Shadow Temple Guide

Quick Answer

To clear the Shadow Temple, warp in with the Nocturne of Shadow, keep the Lens of Truth active to reveal invisible floors, walls, and enemies, cross the long gap with the Hover Boots, then beat Bongo Bongo by stunning its hands and shooting the eye. The reward is the Shadow Medallion.

This is the temple’s horror set-piece — guillotines, Gibdos, and the Dead Hand mini-boss in a pool of grabbing arms.

Jump to: Lens of Truth · Bongo Bongo · Nocturne of Shadow

5 Small Keys
Lens Essential
Hover Boots Key Item
Bongo Bongo Boss
Hard Difficulty

⚠️ Lens of Truth & magic management

Almost every path here is invisible — fake walls, hidden floors over pits, unseen Gibdos. The Lens of Truth reveals them but drains your magic meter the whole time it's on.

Carry Green Potions / fairies, flick the Lens on only when you need to read the room, and refill at the magic-jar respawns so you're never blind at a guillotine or a bottomless gap.

Full route

  1. 1

    Warp in with Nocturne of Shadow

    Play the Nocturne of Shadow at the warp pad behind the Kakariko graveyard to reach the temple entrance.

  2. 2

    Read the invisible paths

    Turn on the Lens of Truth to see hidden floors over pits and false walls. Many "dead ends" are illusory walls you can walk straight through.

    💡 Statue rooms point the way — face the giant skull/bird statues toward the correct hidden door.

  3. 3

    Survive Dead Hand

    In a sand pit, grabbing arms hold you while the Dead Hand head lunges. Let an arm grab you to bait the head out, break free, then slash its head. Win to get the Hover Boots.

  4. 4

    Cross the gaps with Hover Boots

    The Hover Boots let you float a moment past the edge of platforms — use them on the wide gaps and the spinning-scythe room toward the Boss Key.

  5. 5

    Ride the boat to the boss

    Play Zelda’s Lullaby at the Triforce block to launch the ghost ferry across the underground river, fight off the enemies, then dock and climb to Bongo Bongo.

📝 Hover Boots aren't flight

The Hover Boots only give you a brief hover after you walk off an edge — they have no grip, so you slide on slopes. Take a running start at each gap and don't try to stand still on them mid-air.

Boss: Bongo Bongo

Bongo Bongo, the invisible drum-beast boss of the Shadow Temple
Bongo Bongo is invisible — keep the Lens of Truth on to track its hands and eye.

Bongo Bongo is invisible and pounds the drum-floor to knock you off balance. Required items: Lens of Truth and the Fairy Bow.

  1. 1

    See it with the Lens

    Keep the Lens of Truth active so you can track its two floating hands and the central eye.

  2. 2

    Stun the hands

    Shoot or stun both hands with arrows to immobilize the beast and expose its single eye.

  3. 3

    Arrow the eye, then slash

    Fire an arrow into the exposed eye to stagger it, then close in and slash. A spin attack can cancel its charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the Lens of Truth in the Shadow Temple?
Yes — it’s essential. The temple is full of invisible floors, false walls, and hidden enemies, and the Bongo Bongo fight is invisible too. Keep it on whenever you’re navigating, and manage your magic so you’re never blind.
How do I beat Dead Hand?
Stand in the sand pit and let one of the grabbing arms catch you — that lures the Dead Hand head down. Break free, then slash the head while it’s low. Beating it gives you the Hover Boots.
How do I cross the big gaps?
The Hover Boots let you float briefly after stepping off a ledge. Take a running start and walk off the edge — don’t stop, since the boots have no traction and you’ll slide.
How do I beat Bongo Bongo?
Use the Lens of Truth to see it, shoot both of its hands with the Fairy Bow to stun it, then arrow its exposed eye and rush in with sword slashes. A spin attack interrupts its charge.
What’s the lore of the Shadow Temple?
It’s the darkest dungeon in the game — a torture chamber beneath the Kakariko graveyard, themed around the Sheikah’s grim history and "the bloody history of Hyrule." Bongo Bongo is the sealed beast that escaped from its well.

Where to go next

Bongo Bongo Strategy

The full stun-the-hands, shoot-the-eye breakdown.

Shadow Medallion

Impa’s reward as the Shadow Sage.

All Dungeons

On to the Spirit Temple and beyond.