Shaolin Temple & Longmen Grottoes Day Tour from Zhengzhou

Shaolin monks perform live kung fu during your temple visit.

A private day tour from Zhengzhou to Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes, two of China's most significant Buddhist sites. You'll spend the morning at Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng County (built in 495 and home to the birthplace of martial arts), where you'll walk the Pagoda Forest and Thousand-Buddha Hall, watch a live kung fu demonstration by monks, and eat lunch on the temple grounds. The afternoon takes you to Longmen Grottoes, a cave complex carved between 493 and 1127 AD that holds over 100,000 Buddhist statues across 1,400 grottoes. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Zhengzhou or Luoyang, entrance fees, a private vehicle with air conditioning, and an English-speaking guide are all included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Shaolin Temple2h · entry included
2. Longmen Grottoes2h · entry included

Visit Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes

• Pick up from Zhengzhou hotel
• Drive to Shaolin Temple
• Visit Shaolin Temple halls and pagoda forest
• Watch Shaolin monks Kungfu performance
• Enjoy lunch at Shaolin Temple
• Drive to Longmen Grottoes
• Tour Longmen Grottoes Buddhist cave complex
• Return to hotel in Zhengzhou or Luoyang

The experience

Nine hours door-to-door, with roughly 1.5 hours of driving each way and the bulk of the day split between the two sites. Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel in downtown Zhengzhou in a private air-conditioned vehicle. The first stop is Shaolin Temple, about 90 minutes north in Dengfeng County. Built in 495 during the Northern Wei Dynasty, the temple became the center of martial arts training after an Indian monk named Bodhidharma arrived 32 years later. It's known as "the Number One Temple under Heaven." You'll walk through Shanmen Hall, the Hall of Heavenly Kings, and the Thousand-Buddha Hall, then move through the Pagoda Forest: a collection of stone stupas built over centuries. A live kung fu performance by Shaolin monks is part of the visit.

Lunch happens at a vegetarian restaurant inside the temple grounds. If vegetarian food doesn't appeal to you, your guide will recommend a local restaurant outside the temple instead. After eating, you'll drive another 90 minutes south to Longmen Grottoes, located 13 kilometers south of Luoyang. The site spans two mountainsides across the Yi River and contains over 1,400 grottoes and caves carved between 493 and 1127 AD. Inside are no fewer than 100,000 Buddhist statues, 2,500 tablets and stelae, and other religious objects: some of the finest examples of ancient Chinese stone art. You'll explore the complex with your guide before being transferred back to your hotel in Zhengzhou or Luoyang.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Zhengzhou or Luoyang.
• private air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• English-speaking licensed guide.
• entrance fees to both Shaolin Temple and Longmen Grottoes.
• lunch at a vegetarian restaurant in Shaolin Temple.
• bottled water.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4): free

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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Beijing Tour Guide

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if you want to see both sites in one day with a guide who can explain the Buddhist art and martial arts history at each location.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.

How long is the drive from Zhengzhou to Shaolin Temple?

The drive takes about 1.5 hours in a private air-conditioned vehicle. Shaolin Temple sits in Dengfeng County in Henan Province.

What exactly is the Pagoda Forest at Shaolin Temple?

The Pagoda Forest is a collection of stone stupas built over centuries within the temple grounds. You'll walk through it as part of your guided visit.

How many Buddhist statues are in Longmen Grottoes?

Longmen Grottoes houses no fewer than 100,000 Buddhist statues spread across over 1,400 grottoes and caves carved into the mountainside between 493 and 1127 AD.

Is lunch included, and what will I eat?

Lunch is included at a vegetarian restaurant inside Shaolin Temple. If you prefer not to eat vegetarian, your guide will suggest a local restaurant outside the temple instead.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to these sites?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Zhengzhou or Luoyang hotel, all driving between sites, and a private vehicle for the full day are included in the tour price.