Shaolin Temple tour from Zhengzhou: Private guide and entry

Shaolin Temple and its Kung Fu legacy, reached with a guide who knows the site

A private day tour from Zhengzhou or Luoyang to Shaolin Temple in Dengfeng City, where you visit the 1,500-year-old Buddhist monastery at the foot of Mount Song, watch a Kung Fu demonstration, and explore the Pagoda Forest with an English-speaking guide. Hotel pickup and return drop-off are included, along with entrance fees and lunch. You choose your departure city and whether to add a guide to the transfer.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Shaolin Temple and surroundings

• Meet driver or guide at hotel lobby
• Transfer to Shaolin Temple
• Visit Shaolin Temple monastery
• Enjoy Kung Fu show theater
• Visit Pagoda Forest
• Return to hotel lobby

The experience

Shaolin Temple sits at the foot of Wuru Peak on Songshan Mountain, a setting that has sheltered one of China's most significant Buddhist monasteries for over fifteen centuries. The temple is known as the "First Temple Under Heaven" and stands as the birthplace of both Chinese Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu, the martial art discipline that has shaped combat practice worldwide. Your day begins with hotel pickup in either Zhengzhou or Luoyang, then a transfer to the temple complex in Dengfeng City.

Once at Shaolin Temple, you move through the monastery grounds and watch a live Kung Fu performance that demonstrates the discipline and physical mastery the temple has cultivated. A battery-powered car carries you through the Pagoda Forest, where centuries of stone stupas mark the graves of notable monks. Lunch is included during the day, and the guide, English-speaking, stays with you throughout, explaining the history and spiritual significance of what you encounter.

The tour runs for eight hours total. At the end of the day, your driver returns you to the hotel lobby in whichever city you chose at booking, so the logistics of getting back are already settled. You can book this as a full guided experience with all inclusions, or select transfer-only if you prefer to explore the temple independently.

What’s included

• English-speaking guide.
• entrance fee to Shaolin Temple.
• lunch.
• one-way battery car through the Pagoda Forest.
• hotel pickup and return drop-off in your choice of Zhengzhou or Luoyang.

Options for this experience

3 options

Shaolin temple ticketGuide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:00Ticket only, with no transfer and no guide, for Shaolin temple. Pickup is included.

Only transfer serviceGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 10:00Transfer service only, with no guide and no ticket. Pickup is included.

Private tour to Shaolin temple starting from Zhengzhou or LuoyangGuide in English · 08:30Package with guide, transfer, and vegetarian lunch included. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Youth (7 to 11 years) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Infant (under 3): 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 effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by China Kongfu Panda tour

Is this one for you?Book the full guided option if you want context for what you're seeing. The guide explains the temple's fifteen-hundred-year history and the spiritual roots of Kung Fu as you move through the site. Choose transfer-only if you prefer to explore at your own pace and skip the meal and guide service.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 11 years); Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What is the Pagoda Forest at Shaolin Temple?

The Pagoda Forest is a collection of stone stupas built over more than a thousand years to honor deceased monks of high rank. You walk through rows of these structures during the tour, each one marking a significant figure in the monastery's history.

Does the tour include a Kung Fu performance?

Yes, a live Kung Fu show is part of the day. The demonstration showcases the martial techniques and physical discipline Shaolin is known for, performed by practitioners trained at the temple.

Can I choose to start from Zhengzhou or Luoyang?

You pick your departure city at checkout. Hotel pickup happens in whichever city you select, and the driver returns you to the same hotel lobby at the end of the day.

Is lunch included in the tour?

Lunch is included as part of the full guided tour option. If you book transfer-only service, lunch is not provided.

How long does the entire tour take?

The tour runs for eight hours from hotel pickup to return drop-off, including travel time, the temple visit, the Kung Fu performance, and the Pagoda Forest walk.