Zelda Breath of the Wild Vah Naboris – How to Beat Vah Naboris, Divine Beast of the Desert

The Divine Beast Vah Naboris has been stirring up quite the storm in the desert for some time now, causing the locals a lot of trouble. The Gerudo have been struggling to cross the desert with the massive sandstorms it has been making, and its giant footsteps have been wreaking havoc like earthquakes in Gerudo Town. But Link is here to save the day, and after recovering the Thunder Helm from the Yiga Hideout for the Gerudo chief Riju, it's time to take on Vah Naboris in Breath of the Wild. We wish you all the best on your quest to take down the beast.

Zelda Breath of the Wild Divine Beast Vah Naboris

After you've returned the Thunder Helm to Riju, meet her at the lookout post, South East of Gerudo Town – it's easiest to get there using a sand seal, either one of the wild ones in front of Gerudo Town (sneak up to them like a horse) or you can rent one from one of the several NPCs that stand near the Gerudo Town exits.

Once you reach the lookout post you'll find Riju waiting atop the tower - just climb up the ladder to reach her. At this point make sure you're well equipped with any health items you think you might need – though if you follow this guide, you should be able to clear it without taking any damage. Riju will supply you with 20 bomb arrows for the assault on Vah Naboris, and then begins a sand seal action sequence.

Here your targets will be the hooves of the Divine Beast which will be crashing into the ground around you. They'll be clearly glowing, and once you've done enough damage with Bomb Arrows they'll stop, so you know you can move on to the next.

What you need to keep in mind during this sequence is that Vah Nabrois will attack with great strikes of lightning, affecting the entire area. Riju, with her Thunder Helm, will throw up a protective barrier you have to stay within when the strikes come down. You do get fair warning from audio cues when a lightning strike is about to take place, so be sure to listen for it and ensure to stick close to Riju.

If you do get hit, it's not all over, Riju will slow down for you, giving you plenty of time to keep up. Likewise, when you wish to move forward take charge and Riju will catch up to you – though be wary if you think lightning is likely to strike.

Start from the hooves at the back of the Divine Beast, and slowly make your way towards the front. Each hoof will have a health bar you can deplete to indicate when it stops being an active target and you can move on. Be careful not to get stomped on!

When moving towards the front, go directly under the beast. We find the best way to keep control of your sand seal in this section is to dash, and then press down on the control stick to keep your speed reasonable, allowing you to dash again quickly if necessary, but also giving time for Riju to keep up with you.

Stay calm and pick your targets off one by one, and eventually you'll bring Vah Naboris crashing down, giving Link time to climb aboard. This'll activate a fast travel point, allowing you to leave the dungeon or return as you see fit.

Follow our guide for the Vah Naboris dungeon, and for anything else in Breath of the Wild, see our other guides at our walkthrough hub.

Now you're on Vah Naboris, the real battle is starting. This dungeon can get frustrating, but perseverance will get you through.

We now have a completely new Breath of the Wild guides hub dedicated to the new Champions' Ballad DLC Pack 2. For complete guides on how to solve every new Shrine in the expansion, as well as how to get your hands on the new Master Cycle Zero, head over to our Breath of the Wild Champions' Ballad guides hub.