To get to Zora’s Domain in the Ocarina of Time remake, blast the boulders at the mouth of Zora’s River with bombs, then follow the river to the waterfall at its far end. Stand in front of the falls and play Zelda’s Lullaby, and the way into the domain opens.
The river starts on Hyrule Field, just east of Kakariko Village and Death Mountain, and this trip comes after Dodongo’s Cavern because that is where your bombs come from. Below is what to bring, the route, what to pick up on the way, and where to go once you are inside.
What You Need First
| Item | Why you need it | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Bombs | Boulders block the entrance to Zora’s River | The Bomb Bag in Dodongo’s Cavern (bomb guide) |
| Zelda’s Lullaby | Opens the way at the waterfall | Impa teaches it at Hyrule Castle (Zelda’s Lullaby guide) |
| Your ocarina | You play the song on it | Press left on the D-pad (ocarina guide) |
| An Empty Bottle | Not needed to get in, but you want one soon after for a fish | Our Cucco guide covers the one in Kakariko Village |
If you have not reached Dodongo’s Cavern yet, our Death Mountain guide covers the way up.
The Route, Step by Step
- Leave Kakariko Village for Hyrule Field. Come down the village steps and hug the wall on your left. It leads straight to the mouth of the river.
- Blow up the boulders. Hold R to open the quick-select bar, pick your bombs, and press ZR to pull one out. Follow the on-screen prompts to set it down by the rocks, then step back.
- Walk up the river. The route is a single path, so you only leave it for the extras listed below. The dash and the jump button make the climb quicker than it was in 1998.
- Stop in front of the waterfall. At the end of the river you reach a Triforce mark facing the falls.
- Play Zelda’s Lullaby. Press left on the D-pad, then Y, X, A, Y, X, A. The way into the domain opens, and you can walk inside.
Those inputs are for the Normal ocarina layout. If you changed the layout in Options, or you are blowing into a microphone instead, the notes stay the same but the buttons do not.
What to Pick Up on Zora’s River
You can walk past all of this on the first trip, but three stops are worth knowing about.
- Magic Beans. A seller sits at the entrance to the river, and each bean costs 10 rupees more than the last, so bring a full wallet. Our 1998 Magic Bean guide explains what the plants do.
- The Cucco at the start of the river. Carry it all the way to the entrance of Zora’s Domain, turn back the way you came, and glide down to a platform with a Heart Piece on it.
- The frogs. They sit about halfway up. Play them the Song of Storms for one Heart Piece. Five more songs start a button game for a second piece, and one of those songs comes later, so this is a return trip.
Our Heart Piece guide has every piece on the river, including the one on the pillar.
What to Do Inside Zora’s Domain
The domain is the start of a longer errand. Our Princess Ruto guide has the whole trail, but here is where everything is:
- King Zora is straight ahead and up the stairs. He is worried about Princess Ruto, and he blocks the way onward until you bring proof of what happened to her.
- The diving game is down the passage to the left of the throne room. A Zora at the top of the waterfall runs it, and winning earns you the Silver Scale so you can dive deeper.
- The tunnel to Lake Hylia is underwater on the ground level, opposite the waterfall. You need the Silver Scale for it. On the other side, a bottle on the lake bed holds Ruto’s letter.
- Fish swim in the shallow pool under the stairs that lead up to the king. Scoop one up with an Empty Bottle, because you need it for Lord Jabu-Jabu at Zora’s Fountain.
While you are at the fountain, bomb the cracked wall in the south-west for a Great Fairy. Our Great Fairy Fountain guide covers what she gives you.
Getting Back Later
You do not have to walk the river every time.
- Through Lake Hylia. The underwater tunnel runs both ways, so you can swim from the lake back to the domain. Our 1998 Lake Hylia guide covers the ways to the lake, and the fast travel guide has the warp songs.
- Through the Lost Woods. From the Lost Woods entrance, turn right into the room with the ocarina game, then go left to the Goron City shortcut. With that exit in front of you, turn right for the Zora shortcut. Our Lost Woods guide has the rest of the map. Take the river on your first trip, since that is where the story points you.
- As adult Link. The domain is frozen in the future, with King Zora trapped in red ice. Blue Fire from the Ice Cavern, reached through Zora’s Fountain, frees him, and he thanks you with the Zora Tunic.
Every remake guide is on our Zelda hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Zora’s Domain in the Ocarina of Time remake? At the far end of Zora’s River, behind the waterfall. The river starts on Hyrule Field, just east of Kakariko Village and Death Mountain.
What do you need to get into Zora’s Domain? Bombs to clear the boulders at the mouth of the river, and Zelda’s Lullaby to open the way at the waterfall.
Why can’t I get up Zora’s River? You do not have bombs yet. They come from the Bomb Bag in Dodongo’s Cavern, so finish that dungeon first.
What song opens Zora’s Domain? Zelda’s Lullaby. Play it in front of the waterfall: Y, X, A, Y, X, A on the Normal ocarina layout.
How do you get past King Zora? Win the Silver Scale, swim to Lake Hylia, and bring him the letter from Princess Ruto in the bottle on the lake bed.
Can adult Link go to Zora’s Domain? Yes, but it is frozen over. You come back as adult Link for the Ice Cavern and the Zora Tunic.