2-Day Luoyang Private Tour to White Horse temple, Longmen Grottoes and Luoyang Museum

Attractions: Longmen Grottoes, Luoyang Museum
Meal: Not Included
Hotel: Overnight in Luoyang

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, which contains the largest and most impressive collection of Chinese art of the late Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties (316-907). The UNESCO World Heritage Site is densely scattered on the cliffs of Mount Longmen (West Hill) and Mount Xiangshan (East Mountain) – on two banks of Yi River. West Hill houses the major caves with notable displays of Buddhist sculptures and calligraphic inscriptions.

Next, drive to Luoyang Museum which shows each kind of perspective on ancient Luoyang. There are more than 1,000 exhibits dating back to the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618 ~ 907) and even to the earliest prehistoric times (before the 21st century B.C.) in the informative display halls, such as exquisite tri-colored glazed potteries, various bronzeware, ancient clay sculpture, treasured calligraphy and paintings, etc.

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

Attractions: White Horse Temple, Shaolin Temple
Meal: Not included

After breakfast, start today’s tour at the White Horse Temple, about a 50-minute drive from the city center. Founded in 68 AD of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the White Horse Temple is the earliest Buddhist temple in China with a history of more than 1,900 years. Since then, it has spread Buddhism in China and is considered the cradle of Chinese Buddhism. Visit the White Horse Temple and you will see not only the ancient architecture of the main temple, but also other exotic temples in the international zone, including Indian, Burmese and Thai temples.

After visiting the White Horse Temple, drive about 1.5 hours to Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and the cradle of kung fu. You will visit the magnificent temples and halls, appreciate stone sculpture art, learn about Buddhist culture, and observe the daily life and meditation of the monks in the temples. Don’t miss the famous pagoda forest, which is the largest existing pagoda forest in China. When an important monk died, their ashes or bones were put into an underground palace and a pagoda was built on top of it. The height, size and number of levels of the stupa will be determined by the monk’s lifetime knowledge, reputation and merit of the Dharma. You can also enjoy a daily kung fu show by Shaolin monks at the Shaolin Martial Arts Hall, which usually lasts about half an hour.

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