Tomb Raider Guide | How to Solve the Temple of the Handmaidens Tomb

Here's a guide on how to solve the Temple of the Handmaidens Tomb in Tomb Raider.

Game Guide by ImSadi on Dec 17, 2025

Looking to tackle the Temple of the Handmaidens? This optional tomb is tucked away on Shipwreck Beach, but you'll need to beat the mini-boss on the main deck of the Endurance wreckage first to snag the Rope Ascender. Once you've got that tool, you're good to go.

Locating and Opening the Tomb

Head up to the northern area of Shipwreck Beach, close to the survivors' camp. You're looking for a barricaded entrance to an underground temple.

Once you spot it, shoot a rope arrow at the barricade and hold down the action button to fire up your Rope Ascender and yank it open.

Tomb Raider, Guide, How to Solve the Temple of the Handmaidens Tomb

Navigating to the Main Chamber

Make your way down through the tunnels—keep that torch handy for light. You'll come to a cavern with a waterfall. Don't overthink it here; there's no need to create a rope bridge.

Just wade through the shallow stream and keep moving forward until you reach the main puzzle chamber with its base camp.

Starting the Buoy Puzzle

Alright, first things first: head over to the mechanism near the base camp. Use your climbing axe on it to raise a submerged cage, which frees up a floating buoy that'll start drifting left. As soon as it's released, let go of the mechanism.

First Platforming Sequence

Now move fast! Head left from the mechanism and scramble up onto a ledge. Run along the path until you hit an edge, then hold tight.

Tomb Raider, Guide, How to Solve the Temple of the Handmaidens Tomb

The buoy will drift into the water and trigger the first mechanism below you. The moment you see a wooden beam swing into position in front of you, use it to jump to the next ledge.

Second Mechanism and Continued Pursuit

Keep the momentum going—run forward from this ledge until you reach another edge. Look down at the watercourse and shoot a rope arrow at the marked spot to manually turn the second mechanism.

Timing matters here; you need to do this before the buoy gets there. Once you've turned it, don't stop.

Keep moving to the next edge and wait for the buoy to hit and activate the third mechanism. The second it does, it leaps across the rotating beam that appears.

Also, check our Tomb Raider (2013) Review and Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition Review, and other guides below.