungeon Wiki, a The Legend of Zelda wiki — zeldadungeon.net