Kaya Wan Shrine Walkthrough: Shields from Water

Where is Kaya Wan Shrine?

Kaya Wan Shrine stands directly beside the western side of Wetland Stable in the Lanayru Wetlands, so the stable is your landmark — find it and the shrine is a few steps away. Once activated, it doubles as a convenient fast-travel point for the stable itself. If you’re shrine-hopping the wetlands, Daka Tuss Shrine lies to the east, Sheh Rata Shrine to the northeast, and Hila Rao Shrine to the south.

What should you bring?

The Cryonis rune is mandatory — every obstacle here is solved with ice pillars, and there is no way past the waterfall without one. Bring a bow with some arrows to pick off the three Guardian Scout Is from a safe distance; any melee weapon works too if you’d rather fight up close. No special armor or resistances are needed — the shrine sits at a mild 73 °F inside.

Video walkthrough

Kaya Wan Shrine Guide — YouTube

How do you solve Kaya Wan Shrine?

This trial is pure Cryonis practice: the “shields” of the title are pillars of ice raised out of the water itself. Every obstacle — the waterfall, a floating chest, a jammed gate — yields to an ice block placed in exactly the right spot.

1. Crossing the Waterfall Pool

Inside, your starting platform is surrounded by water on three sides with a waterfall dead ahead. Raise Cryonis blocks in the pool and hop across them toward the falls.

You can’t climb the waterfall itself. Instead, place an ice block against the wall beside the waterfall — it forms sideways on the wall face, giving you a step up and over the top.

2. Lifting the Floating Chest

At the top, the water opens into a rectangular pool around a small central platform. A Guardian Scout I stands there and activates as you approach — shoot it from range with your bow so it never gets a swing at you.

Before moving on, look at the right side of this pool: a treasure chest floats in the water. Magnesis does nothing to it, so drop a Cryonis pillar directly beneath it — the rising ice lifts the chest to where you can open it for an Ancient Core.

Behind the scout’s platform the ground rises out of the water into the next pathway. Cross the pool on Cryonis blocks, climb onto the raised ground, and follow the hallway onward.

3. River Raft and Gated Chest

The path gives way to an underground river with a strong current. A sail-less raft rises up out of the ground and starts drifting downstream — step onto the raft and let the current carry you.

As you drift, two more Guardian Scout Is wait on small platforms, one on each bank. Shoot the first as you pass; the second sits farther away, so hold your fire and let the raft drift within range first.

Just past the scouts, on the left bank, you’ll spot a sliding gate with a stone chest behind it. Place a Cryonis pillar directly beneath the gate — the rising ice pushes the gate up and out of the way.

Use another ice block to pull up level with the bank, then Paraglide across to the chest behind the raised gate and open it for a Knight’s Broadsword. Be careful with your landing — more on that below.

Return to the river and work your way to the end of the channel — ride the current on the raft or place Cryonis blocks along the water to keep your footing under control.

4. Reaching the Monk

At the end of the hallway the river spills over a waterfall into a pit. Jump off the edge and Paraglide down to the monk’s pedestal below rather than riding the water down.

Approach the monk Kaya Wan at the pedestal to receive your Spirit Orb and complete the trial.

What is in each chest?

What do people miss here?

• The floating chest ignores Magnesis completely — players stand there waving the rune at it forever. A Cryonis pillar placed underneath is the only way to lift it; don’t leave without the Ancient Core.
• The second chest is easy to drift straight past on the raft: the sliding gate sits on the left bank immediately after the two Guardian Scouts. Grab it before continuing downstream, so you don’t have to run the trial again.
• Never try to swim in the underground river. The current moves faster than Link can swim against it and will sweep you over the drop — likely killing you. Treat the raft, Cryonis blocks, and the Paraglider as your only safe ways across.
• The second river Guardian Scout is farther away than the first, so arrows fired early can fall short. Wait for the raft to drift closer instead of jumping into the water to chase it.
• The raft is optional for the final stretch — if it floated off without you, Cryonis blocks placed along the channel will get you to the end just as well.

What else is nearby?

Which guides help next?

• All BotW shrine locations
• How to find shrines
• Tears of the Kingdom vs Breath of the Wild