Where To Give Korok Seeds BOTW Complete Guide To Hestu And Rewards

In The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, collecting Korok Seeds is essential for expanding your inventory slots for weapons, bows, and shields. However, to turn these seeds into useful upgrades, players must locate Hestu, the giant Korok musician who dances in exchange for your hard-earned collectibles. Tracking down Hestu can be confusing because he changes locations multiple times as you progress through Hyrule.
Finding Hestu for the First Time Near Kakariko Village
Hestu is initially encountered along the main road leading up to Kakariko Village, just south of the village entrance. Before he will trade with you, you must complete a short side quest to retrieve his stolen maracas from nearby Bokoblins. Once returned, he will offer to expand your inventory in exchange for Korok Seeds.
During this first meeting, Hestu will only upgrade your stash twice before deciding to head back toward his home. Knowing how to efficiently manage your inventory early on is a great tip for players exploring Hyrule. After these initial upgrades, he will pack up his maracas and move to a new location on the map.
Tracking Hestu's Second Location at the Stables
After leaving the road near Kakariko Village, Hestu moves further west toward central Hyrule. He can usually be found resting near Riverside Stable, Wetland Stable, or Woodland Stable depending on your progression path. Checking these central resting spots ensures you can make a few more upgrades during the mid-game phase.
Hestu stays at these stables for a limited number of upgrades before making his final journey. If you visit any of these stables along major trade routes, look near the nearby trees where he stands playing his instrument. Once you trade enough seeds with him here, he announces his intention to return deep into the forest.
Finding Hestu's Permanent Home in Korok Forest
Hestu's final and permanent location is inside the Great Hyrule Forest, located within the Korok Forest itself. To reach him here, Link must safely navigate through the Lost Woods by following the drift of the wind using a lit torch. Once inside the vibrant Korok Village, Hestu will set up shop permanently near the Master Sword pedestal.
Once established in the Korok Forest, Hestu will remain in this spot for the remainder of your adventure. You can visit him anytime to turn in Korok Seeds without worrying about him moving away again. This makes Korok Forest the ultimate hub for all future inventory expansions.
Inventory Upgrade Costs and the Ultimate Reward
The cost of upgrading your inventory increases incrementally with each slot you unlock. Weapon slots generally require the most seeds, while bow and shield upgrades scale slightly differently across their respective trees. Expanding your favorite category early helps immensely when tackling tough bosses and long dungeons.
While there are 900 Korok Seeds scattered across Hyrule, you only need 441 to fully max out all inventory slots. Collecting all 900 seeds and returning them to Hestu unlocks a special, albeit purely decorative, prize known as Hestu's Gift. This unique item serves as a humorous badge of honor for completionists who fully explore every corner of Hyrule.