Datong Highlights Tour: Hanging Monastery & Wooden Pagoda

Eight hours, two of China's rarest wooden structures, one private guide

A full-day private tour of Datong explores the Hanging Monastery, built in 491 on a cliff face at the foot of Mt. Hengshan, and the Wooden Pagoda in Ying County, a nine-storey structure with four hidden levels and large Buddha statues inside. A professional English-speaking guide picks you up from your hotel, handles transport between sites, and walks you through both landmarks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Datong's Hanging Monastery and Wooden Pagoda

• Pick up from Datong hotel
• Visit Hanging Monastery at Mt. Hengshan
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Visit Wooden Pagoda in Ying County
• Return to Datong hotel

The experience

The tour starts at 9:00 am with pickup from your Datong hotel. Your guide takes you first to the Hanging Monastery, the wood-structured temple that has clung to the cliff at the foot of Mt. Hengshan for more than 1,400 years since its construction in 491. From below it looks like a castle suspended in air. Once inside, the rare architecture and the way it was built into the rock face become clear. You walk through the monastery to see how it stands and learn its history. Datong earned the name "City of Pagodas" because of the number of these structures scattered through the region, and the Hanging Monastery is the most visually arresting.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the guide transfers you to Ying County to visit the Wooden Pagoda. Known as the "First Pagoda in the World," it has stood for about 900 years and is notable for its design: it appears to be five storeys from the outside, but actually contains nine levels, with four hidden inside. Large Buddha statues are housed throughout the structure. The pagoda is the oldest and highest wooden structure in China, and the craftsmanship shows in the details. After exploring it, your guide brings you back to your Datong hotel to end the day.

What’s included

• Private transportation between your hotel and both sites.
• professional English-speaking tour guide.
• Chinese lunch at a local restaurant.
• bottled water.
• entrance tickets to the Hanging Monastery and Wooden Pagoda.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

AgesUp to age 90

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by China Theme Tour

Is this one for you?Eight hours means you see both landmarks thoroughly without rushing, but the full day is committed to the tour itself. Plan other activities for morning or evening. The private guide and transport work at your pace, so you can linger at either site without holding up a group.

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Top questions

What is the Hanging Monastery and why is it built on a cliff?

The Hanging Monastery is a wood-structured temple constructed in 491 on the cliff face at the foot of Mt. Hengshan. It has survived more than 1,400 years and is an architectural wonder. From below it appears to be a castle suspended in air, but the structure is engineered into the rock itself.

How many storeys does the Wooden Pagoda actually have?

The Wooden Pagoda appears to have five storeys from outside, but it contains nine storeys in total, with four levels hidden inside the structure. Large Buddha statues are housed throughout.

What does the tour include besides the two monuments?

The tour includes private transportation between your hotel and both sites, a professional English-speaking guide, lunch at a local restaurant, bottled water, and entrance fees to both the Hanging Monastery and the Wooden Pagoda.

What time does the tour start and how long does it run?

The tour starts at 9:00 am from your Datong hotel and runs for a full day, concluding with your return to the hotel in the late afternoon.