Datong

Tours

Be picked up from your Datong hotel or railway station or airport , relax in a chartered car , and explore the Yungang Grottoes and Hanging Temple on your own. You will see the World Heritage Yungang Grottoes , with their 252 caves and 51,000 statues, represent the outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China in the 5th and 6th centuries. The Five Caves created by Tan Yao, with their strict unity of layout and design, constitute a classical masterpiece of the first peak of Chinese Buddhist art. Afterwards, see the Hanging Temple .Built more than 1,500 years ago, this temple is notable not only for its location on a sheer precipice but also because as a Buddhist temple it also contains references to the other two of the three Chinese traditional philosophies or religions : Taoism, and Confucianism. The structure is kept in place with oak crossbeams fitted into holes chiseled into the cliffs. The main supportive structure is hidden inside the bedrock.The monastery is located in the small canyon basin, and the body of the building hangs from the middle of the cliff under the prominent summit, protecting the temple from rain erosion and sunlight bake. Enjoy these two sites views of Datong , dropped off at your hotel or railway station or airport in Datong. We may change the order of the two locations based on the location of your hotel ，station or airport. If you have any special requirements, please let us know. Thanks :)

Pick up at your hotel or train station in Datong Transfer time : Hotel/ Train Station -> Yungang Grottoes : 1 hour Yungang Grottoes -> Hanging Temple : 2 hours Hanging Temple -> Wooden Pagoda : 1 hour Wooden Pagoda -> Datong hotel : 1.5 hours You can bring food for lunch, or you can inform us in advance that you would like to dine at a restaurant on the way. We only have traditional local Chinese restaurants here, and the dining time is from 11:30am to 2pm. There is a limit on the number of visitors to the Hanging Temple, and most of the time you need to queue up to enter. The waiting time varies from 1 to 2 hours. In order to give you enough waiting time, we may adjust the order of attractions, but we will not reduce the number of attractions. It is a 4 -seater car for 1-3 people It is a 7 -seater car for 4-6 people It is a 14-seater car for 7-10 people

After hotel pick–up at 9:00 am, transfer to visit the Hanging Temple, a temple built into a cliff 75 meters above the ground near Datong city. Discover the temple, built more than 1500 years ago, and marvel at its massive size. Find out more about the only existing temple to combine three Chinese traditional religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Enjoy your lunch in local restaurant before you move on to the Yungang Grottoes, one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist sculptural sites of China. Take in this outstanding example of the Chinese stone carvings from the 5th and 6th centuries. See the 53 major caves, along with 51000 niches housing the same number of Buddha statues. Find out how the grottoes were excavated in the south face of a sandstone cliff. In 2001, the Yungang Grottoes were made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the end of the tour, return to your hotel in Datong.

Meet your tour guide in the lobby of your Hangzhou hotel or Hangzhou Railway Station. Then hop on your private vehicle and start your Hangzhou adventure. You can follow our sample itinerary, feel free to tell your guide if you want to make any changes during the tour. Your first stop is West Lake. West Lake is a UNESCO World Heritage site and an iconic, symbolic sight in Hangzhou which is regarded as one of the most beautiful sights in China. Its beauty is the subject of many poems and paintings. Enjoy a 30 minute boat ride on tranquil West Lake, relax amid enchanting scenery as your pass by historic pagodas, Chinese-style arched bridges and more. Fully appreciate the amazing natural beauty of the whole area. Continue your tour to Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak. Immerse yourself in Lingyin Temple which is the biggest and oldest temple of China. It is considered a leading centre for research relative to Chinese Buddhist culture. Explore the palaces, pavilions and halls together with your tour guide and gain deep insight into the history behind. Follow your tour guide to walk along a cobblestone pathway leading to Amanfayun Village where you can feel the tranquil atmosphere of the hamlet dotted with traditional dwellings and surrounded by tea fields. After lunch in the local restaurant, your tour guide will design the activities in the afternoon based on your interest. Or follow our itinerary. Stroll around the Hefang Street, the street's origins can be traced back to the illustrious Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), a time when Hangzhou flourished as the country’s capital and a vibrant hub of commerce and intellectual pursuits. Enjoy fun explore include the street food , arts, handicrafts, trinkets, and souvenir shopping with the assistance from you guide. Or visit the Meijiawu Tea Village which is situated in the rural foothills of the West Lake district. Here you can learn about the production of Xihu Longjing tea, and sip the fragrant green tea as you relax in this scenic setting. Tour end with your Hangzhou hotel or railway station drop off.

Meet your tour guide in the lobby of your Suzhou hotel or Suzhou Railway Station. Then hop on your private vehicle and start your Suzhou adventure. Your first stop is the UNESCO listed garden in Suzhou: Humble Administrator's Garden, which is the largest and most prestigious garden in Suzhou. Admire magnificent halls, delicate pavilions, lush flowers, zigzagging bridges, bamboo groves and fragrant lotus ponds and listening to the stories and history from your local knowledgeable guide. During the peak season, the Humble Administrator's Garden will be very crowded, if you prefer lesser and more peaceful garden, you will visit the Lingering Garden instead. Lingering Garden is one of nine "Classical Gardens of Suzhou" on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and praised as one of China's four famous gardens. With a history of more than 400 years, the Lingering Garden has changed hands several times. Each owner did his best to perfect it. Follow your guide to explore the beautiful gardens and immerse yourself in the ancient charm while listening the interesting commentary from your guide. Move on to the Pingjiang road which can dating back to Song Dynasty (960-1279). Extending for almost 2 kilometers through the heart of Suzhou’s Old Town, this narrow flagstone street and the lanes extending from it are lined with well-preserved traditional architecture, shops, teahouses, guesthouses, and local homes that lend the street an authentic, ancient atmosphere. After lunch in the local restaurant, continue your afternoon visit to one of two best well-known ancient water town Tongli or Zhouzhuang. Tongli: Reputed as the “Oriental Venice”, Tongli has more than 1000 years of history. It is made up of seven islands, 12 canals or rivers, and 49 bridges to connect the town. Here you can see beautiful examples of traditional architecture, bridges, homes, gardens and canals. Here you can take a sculling boat (at your own cost) to feel the excitement of watching the ancient buildings and people passing by Zhouzhuang: The most popular, developed, and commercialized water town in China, The town is built amid canals, ponds, and lakes. What makes it special are the old buildings and bridges, boat rides, crafts, and the quaint water town scenery. The canals that crisscross Zhouzhuang have many stone bridges, about fourteen of these were built in the imperial era about 150 years ago or more. No mater which water town you will visit, you will be amazed by its fantastic ancient town scenery and learn its amazing culture from your guide. Tour end with your suzhou hotel or railway station drop off.

Meet your driver in the lobby of your hotel in Chengdu. Hop into your private vehicle for a relaxing 2-hour drive to Leshan Giant Buddha. You will travel either by 5 seats sedan (1-3 passengers), 7 seats minivan (4-5 passengers) or bus (6 + passengers ). Enjoy the idyllic country views on the way. Upon arrival, driver will show you where to purchase your tickets, he will waiting for you at the parking lot. After your self guided tour finished, driver will bring you back to your hotel in Chengdu. The Leshan Giant Buddha, also named the Lingyun Giant Buddha, is the largest stone Buddha in the world, standing at 71 meters in height. The Buddha’s ear is 7 meters in size and made of wood; his head is 14.7 meters in height and 10 meters in width; there are 1,021 buns in the Buddha's coiled hair; and his nose and eyebrows are 5.6 meters in size. His mouth and eyes are 3.3 meters wide; his neck is 3 meters long; his shoulders are 24 meters wide; his fingers are 8.3 meters long; and 100 people can sit on his feet. The Buddha has been said to show emotions about different moments that have occurred in history.

Our driver will pick you up from your Beijing downtown hotel, then you will be transferred to the train station. Our driver will accompany you all the way to the right waiting room and make sure all tickets are ok. Enjoy a 2 hour bullet train ride on your own to Datong. Once arrive at Datong. Your local tour guide will greet you upon arrival at the train station, then go over the day’s itinerary on your way to the first stop of the day - Hanging Temple. The Hanging temple is the only existed temple hosting worship for the Taoists, Confucians and Buddhists. Built in 491 A.D, Hanging Temple is an architectural wonder because it hangs on the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge more than 50 meters above the ground. It has established its unique position among the various temples and monastery with its characteristics of “peril, workmanship and miracle”. Upon arrival, follow your tour guide to explore the temples and get to know the detailed stories and histories. Next, stop at a local restaurant for a quick lunch. Then heading directly to Yungang Grottoes (Approximately 1.5 hours drive). As an UNESCO World Cultual Heritage Site, Yungang Grottoes is deemed as the Three Largest and Most Famous Grottoes Clusters together with Mogao Grottoes of Dunhuang, and Longmen Grottoes of Henan. With their 252 caves and 51,000 status, the Yungang Grottoes art represent the successful fusion of Buddhist religious symbolic art from south and central Asian with Chinese cultural traditions, starting in the 5th century CE under Imperial auspices. The power and endurance of Buddhist belief in China are vividly illustrated by the Yungang Gottoes. After the tour you will be transferred to Datong railway station and heading back to Beijing. Once arrive, our driver will pick you up from the train station, and you will be transferred back to your hotel in Beijing.

Meet your tour guide in the lobby of your Datong hotel or Datong Railway Station/Airport. Then hop on your private vehicle and heading directly to Yungang Grottoes which will take 30 minutes. Your tour guide will explain the related histories and stories along the way, feel free to ask questions if you have. Upon arrival, follow your tour guide to admire outstanding achievement of Buddhist cave art in China during the 5th and 6th centuries architecture at Yungang Grottoes. Enjoy lunch in the local restaurant, heading directly to Hengshan Hanging Temple which will take 1.5 hours. The hanging temple is the only existed temple hosting worship for the Taoists, Confucians and Buddhists. Built in 491 A.D, Hanging Temple is an architectural wonder because it hangs on the west cliff of Jinxia Gorge more than 50 meters above the ground. Follow your tour guide to experience the 1400 years architectural wonder, get to learn the history of three major religions in China and how these believes been used into the architecture. After the tour finished, you will be transferred to your hotel in Datong.

Your private English-speaking guide and driver will pick you up from your Guilin downtown hotel's lobby at 8:00am and you will be transferred to Zhujiang Pier, where you will embark and start the boat cruise down the Li River to Yangshuo County. River Li cruise is approximately 4-hour ( The duration will depend on weather and river levels). Along the river, enjoy breathtaking views of peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water and picturesque pastoral countryside scenery. The river generally has three sections. Various attractions like peaks and villages along the river have interesting descriptive names, which calls for much of your imagination to see what it is like. Listening to tour guide's legendary stories about the attractions is a delightful experience when you are appreciating the landscapes. Most are mystical fairy and love stories. To maximize your experience, tour including the 4-star cruise ticket which is the highest level. It offers better facilities and a buffet lunch. You will arrive Yangshuo around 1:30 pm, follow your tour guide to stroll around West Street, explore various shops, craft-works shops, painting and calligraphy stores, backpack shops, cafes, your tour guide will help you to negotiate price if you want to purchase any souvenir. The afteernoon activities is flexiable, discuss with your tour guide on where you want ot go, then set off and explore. 1: Take a walk or ride a bike to explore Yangshuo's countryside Yangshuo's countryside is one of the handfuls of places left that reminds you of nature's quietness and pureness. 2: Explore the Ten-Mile Gallery in Yangshuo. Sauntering down a country road makes you feel like you are travelling in a painting. This is true of the Ten-Mile Gallery in Yangshuo County, a fairyland on earth. As the name implies, Ten-Mile Gallery is a picturesque road stretching from the Yangshuo town area to Moon Hill, endowed with rolling hills, endless fields, idyllic villages and clear rivers on both sides. 3: Stop at Moon Hill for photos 4: Butterfly Spring Park and other sites. At the end of the tour you will be trasnfrred back to Guilin by a private vehicle. If you prefer to stay in Yangshuo, simply let you guide know in advance and you will be transfered to your accommodation in Yangshuo after the tour.

Pick up from your hotel or railway station or airport in Datong Transfer to Hanging Temple (1.5 hours) Then drive to Wooden Pagoda (1 hour) Back to hotel / railway station/ airport ( 1.5 hour- 2 hours ) Explore one of world's forgotten wonders . China's Hanging Temple, located near Datong, sits 246 feet above the ground. The Hanging Temple has two gates, and entering the first gate allows you to watch and take photos up close below the temple. You queue up and enter the second door to visit the interior of the Hanging Temple. Due to the small size of the Hanging Temple and its narrow passageway, it can only accommodate a few dozen people per entry, so it takes 1-2 hours to queue up before entering generally. Wooden Pagoda was constructed in 1056, during the second year of the Khitan-led Liao dynasty and was renovated and expended in 1195 during the sixth year of the Jin Dynasty. The pagoda was built by Emperor Daozong of Liao (Hongji) at the site of his grandmother's family home. The pagoda, which has survived several large earthquakes throughout the centuries, reached a level of such fame within China that it was given the generic nickname of the "Muta".