2 Days Luoyang Longmen Grottoes Tour from Request

Full Itinerary Day by day

Day 1 Luoyang Arrival

Welcome to Luoyang, one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China! Your local guide and driver will meet you at the train station or the airport and take you to visit Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage site boasting the largest and most impressive collection of Chinese art from the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907). Take an electric car to the West Tourist Center to begin your exploration from there. You'll marvel at the remarkable Buddhist caves scattered across the West Hill from north to south. The Bingyang Middle Cave, the first royal cave, was excavated to immortalize Emperor Xiaowen's historical achievements in moving the capital to Luoyang and initiating Chineseization reforms. In the Wanfo Cave, adorned with 15,000 small seated Buddhas, you'll witness a harmonious depiction of the Western Pure Land. Undoubtedly, the highlight of the Longmen Grottoes awaits you at the Fengxian Temple, where the majestic Vairocana Buddha stands 17.14-meter tall, showcasing unparalleled carving skills through its diverse statues. After immersing yourself in the beauty of the grottoes, take a leisurely stroll to the opposite side of the river for a panoramic view, particularly of the magnificent Vairocana Buddha. Conclude your visit by exiting the scenic area aboard an electric car.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Luoyang Museum, which offers a comprehensive insight into ancient Luoyang from various perspectives. With over 1,000 exhibits spanning different dynasties that once established their capitals in Luoyang, a stroll through the exhibition halls on the first floor will transport you through 13 dynasties of history. The Ancient Treasures of Luoyang exhibition on the second floor features prized artifacts, including the Black Glazed Pottery Horse (AD 618-907), Facial Part of the Clay Buddha Figurine (AD 386-557), White Jade Cup (AD 220-225), Gilt Bronze Figurine of A Winged Man (AD 25-220), Bronze Ding Intertwined with Gold and Silver Patterns (BC 475-221), and more.

After sightseeing, transfer to check in your hotel in Luoyang.

Tips for Today: Comfortable footwear is essential for your visit to the Longmen Grottoes, as exploring the scattered grottoes across the hill involves walking several steps up and down.

How to Get to Luoyang? It is available to take a flight to Luoyang from Beijing (2 hrs), Shanghai (2 hrs), Chengdu (2 hrs), Chongqing (2 hrs), Guangzhou (2.5 hrs), etc., or take a high speed train to Luoyang from Xian (1.5 hrs), Zhengzhou (40 mins), Beijing (3.5 hrs), Shanghai (5.5 hrs), Nanjing (3.5 ~ 4 hrs), Hangzhou (about 5.5 hrs), Chengdu (5.5 ~ 6.5 hrs)

Day 2 Luoyang - Dengfeng - Luoyang (B, L)

After breakfast, start today's trip with a visit to White Horse Temple, located approximately 50 minutes' drive from downtown. Established in AD 68 during the Eastern Han dynasty, White Horse Temple holds the distinction of being China's first Buddhist temple, boasting a history spanning over 1900 years. Since its establishment, it has played a pivotal role in spreading Buddhism throughout China and is revered as the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. A visit to White Horse Temple offers the opportunity to admire the ancient architecture of the main temple and explore other temples in the International Zone, each featuring distinct exotic styles such as the Indian Temple, Burmese Temple, and Thai Temple.

After sightseeing in White Horse Temple, drive about 1.5 hrs to Shaolin Temple, renowned as the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and the birthplace of Kung Fu. Here, you'll have the chance to tour grand temples and halls, marvel at stone carving art, immerse yourself in Buddhist culture, and perhaps witness the daily lives and meditation practices of the temple's monks. Be sure not to overlook the famous Pagoda Forest, the largest of its kind in China. When a revered monk passes away, their remains or skeleton are interred in an underground palace, and a pagoda is erected atop it. The pagoda's height, size, and number of layers are determined by the monk's knowledge of Buddhism, reputation, and merits and virtues accumulated during their lifetime.

Later, you'll be treated to a spectacular Kung Fu Show at the Shaolin Wushu Hall, typically lasting around half an hour. On occasion, several audience members may even be invited to learn a few Shaolin Kungfu techniques.

Optional Activities: For an additional fee of CNY 30, you can also opt to witness a Kung Fu Show performed by martial monks of the Shaolin Temple within the temple grounds. This performance showcases some of the "72 Arts of Shaolin," including Diamond Finger, Iron Head, and Golden Bell techniques. Let your tour guide know in advance if you are interested in it.

After the Kung Fu show, drive back to Luoyang or Zhengzhou to catch your train or flight to your next destination.

The quotation for this trip is from Request Per Person

1. This price is for one person, based on a group of 2 adults sharing one standard double-bed room in a 4-star hotel and traveling with our private tour in low seasons. It will drop greatly if your group has 4 or more members.
2. This price is subject to change according to your traveling season, month and date. There may be huge price increasing during public Chinese holidays, school summer vacations, tourism peak seasons or some special dates. (China Public Holiday 2025 Schedule Released)
3. Other factors that may change the final tour price include group size, hotel class, tour activities, fluctuation of currency exchange rate, etc.
4. This price is based on exchange rate USD 1=RMB 7.00. The final price will be based on the exchange rate in effect at the time of agreement with our quotation.
5. This price is only valid to March 31, 2026.
6. This price is not the final price until the Confirmation Letter is sent.
7. The items included and excluded in this price are for reference only. The final services included, please refer to the confirmation letter sent to you by the travel consultant.

How Our Teams Serve you at China Discovery

"Highest Standards of Quality and Honesty" is the core value of each specialized team at China Discovery.

Eveyone in our company is working hard for only one goal, which is to ensure the highest level of service, luxury, and attention to detail from the minute you begin planning your trip, to the day you return home.

1-on-1 Travel Consultant

Our travel consultants are professional, experienced and responsible, helping you from the very beginning to the end of your China trip!

After sending us an inquiry, one of our travel consultants will get back to you within 0.5~23.5 hrs. In the next few days, he/she will be working closely with you to formulate a customized tour plan, as well as providing professional suggestions based on your travel interests, time, and budget.

Beside, he/she will keep in contact with you during your entire tour in China, continually checking if everything is going well as planned.

We're working at Chengdu Bamboo International Tours, local based in Chengdu.

Local Tour Guides

Our local guide in every destination is not only very friendly, enthusiastic but also very informative and knowledgeable.

Once you arrive in the destination, the patient and punctual guides will pick you up and take you to get under skin of the city at your own pace. By in-depth discovery and explanation, they’ll show you more about the history, culture, customs and authentic local life. Throughout the journey, they're not only expert guides who take care of all the details but also fellow travelers who are dedicated to help you explore in comfort and style.

Our guides are passionate about what they do, and it shows all the way!

Local Drivers & Vehicle

Using our private transfer service makes you comfortable, relaxed and worry free all the way!

Our private service includes licensed drivers with many years’ driving experience and air-conditioned, non-smoking, clean and well-maintained cars/vans. Drivers are local, polite, friendly and helpful, taking you to your tourist sites, hotels, airport/train stations in safety. All kinds of vehicle are offered, and yours depends on the size of your group. Usually, we offer sedan cars, SUVs, business vans (MPV) and different types of buses, all with extra space for your luggage.

Our private transfer service guarantees you the highest comfort!

Comfortable & Homelike Hotels

In each destination, you’ll enjoy a comfortable stay in a great location!

The hotels we choose are based on star rating, great locations, well-equipped facilities, cozy bed, high quality service and guests’ feedbacks. Choices are a lot ranging from luxury 5 star, comfortable 4 star to budget 3 star. You could decide where to stay to best suit for your budget and likes. Generally, the hotels have both Western and Chinese breakfast with a wide choices.

If you have already got an ideal hotel, please feel free to tell our travel consultants and they'll book the hotel for you.

Have good sleep in our well-selected hotels in all the destinations of China.

Meals & Dining

We can satisfy all the dietary requirements no matter you want Chinese local food, western food, vegetarian food or muslin food.

The restaurants we will take you for lunch or dinner are all designated tourist restaurants approved by local tourist administration bureau. They have very good sanitary conditions and the food is prepared fresh and clean.

There will be some meals excluded in your itinerary as you like, and your private guide will be delighted to give you some suggestions and take you to the local restaurants to taste like Beijing Roast Duck, Xian Dumpling Dinner, Sichuan Hotpot, etc., if you are interested in local food tasting.

All the dining options will satisfy your stomach!

Check What our delighted customers are saying about our services

Hi Wonder,

All is good! Only my father get tired very easily, so today we skip a little bit of the programma and got back to the hotel a little bit earlier. But overall everything is good!

The tour was also good, we saw everything we wanted to see… and everything went by smoothly. Only the distance is the problem… everything is so far away.

1 week is a good choice for us, because at the end of the trip, my father and aunt had enough of the travelling. And I even thought to go to Kashgar… maybe we do it next time only Xinjiang. My father couldn’t go to some places in Zhangye, so he wait at the entrance with the tour guide while my aunt and me were wandering around.

Vanessa

Vanessa‚ Netherlands, June 13, 2025

Hi Tammy,

Now safely back in London after a wonderful time in China.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Victoria Jenna cruise and although we did not upgrade our cabin, as it was perfectly fine, we did upgrade the dining option as it meant we could have our own table for two in the upper dining room (rather than sharing a large table for 10 people in the large dining room) plus the food choice was larger and wine was included with lunch and dinner. Highly recommend that option.

Xi’an was terrific and we really enjoyed everything you organized and our guide Jenny was great and so knowledgeable.

Over the long weekend in between we also travelled with our daughter to Hangzhou and then on to Suzhou both very interesting and pretty.

As you know we upgraded the train to Xi’an to first class which I think was well worth doing as the train back from Yichang was comfortable but very busy and noisy for Western people, and also many people were making their own pot noodles etc so my recommendation would be to travel first class on trains (rather than flying) because you see so much of the country and the stations are well organized and trains very comfortable with lots of space and no hanging around it airports.

Thank you for all your help Tammy, excellent work and I will certainly contact you again when we return (we have a two year visa) so will return so we can visit Guilin and that area.

Take care and thanks again.

Maggie

Maggie ‚ Britain, June 13, 2025

Dear Wonder:

Evolution feedback as below,

1. Very quick, impressive, Wonder took care of every detail, any doubt any concern responding in a very proper, clear a positive way.

2. Everything was perfect, well coordinated, all the guides were on time, very nice people all, service was outstanding, all reservations were made perfectly. Wonder did a perfect job.

3. I am currently recommending Chengdu Bamboo International Tours to every person I know.

4. General opinion: perfect, great service, impressive the clearness of the information, quick response and open to explore alternatives and to mofify the original tour proposed.

Hector

Hector‚ Mexico, June 12, 2025

Dear Mrs. Yang,

We are overwhelmed about the team here, your support in the backoffice and the great scenes on the tour. Unfortunately the tour ends already tomorrow morning but we will enjoy it up to the last minute.

Again, thank you for organizing.

best regards

Bernd

Bernd‚ Germany, June 12, 2025

Rita,

We enjoyed our trip and especially the studio apartment in Chongqing.

1. Tour arrangements were good and not too tiring.

2. Yes, I definitely can recommend to my friends.

3. No further suggestion for CQ tour - 2 days for CQ attractions and 1 day at Dazu Rocks are sufficient.

Thanks

Peter

Peter‚ Malaysia, June 10, 2025

Check What our customers are saying about us on Tripadvisor.com

We are one of the few China travel agencies who have kept active and received lots of feedbacks and reviews during pandemic years!

Richard

"This is my 3rd group trip with China Discovery planned by Jack Li. A wonderful itinerary of 19days/18days from Guilin, to Guizhou and Hunan..." read more »

Reviewed on April 30, 2025

13Kripy

"We contacted this tour group based on Trip Advisor reviews. We were not disappointed. We organised a private custom tour for the two of us with a guide to best use the time that we had at each destination..." read more »

Reviewed on June 15, 2025